Ami Pradhan: Is your skin care routine effective?

Skin care is just as important as taking care of oral hygiene. Nowadays, people are relying more on social media beauty influencers who promote beauty and skin care products which sometimes can be rather misleading due to differences in skin types. Doing so may lead to allergies, rashes, irritation, and other skin problems. Therefore, it is crucial to treat your skin with skin experts instead of somebody you know.

Ami Pradhan is a consultant dermatologist in Healthy Choice Clinic at Baluwatar. She has been counseling and helping her clients with their skin problems. Babita Shrestha interviewed Pradhan about better practices to keep your skin healthy.

What are the key factors contributing to overall skin health? What basic steps should it include?

First and foremost, healthy skin means a healthy body and lifestyle. For that, you should have nutritious food,  a stress free mind, exercise and healthy sleep patterns. To work precisely on skin health, the first basic steps are cleansing, moisturizing and sun protection. In order to keep skin healthy, you must follow a daily skin care routine. In case you have sensitive skin, skin care is mandatory otherwise you may face severe skin problems. 

What role does diet and nutrition play in maintaining healthy skin?

A healthy, balanced diet that includes fruits and vegetables that are high in antioxidants can enhance your skin. You can nourish your skin even more by avoiding drugs, smoking, drinking alcohol, and aerated beverages. Be mindful of  keeping your body hydrated because when you keep your body healthy, your skin naturally gets healthier. So, for hydration, it's better if you drink 2-3 liters of water per day. 

What are your recommendations for sunscreen use for different skin types?

If you look at the tube of sunscreen, you can find sun protection factors ranging from SPF 30 to SPF 50+. Your use must be at least SPF 30. Additionally, you can check Ultraviolet A Radiation (UVA) and Ultraviolet B Radiation (UVB) spectra. The best sunscreen to use is broad spectrum because it blocks both UVA and UVB rays. These days, people are frequently exposed to mobile devices, laptops, and computers. For this, you can also find blue light and infrared light sunscreen. 

In addition, it is very crucial to use sunscreen based on your skin type. If you have oily skin, it’s better to use gel form and for dry skin, you can use cream form while for normal skin, lotion is recommended. Your skin will look better if your sunscreen suits your skin type. For the fact, the sunscreen can only last for 3-4 hours, so reapplication is very important. Nowadays, you have sunscreen sticks available in the market, which is quite handy to re-apply. Moreover, using the right portion of sunscreen is vital for healthy skin. According to medical research, 30 ml is required for the whole body. But it's impossible to measure everyday life. So, I recommend you to use the two finger rule to measure the amount.

Are there any ways to identify one’s skin type?

First, wash your face, and don’t apply any cream for one hour. Later you can check the sensation in your skin. If you feel rough and tight, it goes on the dry side and if you see oil in your T-zone including forehead, nose, chin and cheeks, it’s the oily skin. For combination skin type you may find both oily and dry sides. Sometimes, the hormonal cycle may also affect your skin type, especially in females. During the menstrual cycle, most of the time you have oily skin. It’s because of the production of sebum which is why you have skin breakouts. Besides, your skin type might change according to weather, age and some medication you take.

Are there common mistakes about skin care?

There are many. First one is the use of Glutathione IV tablets to make skin look fairer, which is not true. Glutathione is an antioxidant which boosts immunity in the process it helps skin. But it does not work for skin whitening. Secondly, it's about the use of Vitamin C serum for glowing skin. And another mistake is manipulating pimples in an unhealthy way. I highly recommend you not to do so as it will take a longer period to heal the scar. Not just that, later you might have a risk of infection. In case if you have to, do it in a very sterile way and if it is severe, it's better to seek professional help. 

How can one choose appropriate skin care products?

For dry skin it’s better to use cleanser instead of face wash while moisturizer and sunscreen can be used in cream form. As for oily skin, face wash is always a better option and you can use gel form moisturizer and sunscreen. While choosing serum, you can look out for hyaluronic acid serum which helps in retaining moisture. But if you have acne prone skin, niacinamide and salicylic acid is better in case of oily skin. For combination skin you can use any depending on your skin type. Also, there are other specific serums which you can use as per your concern.

What are some signs of skin problems?

I highly recommend visiting a professional if you have any irritation and discomfort in skin. Because sometimes a simple mole can turn into cancer. In case your mole is changing its size, color and texture, it’s better to seek skin expert help because with biopsy, they can figure out if it’s just benign or malignant.

What are the potential risks and benefits of various skincare treatments?

Skincare treatment makes your skin healthy and in good conditions. But before that, you should know that skin should be well prepared prior to any medical procedures. For instance, if you are doing peeling or laser therapy, your skin must be sun protected and  moisturized. If not,  then you may have side effects and healing may take time. And even after, if you don’t take proper basic skin care, darker marks might appear in the skin. Therefore,  treatments and basic skin care should go hand in hand to avoid any skin complications.

What skincare adjustments as you grow older?

As you age, your collagen starts depleting which results in signs of aging like wrinkles, puffy eyes and sagging. There is a skin turn over process, meaning our skin forms from the inner side and exfoliates the outer cell. This mostly occurs in teenagers every month  as a result their skin looks fresh. With your aging, the duration of cell time elongates which makes your skin dull and you lose plumpness. You can’t stop aging but can make your skin healthy using anti-aging ingredients using retinol and Vitamin C serum. You can try Micro-needling, which is considered one of the best skin procedures.There is also the option of Botox, which is only a preventive procedure for wrinkles as you have to periodically do it within 3-4 months.