Wear your skin with pride
Vitiligo is a condition where the skin forms colour differently and is treatable but has absolutely no associated medical or health issues or disabilities.
The treatment for Vitiligo would involve medications to prevent progression along with sessions of phototherapy and creams to bring back colour. It may tedious and long drawn but perseverance is the key.
You however also have the option to not treat as it is merely a deficiency in skin colour formation and has no other associated health hazards.
Hence ‘LIBERATE YOURSELF’ with the choice to ‘treat’ or ‘wear your skin with pride’
‘A FEW ANTI-AGEING TIPS FOR MATURE SKIN!!’
Call it ‘Anti-ageing’ or ‘Ageing gracefully’ whichever way you’d like to put it, is the need of the day. As we grow more aware of our surrounding and ourselves, there is a surge in the demand for maintaining a healthy youthful skin across men and women.
How do we pick up early signs of ageing skin?
These can show up as early as in your late 20’s sometimes. These include:
– Irregular pigmentation or dark patches over face
– Irregular skin texture
– Sun spots or extra skin growths such as skin tags etc.
– Fine lines or wrinkles: frown lines, forehead lines, crow’s feet, laugh lines, etc.
– Sagging of face or loss of facial volume: which present as prominent nasolabial folds or jowls, sunken eyes / mid face
What can one do at home to prevent ageing changes in skin?
Eat right: A nutritious well balanced diet goes a long way. Foods rich in anti-oxidants have the potential to fight the daily oxidative stresses your skin goes through.
Water: Atleast 2 -3 litres of water a day helps keep your skin well hydrated
Sunscreen: Regular and adequate use helps keep away skin darkening and wrinkling.
Moisturise regularly
Anti-ageing creams: Creams containing retinol, hyaluronic acid, vitamin C , matrixyl etc. have some benefit in collagen remodelling.
What are the Clinic based procedures available for anti-ageing?
Fruit peels: help to remove the superficial dead layer and help in fine line reduction.
Laser toning / Laser facials: This helps clear deeper pigment in the skin hence bringing a glow, causes skin toning with fine line reduction and also provides with a laser bleaching effect that lasts upto 1-2 months.
Fractional Laser: Non ablative laser resurfacing helps correct textural irreegularities and also builds collegen hence has a good anti-ageing effect, corrects fine lines and wide pores.
Radiofrequency / Skin tightening: is a heat treatment which helps to break down old collegen and form younger collagen which brings about skin tighteing in the best possible non-invasive way. A fairly comfortable procedure with excellent results.
Botox:Botox helps relax muscles which are producing wrinkles. Within one week of injection the dynamic wrinkles disappear giving a fresh younger look almost instantly. The fear associated with botox for those who have never tried it stems out of incorrect or inadequate information. A well trained certified dermatologist who is well versed with facial anatomy should be able to give you the much desired look with virtually no side effects.Results last upto 6 months, hence works very well for people short of time.
Fillers:Hyaluronic gel is used to restore facial volume loss which tends to ocur over the years such as mid face volume loss / sagging, deep nasolabial folds or tear troughs. Results last upto 9 months – 2 years depending on the product used. Fillers can also be used to redefine facial features like a sharper jawline, fuller well shaped lips to mention a few.
Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP): for facial rejuvenation
Platelet Rich Plasma is a unique treatment where your own blood sample is collected and processed in the lab to provide a concentrated solution which is almost ten times richer in platelets and growth factors than your own blood. This concentrated solution when used has immense regenerating potential and thus boosts collagen building which improves over 2 months post session and helps restore facial volume loss and reduces fine wrinkles in a natural way. It is popularly known as the ‘Vampire facial’ as it uses your blood to rejuvenate and derives this name simply because Vampire’s never age.
PRP is also used for hair loss treatment (Androgenetic alopecia or balding pattern) with great results.
Why clinic based treatments and procedures are far superior than home care?
Clinics offer more aggressive treatments utilizing much more effective solutions and techniques hence yield better results
Clinic based procedures are advanced treatments and can only be carried out under the supervision of well trained dermatologists
Clinic based procedures utilize advanced technologies and devices which deliver much deeper as compared to home based creams which can penetrate only to a certain depth in your skin
Advantages of clinic based procedures today:
Lunch time procedures with minimal or No downtimeMost procedures are quick with minimal or no redness or peeling and you can walk right back to work or party that very evening.
Once a month session: A smartly planned treatment schedule customized for your ‘skin type’ and ‘budget’, may require only a once a month visit to the clinic to keep you looking young.
Quick fixes:
For those who are super busy to take off time for monthly sessions – there are quick fixes like botox, fillers, thread lifts. These can be touched up once in 1 – 2 years, depending on the product used.
So ‘Start young….to stay young’ is the dictum! As we have always known prevention is better than cure. It is now possible to push away the ageing changes rather than run about to address them once they have already occurred.
‘To look good is to feel good’ – and today advances in Cosmetic Dermatology give everyone a chance to look good and feel good…..at any age!!
A glowing skin: just a few steps away!!!
Today I’d like to address the most common condition people seem to seek skin care advice for: skin darkening / tanning / pigmentation.
What is it that contributes to a flawless, glowing skin?
A clear flawless glowing skin- the envy of most, the pride of a few ….well what exactly makes it glow?? The two essential components of a radiant skin are:
- An even melanin distribution in the skin
- A smooth surface or texture
Unfortunately both these factors show changes owing to cumulative sun damage over the years, even in an otherwise healthy skin and hence need attention.
What are the factors which aggravate darkening?
“Irregular” and “inadequate” use of sunscreen can lead to tanning or photomelanosis: Very often I come across patients who use sunscreen daily however not in the correct fashion which is essential to provide efficient sun protection.
Vigorous rubbing of face with napkins or handkerchiefs or regular use of face scrubs can darken skin
Thickened skin – secondary to repeated scratching or friction appears darker
Strongly scented products, certain cosmetics can sensitize your skin to the sun
Certain deficiencies in the body can present with darkening: Eg: Vitamin B12 deficiency
Few medications for chronic illnesses can darken skin
Certain dermatological conditions can present with darkened skin – Eg: Lichen Planus, Ashy Dermatosis etc.
Hence seek medical advice if any persistent darkening is noticed at the earliest.
What treatments will help bring back your radiance?
In today’s technologically advanced days we are fortunate to have access to sophisticated scientifically researched and efficient treatments. A combination of various techniques works best depending on the type and cause of pigmentation.
First and foremost any underlying dermatological or medical condition needs to be treated.
The darkening can then be reduced by various treatments depending on whether it is epidermal (superficial) or deep (dermal):
Lightening agents: ascorbic acid, azaelic acid, arbutin etc. available as various creams for home use.
Fruit peels: These are solutions prepared from various fruit extracts, these help to remove the superficial dead and darkened layer of skin and reveal fresher lighter skin. The peeling seen is akin to winter peeling which is barely visible and you can resume work right after the session.
Mesoporation: It comprises of an electronic device which via a confortable facial massage helps penetrate skin lightening agents much deeper to give better results.
Laser toning/ Laser facial: A laser of specific wavelength helps tackle resistant pigment. An added advantage of the laser facial is reduction of fine lines and wrinkling hence works well as an anti-aging treatment as well.
Hence an even skin colour – a much desired glowing skin is just a few steps away!!
What are the benefits of Indian skin or as it is internationally referred to as “Skin of colour”?
Having said the above I would like to stress that the aim is not to glorify fair skin. Gone are the days when “fair is beautiful” was the dictum. Indian skin maybe rich in colour (melanin) as opposed to Caucasian skin, but has some inevitable advantages:
- Provides natural protection against sun damage
- Protection against skin cancer
- More the melanin content of skin the later is the onset of wrinkling
As we know even a lot of our Bollywood divas today are a beautiful Indian complexion. A healthy glowing skin hence is one that is flawless in terms of irregularities and texture and emanates our inherent radiance which we should be proud of!!
Skin – a mirror to your body!
Quote Posted on Updated on
“Skin” – a mirror to your body!!!
Beauty maybe skin deep but a beautiful skin reflects a healthy mind and a healthy body in so many ways.
Lack of good nutrition and inadequate intake of water results in dehydrated lustreless skin.
Early wrinkling reflects lack of care in younger days.
Stress shows up in so many ways – such as acneiform eruptions, skin disorders like acne excoriee, neurodermatitis.
Various systemic diseases manifest as skin diseases way before internal organ involvement sometimes such as systemic lupus erythematosus, paraneoplastic syndromes etc. Skin manifestations may often precede malignancy, rheumatology or endocrine abnormalities besides other issues which can be picked up early by a dermatologist.
Hence to start with a few simple tips for a healthy and gracefully ageing skin:
DO’s:
Eat healthy – a diet rich in protein. antioxidants and plenty of water goes a long way for the skin
Exercise regularly – a good cardio workout releases endorphins which are natural stress busters
Use a good moisturiser – to replenish the protective skin barrier
Use of sunscreen twice daily even when indoors – helps keep away wrinkles and darkening
Start early use of good anti ageing creams and/or effective anti ageing treatments like radiofrequency, laser toning, photo facials to maintain a youthful skin
DONT’s:
Don’t pick on acne or other skin irregularities
Don’t use face scrubs, avoid vigorous rubbing of face with towels – as these lead to skin conditions like frictional hypermelanosis, cutaneous macular amyloidosis etc. over the years
Don’t apply very greasy or comedogenic products over the face , which could lead to acne breakouts
Don’t apply strongly fragranced products on the face as these are often photosensitizers and can lead to a rash or darkening
Don’t ignore skin related problems: address them at the earliest to prevent progression of disease, marks, darkening, scars….or other damage
Watch out for this space as we update you from time to time with simple , scientific and safe ways of handling your skin sensibly!!!
Dr.Sama Rais - Dermahub 