Author: Dr. Swetha Kurian

Dr. Swetha Kurian is a Specialist Dermatologist at Dr. Sunny Medical Centre, focusing on medical and cosmetic dermatology, skin and hair care.

The Struggle with Maskne – The New Acne

Wearing a face mask has become a part of our daily routine to protect ourselves as well as others from Covid-19. Though this is helping us to stop the spread of the virus, it has given rise to maskne- acne and irritation caused by the continuous usage of face masks. Healthcare and other front-line workers are at higher risk of getting maskne as they wear it for prolonged periods and are sometimes even required to wear double masks.

How is it caused?

When you talk or breathe while wearing your mask, it tends to trap in a lot of hot air. This creates a humid environment that is ideal for bacteria to grow. The bacterial imbalances and friction from the mask can promote acne and rosacea flare-ups. This also gives rise to fine pimples and boils to appear around mouth and nose.
The problem is not only seen in adults but also in children, with inflammatory lesions in O-Zone of the face. Like normal acne, maskne too can leave acne scars and dark spots over the skin, that’s why it is important to prevent it.

How to prevent Maskne?

Modifying the daily skin routine can lower the chances of getting maskne. Here are a few tips that can be followed to minimize these skin breakouts:
Use a gel based moisturizer: using a gel based moisturizer can soothe and protect protect your skin from mask friction.

Use a salicylic acid based face cleanser:

Salicylic acid helps to remove the excess oil on the skin and in turn reduce the clogging of pores and bacterial growth.

Oral hygiene:

Residue food and other particles can spread from the mouth to the surrounding skin.
This can cause irritation and eventually acne. Washing the mouth after meals and brushing twice a day can help.

Bid Adieu to Scars with Microneedling

Getting acne on an important day of your life can be a frustrating experience but the scars left behind by these acnes are an even bigger problem. These scars can either develop from picking at your skin or from cystic acne. These scars can last for months or even years.

Many people try using home remedies or over-the-counter products but fail to get the desired results. For such people microneedling can prove to be a gift. The procedure also known as dermarolling or skin needling is performed by a dermatologist or skin care specialist. Before getting the treatment you need to be aware of the procedure and how it works.

How it works?

The procedure makes use of fine needles that penetrate your skin. Needling the dermal layer of the skin stimulates it to produce more collagen. This collagen will help in healing small wounds caused by the needles and will smoothen out your skin. This in turn helps in filling fine lines, scars and wrinkles. Microneedling also proves beneficial in treating burn scars, stretch marks, surgical scars and sagging skin.

Advantages of Microneedling

  1. Quicker Treatment: Unlike other invasive skin therapies, dermarolling is considered to be less time consuming. People choosing this procedure can get back to work a day after the treatment. There might be temporary redness or inflammation which subsides within few hours.
  2. A safer option: Unlike other skin corrective treatments like laser therapy, microneedling is considered safer for darker skin tones. It is also considered safe for people with sensitive skin.

Cautions to be Taken

  1. Avoid direct exposure to sun during the first few days after the procedure.
  2. Consult your dermatologist before using exfoliants or alcohol based skin products.
  3. If you are currently experiencing an acne breakout it is better to refrain from the procedure
  4. If you have undergone any skin radiation therapy, you are not recommended to undergo microneedling.

Best Ways to Protect & Boost Collagen in Skin

Collagen has become the buzzword in the world of beauty and wellness at present. It is a natural protein found in our body that can protect our skin from signs of ageing. Overall it is the holy grail of healthy skin and calls for special care, no matter what age you are.

Causes of dip in collagen levels

One of the reasons that can cause a dip in collagen levels in the body is evidently ageing. Starting from your early twenties the collagen production decreases by approximately 1% with each year. The depleting levels of collagen are responsible for the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and sagging skin.

Besides ageing, certain lifestyle choices such as smoking, exposure to harmful ultraviolet rays, pollution and stress can also contribute to the dip in collagen levels. Even your diet can have a huge impact on the level of collagen production. If you prefer having foods high in carbohydrates such as refined sugar and white bread it can increase the breakdown of collagen and elastin in your skin.

Ways to Protect & Boost Collagen

With the right skin care practices, you can not only protect the collagen levels but also boost its production. Here are few tips to get the supple, youthful skin you always dreamed of:

  1. Wear Sunscreen: Exposure to harmful ultraviolet rays accelerates the breakdown of collagen that further leads to formation of fine lines and wrinkles. This is the reason why dermatologists recommend wearing a sunscreen with at least SPF 30 to protect your skin from sun damage.
  2. Drink plenty of water: Keeping yourself hydrated is the key to get a youthful and glowing skin. When you are not properly hydrated your skin turns dry and collagen is not able to repair itself. Besides retaining the moisture in skin, water is required to carry vitamin C around your body. Vitamin C helps to stimulate collagen production and it is a water- soluble vitamin hence being well hydrated can help keeping skin related issues at bay.
  3. Eat healthy: Try to include fruits rich in vitamin C in your diet like berries, citrus fruits, broccoli and bell peppers this will assist your body in producing collagen. Other food sources that are naturally rich in collagen include fish and eggs. If you are a vegetarian or vegan you can include foods like lentil, tofu and quinoa to get all necessary amino acids required for the production of collagen.
  4. In-office treatments: Sometimes even after following a healthy lifestyle our skin tends to show signs of premature ageing. For such individuals an in-office treatment is the best solution. Treatments such as laser resurfacing can regenerate collagen in the skin. Even microneedling (dermarolling), radiofrequency microneedling and platelet-rich plasma therapy can promote collagen production in the skin. All these treatments help you get rid of signs of ageing such as wrinkles, fine lines as well as pigmentation.

Why medi-facials are better than regular facials?

Facials have been a popular beauty regimen opted by both women and men to get glowing, soft and clear skin. A person is spoiled for choice upon entering a salon. There are a plethora of options such as gold facial, fruit facial, diamond facial and many more to choose from. The skincare routine involves exfoliation, lotions, creams, massage and facial masks.

But, if the aim is more than just pampering your skin, you should opt for a medi-facial. The advanced technology and medical grade products used penetrate your skin’s outer layer and can have incredible effects including skin tightening, collagen boosting and of course glowing and supple skin.

What are Medi-facials?

Medi-facials are used by dermatologists to improve skin texture and treat various skin conditions. Even if you have an acne-prone, uneven, rough and sensitive skin, you can benefit from this facial. Unlike salon facials, medi-facials are specifically tailor-made keeping in mind an individual’s skin concern.

Medi-facials might include microdermabrasion, chemical peels, LED Therapy, laser resurfacing or even a combination of these. It also includes gentle exfoliation with skin brightening serums that can rejuvenate the skin and have long-lasting effects. Few common types of medi-facials include.

  • Anti-acne facial
  • Anti-ageing facial
  • Hydrating facial
  • Collagen facial
  • Oxy/jet facial

 

Why choose Medi-facials over Regular Facials?

Medi-facials work from within without being invasive:

As the process involves usage of medical grade products and equipment, the benefits of this procedure are beyond the surface of the skin. Thus, the results are long-lasting in comparison to regular facials. Additionally as the ingredients used for the facial are based on the skin type of an individual the results are much more satisfying.

Medi-facials are specially formulated for different skin concerns:

Medi-facials vary depending upon the skin concern of an individual. Whether it is ageing, dehydration, acne treatment, skin tightening or routine skin cares, medi-facials work for all these and more.

Medi-facials are performed by trained therapists:

The well-trained therapists know exactly the kind of pressure and movements that need to be done to stimulate lymphatic drainage and to promote healthy supple skin.

All you need to know about Microneedling Radiofrequency

What is Radiofrequency Microneedling?

We all know microneedling (also known as dermarolling) is a minimally invasive treatment that can be used for treating acne scars, spots or sun damage. It uses a microneedling pen that has fine needles that create tiny punctures on the skin surface, which triggers the production of collagen and elastin helping in skin rejuvenation and scar healing. In MNRF, radiofrequency waves are channeled through the tiny punctures into the inner layer of the skin. This further enhances skin tightening and scar reduction along with the existing benefits of traditional microneedling.

What to expect during the procedure:

After a thorough consultation the doctor will recommend the necessary number of sessions.
A topical anesthetic cream is applied prior to the treatment. Each session a new presterilized disposable tip is attached to the handpiece of the machine. As the doctor moves the device along your skin you may feel a warm sensation but very minimal discomfort. Minimal redness and swelling can be expected but this is temporary and perfectly normal. After the procedure an antibacterial cream is applied and post procedure instructions will be shared.

Benefits of Radiofrequency Microneedling over Traditional Microneedling

Though microneedling as well as MNRF are known to treat a number of skin issues, the latter is more effective, read on to know how:

Produces extra collagen: This procedure is known to stimulate greater collagen production. This is because of the dual action of micro needling and radio frequency heat. It utilizes radiofrequency waves and heat through the tiny needles to boost collagen levels without causing any damage to the outer skin.
Safer: For individuals with a darker skin tone, radiofrequency microneedling is considered a safer option in comparison to the traditional microneedling procedure. It has minimal downtime.

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) Therapy for Hair Loss

If you are you suffering from mild to moderate hair loss, your doctor may suggest PRP (Platelet-rich Plasma) Therapy to restore hair growth. This treatment is mostly suggested for individuals suffering from androgenetic alopecia, a condition that causes hair follicles to shrink.
Keep reading to know more about the treatment and its effectiveness.

What is PRP?
Whenever you sustain an injury, the platelets are the ‘first responders’ of your body that are responsible for controlling the bleeding and initiating the healing process. Platelets are the basic components of blood along with red and white blood cells and PRP contains essential proteins that help in tissue repair. So, if platelets are extracted from the blood and injected into a damaged part it speeds up the healing process. Besides, helping in promoting hair growth, PRP therapy is also known to heal injured tendons, ligaments and muscles. The plasma also contains many growth factors and other components that further promote hair growth.

The Procedure
The procedure of PRP therapy can be easily broken down into three steps:

  • A medical professional draws blood from a vein in your arm and places the blood sample in a centrifuge.
  • The centrifuge spins the blood to separate its components and the plasma which is rich in platelets is extracted
  • The plasma is then injected into specific areas in your scalp to promote hair growth.

The entire process may take 1-2 hours and the person may require several monthly sessions based on how well they respond to the PRP therapy.
The doctor might suggest a maintenance session every 3-6 months once hair loss in under control.
A safe treatment
PRP therapy for hair loss is considered to be a safe treatment as the patient’s own blood components are used making the risk of getting a reaction or infection almost zero.

There is minimal down time and the patient can quickly resume their daily activities

IV Therapy

Vitamin Therapy for Dehydration

Keeping your body hydrated is the most imperative self-care ritual. Fluids rich in vitamins are one of the basic necessities for our body to function well. Lack of fluids can distress our body and make us feel dull and lethargic. Hydration also contributes in stopping your skin and hair from becoming dry.

You may feel chugging on water and energy drinks will solve the issue but sometimes it doesn’t prove much helpful as it can take hours for our body to rehydrate because our large intestine absorbs most of those fluids. This is where IV hydration therapy proves helpful to get free ourselves discomfort caused by dehydration.

What is Vitamin Therapy?

The treatment uses a simple vitamin IV drip which releases important fluids directly into our bloodstream. It helps in replenishing fluids and vitamins quickly rather than the traditional ways that may take several hours.

Why do you need this?

Special formula of vitamins and minerals can strengthen and improve your overall health including your skin, hair and nails. The IV drip supplements the necessary micronutrients required for your body helping you to look and feel at your best.

How to know if you are dehydrated?

Most signs of dehydration are pretty obvious including dry lips and mouth, fatigue, dizziness, increased thirst. Dark urine is also a signal that your body is low on fluids.

What’s in the IV drip?

The ingredients in the IV drip depend on the reason why you are getting the IV therapy in the first place. A perfect mix of fluids with vitamins, minerals, electrolytes, antioxidants or medication is present in the infusion. For example if a person is undergoing hydration therapy to make their skin look radiant, the IV bag may contain vitamin C, B complex vitamins and glutathione.

If you are pregnant or suffer from any chronic health condition it’s always necessary to check with your doctor before getting the hydration therapy.

Best laser hair removal (Candela GentleYAG PRO Long-Pulsed Nd:YAG Machine)

There are a number of laser hair removal systems to choose from, but Candela Gentle YAG PRO Long-pulsed Nd: Yag Machine stands out from the other options available in the market by providing virtually painless and effective laser hair removal.

How  it Works?

Gentle YAG PRO is the fastest and most powerful ND:YAG laser which offers 1064nm wavelength and combines both energy and power with variable pulse duration.  It can remove unwanted body hair without destructing the delicate pores or structure of the skin. It emits a gentle beam of light that reaches the hair follicle where it is absorbed. The energy is transformed into heat destroying the hair follicle.

Advantages

There are numerous advantages of using Nd:YAG laser for laser hair removal. Some of them are:

  • Painless hair removal: Candela laser hair removal treatments come with a patented Dynamic Cooling Device (DCD). Before and after each laser pulse it releases bursts of cryogen to maintain a consistent skin temperature.
  • Suitable for any part of the body: Multiple spot sizes ranging from 105 to 24mm are appropriate for treating larger areas and makes it ideal for hair removal on legs and back. It can also be used for removing fine hair.
  • Revitalizing skin effect: Along with laser hair removal Gentle YAG PRO is also found to remove pigmented lesions and help with skin rejuvenation. You can get a silky smooth skin that you always desired with this laser treatment.
  • Quicker treatment: An increased 2 Hz repetition rate makes it faster than other laser hair removal It is more effective than IPL treatments for removing unwanted body hair removal.
  • No down time: Patients can return to their normal activities soon after the treatment.
  • Safe for all skin types: Microsecond to milliseconds pulse duration makes it safe to be used while treating pigmented and vascular lesions on all skin types.