Some skincare methods require much experience and knowledge. One of the significant skincare mistakes dermatologists recommends staying away from is handy hacks like reaching for a dab of toothpaste to banish a sudden blemish or trying to get a salon-like glow with a heavy-duty chemical peel.
In a conversation with the writer, Dr. Shaikh Salman Salam, MBBS, DDV (BSMMU) Fellowship training in Dermatosurgery, Consultant Dermatologist and Venereologist, gave the following pieces of advice.
Using chemical peels at home
Chemical peels containing 20-35 per cent glycolic acid or TCA (trichloroacetic acid) should not be done at home. Dr. Salam mentioned an example of a patient who tried using 35 per cent glycolic acid peel and ended up with multiple burns that resulted in hyperpigmentation.
Chemical peels are acids of substantial concentrations and work by controlled tissue destruction. Therefore, it requires careful skin preparation and post-peel care. You can use chemical exfoliators or mild home peels instead of chemical peels. These cosmeceuticals are not highly potent and have low concentrations.
Using toothpaste to reduce blemishes
We often see our friends or relatives using toothpaste on their acne spots or a breakout. Toothpaste usually has cooling agents like menthol, which can temporarily reduce redness and inflammation. But this redness and inflammation will come back again.
Toothpaste dries out the skin, impairs healing, and can lead to dark spots after the pimple is healed. It is made for teeth and tough human tissue, and applying it to sensitive areas like active acne can cause dermatitis.
Instead, use salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide to reduce acne. These ingredients work wonders on active pimples. You can use them as a cleanser or a gel.
Microneedling
With the easy availability of derma rollers and other devices on online shopping sites, microneedling at home is quite easy. You need to reach the correct skin depth to get the maximum benefit, which is impossible at home without much experience and knowledge.
The depth varies according to the specific area of your face. In addition, using the same needles repeatedly on your face could cause an infection. So, let your dermatologist do the microneedling of your skin correctly without any harm.
Citrus juice or vitamin-C essential oils
We all know that lemon and any citrus fruits have the property to brighten our skin. However, lemon juice and its essential oil have phototoxic properties, which can cause rapid tanning, redness, and irritation. Lemon juice contains compounds such as furocoumarin, limonene, citral, or citronellal, which are known allergens and sensitisers. Lemon juice is far too acidic for our skin. Instead, you can reap the benefits of this rich vitamin-C botanical source by drying its peel at home, grinding it into a fine powder, and then using this as a facial or body scrub.
So, to own healthy and damage-free skin, produce a skincare routine according to your skin type and avoid these mentioned steps at home.
