Question

Hi Dr. Peter,

With the lockdown and Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) going on for the last 10 weeks, my complexion has changed for the worst. My skin looks dull and oily, and I have whiteheads and blackheads on my T-zone too.  To make things worse, my pores look enlarged too.

I want to restore the glow in my complexion and I would like to find out more about exfoliation. I notice that there are many beauty tools sold online that promise to slough off dead skin and minimize pores to reveal a flawless complexion.

Would this DIY beauty tools help me regain my glowing complexion? I would like to find ways to improve exfoliation until I can resume my aesthetic treatment once the CMCO has been lifted. Thank you.

Misha

Answers

During these times when getting access to aesthetic treatments may not be as convenient as before, you may be tempted to try out beauty gadgets sold online. It’s also common for you to reconsider DIY plant-based solutions you may have stumbled upon on the internet.

While these methods claim to provide a solution to your oily, dull skin, there are some caveats surrounding its efficacy. What’s lacking are clinical studies and scientific evidence that these beauty tools really work.

Before we dive into some very popular questions on online beauty gadgets, let’s define the characteristics of oily skin.

What is oily skin?

Oily skin looks shiny or greasy in appearance. People with oily skin tend to have visibly large pores.

If a hair follicle is blocked by the oil, the sebum will turn into a blackhead once it is oxidized. But if the sebum is not oxidized, it will turn into white-coloured pores, also known as whiteheads. Individuals with oily skin may be prone to occasional persistent pimples too. 

So all these are signs that you have oily skin.

Apart from appearance, you can also use a facial oil blotter to tell whether you have oily skin. If you place the facial oil blotter on your face and it looks very greasy, then you are said to have an oily complexion.

Another easy way is to use the dorsum (or back) of your hand and dab it on your skin. If the back of your hand appears shiny after dabbing, then you are diagnosed with oily skin.

Nevertheless, do not expect your face to be completely oil-free, as it normal to have some oil on your face.

What happens if oily skin is not addressed or treated?

If you do not attempt to rectify the oiliness of your skin, your facial pores will be filled with black and white pores. Over time, your pores will be stretched and will gradually enlarge.

Some patients develop sebaceous hyperplasia. Sebaceous hyperplasia is hair follicles surrounded by orange-yellow bumps on the skin. Sebaceous hyperplasia is caused by the enlarged oil glands.

I noticed that there are beauty tools sold online that claim to be efficient, non-invasive physical exfoliators. Could you share your views on these beauty gadgets?

Physical exfoliators can range from very high end to less expensive ones mostly sold online.

There are 4 reasons why these do-it-yourself beauty tools may not be ideal solutions for skin problems.

Firstly, there is no proper study done on the efficacy of such equipment. Instead, you will notice it is very much testimonial-based. Moreover, there is no means to validate the accuracy of these testimonials. As such, we need to have proper studies to prove that these tools really work and that the gadgets can do what it claims to deliver.

The second factor that affects the outcome of a physical exfoliator is how to standardize its execution. For example, dermabrasions done at home with the physical exfoliator for 30 minutes will deliver significantly different results compared to a 5-minute session.

At 5-minutes, you will not see any effect on your skin. But at 30-minutes, you may over-exfoliate or remove too deeply, and such harsh action can damage the skin.

Because everyone’s skin is different, there is no one-size-fits-all treatment that these physical exfoliators claim it can do.

To put things into perspective, patients with oily skin and dry skin are treated differently. If you have oily skin, you will need to manage it by applying salicylic acid to remove its oiliness. For patients with dry skin, skin hydration is the top priority and the treatment objective is to deliver moisturizing properties.

Thirdly, how long you apply the chemicals along with the physical exfoliator will also affect the results. For instance, an acid applied for 10 minutes vs. 1 one minute will deliver contrasting results.

But leaving acids too long on the skin can cause contact irritant dermatitis, a condition that makes your skin extremely sensitive. And chemical exfoliators are not treatments a layperson can perform safely.

Fourthly, depending on the type of equipment used, pressure can determine the efficacy of a treatment. To illustrate, some equipment can deliver a deeper stimulation when pressed harder against the skin. On the same note, if you press the handpiece superficially or lightly, the results derived will be less prominent.

Essentially, there is no proper standardization in how these DIY treatments are performed. This is why online beauty tools can cause skin complications.

What about beauty gadgets sold online that claim to emit blue and red LED light? Do these products really work?

You may have come across beauty tools sold online that claim to mimic LED phototherapy treatments. These testimonial-based products often-claim to reduce swelling and puffiness, improve skin laxity, and tighten skin. Similarly, the blue light emitted from these tools professes to reduce inflammation and minimize the occurrence of acne.

Indeed, LED phototherapy is useful adjuvant care to treat acne and for facial rejuvenation. However, if the wavelength of the light is wrong, it will not have any effect on the skin.

LED phototherapy has to be powerful enough to penetrate into the skin. It has to surround the skin deep enough. A mere passing of light on the skin does not warrant it sufficient to have any effect on the skin at all.

Without any form of scientific proof on the light’s wavelength, it is hard to say that beauty gadgets truly work.

Unlike the DIY beauty devices, LED machines at certified aesthetic clinics are bulky. And neither do these legitimate LED machines resemble a helmet or mask that you can attach to the face.

As such, I would caution against using beauty gadgets that claim to achieve the same aesthetic results as full-fledged-LED machines.

Can consumers benefit from using these beauty gadgets to buy time before their next medical grade facial treatment?

It is wise to weigh the risk vs. the promise from the manufacturer. Over the years, reputable brand names have discontinued handheld beauty devices. What you see today when you shop online are mostly unfounded promises, often bolstered by positive online reviews or peddled through direct selling.

Medical grade aesthetic treatments on the other hand have gone through stringent clinical tests and are FDA (US food and drug administration)-approved.

What kind of medical-grade aesthetic treatments can I consider to revive my glowing complexion?

A dull, sallow complexion is part and parcel of the aging process. As we age, our skin does not turn over or renew as efficiently as before, causing tissues to accumulate. It is common for some parts of the face to be thicker compared to the other parts. Because matured skin does not reflect light properly, this causes aging skin to look dull.

However, younger skin tends to have a smoother surface. This helps to reflect lightly evenly, lending a shiny and glowing complexion.

There are several medical-grade aesthetic treatments that can help to revive your radiant complexion. Remember, aging is a multifactorial process and facial rejuvenation is a multimodality approach. It is imperative for practitioners to understand the underlying cause of aging to determine the correct treatment.

Copper Bromide Laser and Laser Genesis

If the objective is to target the middle layer of the skin, then laser treatments using copper bromide laser and laser genesis is a good option.

Copper bromide lasers help to reduce abnormal blood vessels, tighten pores, and lighten pigmentation.

Laser genesis is another non-invasive laser that stimulates the body’s natural healing process to produce more collagen. Laser genesis is used to tighten large pores, and smoothen fine lines.

Microdermabrasion

Microdermabrasion is a gentle exfoliation treatment that ends with a rejuvenating facial that delivers skin-specific topical solutions. Also known as SilkPeel, this format of microdermabrasion is best paired with a LED light treatment to deliver visible and immediate results.

Volume Correction and Facial Aging

Restoring volume to a sunken face can do wonders to rejuvenate one’s overall appearance. If we look at the foundation of a person’s face, you will notice that a person who is chubbier tend to look younger than a thinner person, although both individuals are of the same age.

Thus, if there is facial loss of volume, we will treat the area with hyaluronic fillers to plump it up. Patients that present with sagginess will benefit from ultrasound treatment to lift lax skin.

To treat fine lines and wrinkles, we can smoothen creases by administering botulinum toxin injections to prevent muscles from contracting temporarily.

Conclusion

To summarize, a holistic approach helps to effectively target multiple facets of aging concurrently. The safety aspect and efficacy of online beauty gadgets need to be further tested to conclude whether it truly is the magical wand it proclaims to be.

And the most important step to determine the right aesthetic intervention is through an accurate diagnosis from a face-to-face consultation.

To enquire more, please call or WhatsApp us at 011-2288 2299. Alternatively, drop us an email at info@peterchngskinspecialist.com. Remember, we are always here for you, while you stay safe and healthy.

 

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If you’d like to ask more about your skin condition or have a discussion with Dr Peter, you can contact us at +6011-22882299, Whatsapp us, or book an appointment with Dr Peter here!