Tag: skincare

Day 1 of My Acne Scar Treatment Journey

So today, I officially started my acne treatment journey after finally consulting a dermatologist. I do not have severe acne all the time, but I do get hormonal acne around my periods, and I also have some stubborn acne scars from older breakouts.

I am also considering adding my cleaning lady and aunt to my will because both confidently told me I did not need a dermatologist. To be fair, it could also be because they cannot actually see my acne scars without their glasses on. But I am ignoring that reality. Sometimes you need to be in a “delulu” space for mental peace and happiness.

Type of Acne

My acne usually shows up as white pimples on my cheeks every now and then. The bigger issue for me has always been the aftermath. Even a tiny breakout tends to leave behind deep brown or pink acne marks that take forever to fade. That is honestly what pushed me to finally visit a dermatology clinic instead of experimenting with random skincare products from the internet. I did not want to ruin my skin further (has happened before).

After my consultation, I was diagnosed with Acne Vulgaris (Grade 2). This mainly includes recurring pimples along with small, inflamed bumps called papules and pustules.

Acne is generally classified from Grade 1 to Grade 4:

  • Grade 1: Mostly blackheads and whiteheads with very few pimples
  • Grade 2: More pimples with mild inflammation and small bumps (papules/pustules)
  • Grade 3: More widespread inflammation with larger painful bumps or nodules
  • Grade 4: Severe cystic acne with deep painful lesions and a higher risk of permanent acne scarring

So, Grade 4 is considered the most severe type of common acne.

My Customized Acne Treatment Routine

I am not going to mention the exact prescription medicines because treatments like retinoids should only be used under a doctor’s guidance. Skincare is definitely not one-size-fits-all, and self-treating strong acne medications can do more harm than good. So the products recommended were:

  • Facewash
  • Moisturizer
  • Sunscreen
  • Retinoid (at night)

My dermatologist prescribed a simple skincare routine for me.

For cleansing, I was asked to use AHAglow Face Wash, which is available on quick delivery apps like Blinkit and Swiggy Instamart. After cleansing, I was told to use Olesoft Moisturizer followed by Acne-UV Sunscreen during the daytime.

At night, she prescribed me a retinoid cream. I am intentionally not sharing the name because prescription retinoids should never be used without proper medical advice. I was specifically instructed to use only a pea-sized amount across both cheeks, forehead, and chin, while avoiding sensitive areas such as the corners of the mouth, the sides of the nose, and the under-eye area. This shows how strong the cream is.

Honestly, the retinoid is the part that scares me the most because it is known to cause skin purging in some people during the initial weeks. But at the same time, it is also considered one of the most effective dermatologist-approved treatments for acne and acne scars when used correctly.

This is officially Day 1 of my skincare and acne healing journey, and I plan to document the process, including the good, bad, and dramatic moments. My dermatologist did say results take time, so I am trying to stay patient and trust the process. to see her again after 6 weeks, so I am guessing it takes 6 weeks to see a change.

I’ll know the treatment is working when my friends have to reduce their phone brightness after opening my selfies. Fingers crossed.

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Photo by Ron Lach

9 Key Takeaways from Dr Vanita Rattan’s Guide for Skin of Colour

Beautiful Skin of Colour

I recently finished reading Dr. Vanita Rattan’s Skin Revolution meant for people of color. It was an eye-opener, especially when she said most skincare products are formulated keeping Caucasian skin in mind and are not exactly suitable for skin of color. Dr Vanita Rattan is a cosmetic formulator of Indian origin. She is a doctor who decided to pursue cosmetology to help people of color care for their skin better.

Here are some key takeaways from the book:

If you are more likely to tan rather than burn in the sun, you are considered to have skin of color.

Oily skin: After a few hours of washing your face, your skin looks and feels shiny.

Dry skin: Skin feels tight and uncomfortable.

Combination skin: Skin is often drier on the cheeks and oilier on the T-zone.

Non-comedogenic – a label may indicate that it won’t clog the pores. However, this is an unregulated term, and in fact I struggle to find a non-comedogenic cream without comedogenic ingredients.

Natural – another unregulated term. Natural ingredients often need to be synthesized to be useful in a product.

Start your PM skincare routine at least 2 hours before bed so you have time for actives to penetrate before your face hits the pillow and the product comes off on your sheets.

Ideally, you should introduce only one new ingredient at a time, just once a week, to see how your skin tolerates it.

Purging is when skin cell turnover increases and cells come to the surface faster. This means clogged pores also come to the surface faster so you see a fresh new crop of white heads, black heads and pimples. They were already in the skin and would have shown up in their usual cycle four weeks later, but rapid cell turnover (due to skincare) accelerated the process, so you see it all at once.

I have also seen natural products without preservatives, which leads to mould in your skincare products. This is not safe.

People sometimes feel that if the skin is tingling and burning the product is working, but actually the opposite is true, especially for skin of colour. We should not experience any burning with cosmetic products. If you do, please stop straight away and seek advice.

If you are a person of color, I highly recommend purchasing the book as Dr. Vanita Rattan gives detailed skincare and haircare solutions/tips for all kinds of issues that people of color go through, including hyperpigmentation, acne, dermatitis, and eczema. The book even has dedicated skincare chapters for men, kids, and pregnant women, making it a good reference book for the entire family. I would definitely refer to the book in the future before buying a new product or if I want to treat any particular skin issue.

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Photo by Riya Kumari