Skin problem treatment methods

The core logic of treating skin problems has never been to copy Internet celebrity formulas and pile on functional ingredients, but to "first trace the source and identify the triggers, prioritize avoiding harmful factors, and then match the appropriate intervention plan." This is the most practical conclusion that I have come to after 7 years of experience in the skin care industry, following dermatology teachers in clinics, and helping 300+ clients to treat recurring bad faces.

Last month, I picked up a 25-year-old girl who had been suffering from recurring mouth ulcers for almost two years. She had been treated with acids, repairing essences, and in-house peels. Her face became more itchy and bumpy to the touch. After sitting down and chatting for 10 minutes, we found the problem: she used a facial cleanser every morning and evening, and applied a cleansing mask three times a week. Her stratum corneum was so thin that you could see red blood streaks, and she was still trying her best to unblock her pores. I asked her to stop the facial cleanser, cleansing mask, and all functional products first, then wash her face with warm water, and apply a simple baby cream. In just half a month, in the photo she took of me, 70% of her lips were gone, and the redness was much lighter. You see, many people are eager to find "what can be better" when they come up. In fact, if you stop the wrong thing first, half of the problems will disappear by themselves.

When it comes to conditioning damaged barriers, there are actually two mainstream directions in the industry. There is no absolute right or wrong, but the adaptation situation is different. Western medicine dermatology generally advocates streamlined skin care + medicinal excipient intervention. For example, when redness and stinging are obvious, use preservative-free ceramide dressings and Vaseline to seal and lock in moisture. In severe cases, apply tacrolimus ointment for a short time to control inflammation, so as not to put additional burden on the skin. The Japanese "skin care fasting" school is more radical, advocating applying nothing except washing your face with warm water, and letting the sebum film secreted by the skin slowly repair itself. I also tried it when I had allergies during the change of seasons. At that time, my face felt hot as soon as I applied the essence. I did not apply anything for 3 days, and the redness was almost gone by the third day. But a word of warning: if you have exudation or scabs, don’t bear it, go to the hospital quickly. Blind fasting will only delay things.

Let’s talk about the most frequently asked question about acne. In the past, everyone thought that acne was caused by excessive oil production, and they had to work hard to control oil and remove acid. Now more and more practitioners are beginning to put forward the idea of ​​"anti-oil control" - many people have repeated acne not because of excessive oil production, but because excessive cleaning destroys the barrier, and inflammation comes to the door repeatedly. I once had a male client with oily skin who washed his face three times a day, using a soap-based cleanser with strong cleansing power. His acne had been growing for 5 years, and new ones were appearing even after the pimples appeared. I asked him to only wash with warm water in the morning, use amino acid cleansing at night, and replace the oil-control toner with a light moisturizing lotion. In just one month, 70% of the acne has disappeared, and the amount of oil is less than before. Of course, this does not mean that all acnes can be treated with care. If you have cystic acne that feels hard to the touch and hurts like hell, don’t bother with skin care products. Go directly to the hospital to check for hormones. Follow the doctor’s advice and take isotretinoin or endocrine-regulating drugs, which are more effective than anything else.

As for spot conditioning, the controversy is even greater. The medical aesthetic school believes that photoelectric projects such as picosecond and photon rejuvenation are the fastest, and obvious lightening effects can be seen in a few weeks. ； Conservative skin care practitioners believe that long-term use of ingredients such as vitamin C, tranexamic acid, and nicotinamide is more stable and will metabolize slowly, making anti-darkness problems less likely to occur. I usually tell my clients to go to the dermatology department to get a dermatoscope first to see the depth and type of the spots: if they are sun spots or freckles that are shallow, if you find it too slow, go for photon treatment. If you are afraid of pain, just stick to applying whitening essence. You can basically see the effect in 3 months. ； If it is chloasma, don’t use laser casually, as it can easily irritate the skin and make it darker. You need to adjust your endocrine system first, and use hydroquinone cream as directed by your doctor. It is more reliable to treat it slowly.

Someone must ask, how do I know what the cause of my problem is? In fact, it is very simple. Just take two weeks to keep a skin care diary. Every day, write down clearly what products you use, what you eat, whether you stay up late, how long you spend in the sun, and take a photo of your skin condition without makeup. In two weeks, you can basically figure out the pattern: some people get chin acne when they drink milk tea, some people get cheekbone spots when they stay up late, and some people get red when they change to a certain toner. These triggers hidden in life are more accurate than any detection instrument.

Hey, after all is said and done, skin care is really not that many bells and whistles. Just treat your skin as your own good friend: when it is thirsty, apply some moisturizer on it, when it is sore from the sun, apply a soothing one on it, and if something goes wrong, let it rest for a few days. Don't always think about stuffing it with a lot of "supplements", which will burden it. I’ve seen too many people spend tens of thousands of dollars on luxury products, mess up their faces by working on theater projects, and finally stop all the messy things, and within a month they feel completely better. To put it bluntly, everyone is too anxious and always wants to turn into egg-shaped skin in ten and a half months. Instead, they forget that the skin itself has strong self-healing power.