She was just a 26-year-old married woman who was extremely worried about her unusual hair fall. From using Minoxidil solution for re-growth to herbal packs and laser combs — she did it all. But on self-prescription.
Blame the infinite beauty and do-it-yourself (DIY) content available on Instagram and other social media platforms, but the young woman never felt the need to visit a qualified dermatologist until it was too late.
“She had become a nervous wreck,” Dr Deepali Bhardwaj, a well-known dermatologist, anti-allergy specialist and laser surgeon in North India told me. “Despite doing everything and spending at least a lakh, she went bald and also slipped into depression.”
Bhardwaj connected her to a psychiatrist first to get some counselling done.
“All this trauma of losing hair could have been avoided if she had visited a medical professional instead of wasting time on Instagram and other online sites,” she said.
PS — The 26-year-old has now got her hair back.
“She” is not unique to have believed the world of social media influencers, reels and DIY content.
There are many girls and women spread across India aged as young as 13 to over 40 who give in to Insta reels and DIY videos and follow random advice to get that “glow”, “brighter and clearer skin”, “wrinkle-free, supple skin” and “long shiny, thick hair”.
In turn, dermatologists — based in big cities or even small towns — are treating the repercussions. From allergic reactions to burns, redness, tingling sensation, itching and rashes, they face some general and several unique complaints.
This edition of Health Matters is based on several interactions and interviews of dermatologists I conducted to delve deeper into the issue.
How Instagram can be lethal for your hair and skin
Sample this case study from one of the conversations I had with the nine dermatologists before penning down this column.
“She came with her hair glued mercilessly into a messy bun. She had put a mug full of coffee powder along with honey and some other stuff on her head and slept the entire night. It did not come off even after taking bath multiple times the next day. She went to a salon and got a good portion of her hair cut, more like a bob cut. There was nothing much I could do except cleaning the scalp.”
Something similar happened a few months ago when a girl attempted to perform a professional keratin treatment at home to straighten her hair after watching DIY videos. Unfortunately, she had to shave off all her hair.
The doctor is based in South Delhi and did not wish to be quoted to protect the identity of his client. “At times I feel like laughing and at times the whole situation feels terrible and pathetic. How can one be so vulnerable and silly? I hope you get me,” he said.
On similar lines, last week, a patient visited the OPD of Amrita Hospital in Faridabad with redness and a burning sensation all over her face. Asked for details, she told the doctors that she turned to social media to get rid of pimples quickly and started using a steroid-containing cream. Unfortunately, her skin worsened because of the ‘wrong cream’.
“Many such patients report using treatments, including home remedies, suggested by social media. Unfortunately, topical steroids are being promoted as skin fairness creams on many such platforms,” Dr Sachin Gupta, consultant at the department of dermatology at Amrita Hospital in Faridabad, said.
He is witnessing an increase in patients applying steroid cream over their faces to increase ‘glow’ as suggested by many beauticians and social media influencers. “However, people should know that use of these steroid creams can result in numerous side effects, including facial hairs, acne and redness over face and sun sensitivity.”
Blame websites selling beauty products or sponsored content by beauty influencers, Gua Sha stones have gained immense popularity in the last year as tools for improving blood circulation of the skin, relieving tension, and sculpting face structure.
However, if not done properly, this can lead to artificial skin tightness.
“Gua Sha stones cannot be used by a person who does not know facial anatomy. You cannot do it more than once or twice a month. Overdoing can lead to more damage than any help,” Bhardwaj said.
Face Serums: ‘Sab Marz Ki Ek Dawa’?
Vitamin C, retinol, niacinamide, hyaluronic, peptide, collagen boosting and many more — serums are the buzzword.
These acids/chemicals are widely available in the world of Nykaas and Amazons and are treated as cosmetics. Hence, there is no need to get a prescription or advice from a doctor before applying them directly on the face.
But there are some concerns about their side effects, usage and dosage that you all must know.
For instance: Dr Vijay told me that while retinol is one of the most sought-after serums as it works as an anti-ageing formula, one must know that it has teratogenic properties that interfere with normal foetal development and cause birth defects.
It means if you are planning to conceive or are pregnant, you must not use this at least three months in advance.
“Retinol is absorbed into the blood through the skin and its wash-out period is two to three months from the last use,” Dr Vijay Singhal, a dermatologist at Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute, told me.
According to the US FDA, the risk to the foetus cannot be ruled out when using retinol. Hence, the family of such products is advised to be avoided at all costs.
Similarly, niacinamide is known for causing gas, dizziness and upset stomach among some people but studies have proven it safe when taken in “recommended amounts”. Now do you think casual users like you and me who were browsing the internet and bought this product on an impulse would care to know about the “recommended amounts”? Think.
Dr Simal Soin, chief dermatologist at Aayna Clinics that works with celebrities as well as general audiences, believes that one should look into what goes into the formulations of the products, the preservatives used as well as the team of doctors and scientists involved in the making or development.
“Dermatologists are dermatologists for a reason. We know which skin needs what,” Soin, who is also the chief medical officer at Clinikally — a brand of derma products for hair and skin — said.
Herbal is not safe
Home-made remedies are now passé and in fact, herbal is not equal to safe.
“For instance: If you apply lemon or tomato along with other stuff on the face and then move out in the sun, you will get sunburn. Lemon and tomato are acidic and one should not move out in the sun after the application,” Soin believes.
Experts say while it is good to use natural and holistic products on the face, they cannot be used in raw form — they will either not work or may end up causing side effects.
“Even if you apply papaya, tea, and cucumber on your face, it will not enter that deep into your skin from where nourishment is required,” Soin said. It was Soin who introduced the concept of Cosmeceuticals — a combination of cosmetics and pharmaceuticals — in India.
Likewise, if you apply Colgate or other toothpaste on the acne on your face, the scars will take much longer to fade away. “The ingredients of Colgate have been changed and people don’t know about it,” Bhardwaj said.
In short, the human body and its organs are not so simple to understand, treat and maintain.
Although these platforms can be used to increase awareness and educate people regarding right skin care, there is a high risk of getting the wrong advice which can worsen your skin and hair condition.
Skin is the largest organ of the human body which comes in various forms — dry, oily, dry in winters and oily in summers, patchy, acne-prone, clear, loose, wrinkled and so on and so forth.
One cannot generalise skin and hair type in reels or posts. If you are keen on following advice, you must look for information such as when to apply, how much to apply, when not to apply, and interactions of the product applied apart from basic details and long-term side-effects.
Always remember, there must be some reason why doctors are called doctors.
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