Keep off quacks to make your skin glow: Dermatologists warn

Nowadays there is more number of fungal infections than before. maybe it is due to changes that occurred in the fungus or the habits of people. Severe and resistant fungal infections are causing problems with multiple patches on the skin of face, body and genital areas. The dermatologists warn people not to approach cosmetologists who are actually quacks. “They damage your skin and ultimately direct you to approach the dermatologist after the skin turns irreparably damaged,” they say.

Indian Association of Dermatologists, Venereologists and Leprologists (IADVL) after a long time launched a massive campaign to make people aware of the skin problems they face in day-to-day life.

The national body, IADVL, has launched Skin Safar Rath which travels from Kashmir to Kanyakumari covering 15 States including North East states like Assam. The specialists atop the Rath would interact with students in general and girls in particular of various colleges throughout the journey of 12,000 km for two months. The state unit of IADVL headed by its president Dr P Rambabu and its secretary Dr P Deeksha organised several programmes when it arrives in Vijayawada on Wednesday.

Addressing the media here on Tuesday, the dermatologists including Dr P Rambabu, Dr P Deksha, Dr K Anuradha, Dr Bala Narasimha Rao, Dr Sandhya, Dr S Manikya Lata, Dr B Likhita, Dr Chalasani Praveena, Dr P Kamala Subhashini, Dr Neelakantha, Dr Jampani Keerthi said that in unequivocal terms that colas, low water consumption, low fruit consumption, obesity, and poor physical activities are some of the reasons for the skin ailments haunting the youth.

For instance, jeans or leggings are not suitable for our climate and they are causing a lot of skin problems, they point out.

 The doctors say that the fungus has no discrimination since both men and women are affected. Itching and round patches need intensive treatment for at least two to three months. Usually people use steroid creams on the fungal patches that make it very resistant to treatment in future.

Dr Sandhya warns that self-medication may result in prolonged treatment for skin ailments. Dr Bala Narasimha Rao said that vitiligo is not a disease but only a cosmetic problem. But due to the social stigma cause more anxiety among the people who face the problem. It could be curable but takes some time, he said citing the example of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. 

In a few cases surgery could be undertaken. He dispelled the fears stating that all patches are not leprosy. White patches are seen in both vitiligo and leprosy, he said and added that in case of vitiligo patches sensations are intact whereas in case of leprosy patches there is lack or reduced sensations especially touch and temperature.

Dr Chalasani Praveena appealed to people to differentiate between dermatologist and cosmetologist. “In fact all the cosmetologists are quacks,” she said and added that only dermatologists should undertake cosmetic problems.

Dr B Likhita warned girls and boys not to use fairness creams since they could only damage the skin but they would never become fair.

The dermatologists made it clear that hygiene is most important like taking scrub bath two to three times a day, keeping the private parts clean and dry and taking medicines regularly to cure it. Psoriasis is a chronic disease with scaly patches on the body. Usually increases in winter and may cause joint pains. It needs regular medical support especially in winter. PUVA therapy, creams and biologics are some of the treatments available, they said.

Dr Deeksha said that acne is seen in adolescents and now in adults also. Adult acne and acne also increased due to increased use of cosmetics, steroid creams and also obesity.

Many people use fairness creams continuously and these creams cause redness and irritation of the skin. Do not use fairness creams without dermatologist advice as they cause other irrevocable damage to skin. Peels and lasers and other cosmetic procedures are giving good results in this aspect, she said.

 - M V Syam Sundar