Everybody wants a clear skin. A single spot on skin is not tolerable to few. They try everything to get rid of them, and then is when blunders are done. In an effort to try and make our skin glowing and spotless we end up applying things which have no evidence backing them, and eventually damage our skin. Sometimes such damage is irreversible. You end up with a blemish which is more worse than what you already had. It has been said that, " It is good to make mistakes, but it is better to learn from other people's mistakes". So here is a list of common mistakes made so that you learn from them.
1. Topical Steroids:
This is the biggest problem we dermatologists are facing nowadays. Use of steroid creams in everything, be it acne or pigmentation or even jock itch. Steroids when applied always give a false sense of relief.
Scenario 1
If you apply it on face for pigmentation you would feel your skin become very clear and free from pigmentation. But after some time you start getting facial hairs and find that your skin has become sensitive. When you try to stop applying it, you realize you can not. The moment you stop it you get rashes on your face, there is itching and you are unable to tolerate sunlight. If you apply that cream again all the symptoms are gone. This condition is called as Topical Steroid Dependent Face.
Scenario 2
Steroids are commonly falsely applied on face for acne too. But when applied they give rise to increase in number of your acne. Also the acne arising because of steroid use are resistant to treatment too.
Scenario 3
Another common condition where steroids are applied is jock itch. We avoid consulting a specialist and get a cream from chemist or a non specialist doctor. Steroids damage you skin very badly. It leads to thinning of your skin and you can get very severe stretch marks. Also you are initially falsely relieved of your itch, but it is only worsening the problem. The moment you stop applying it the itch flares.
So steroids give a false sense of relief of symptoms but in the background they are making you dependent on them. They are damaging your skin. Its all just because we go to chemist directly for treatment or consult a non dermatologist for skin problems. The steroids most commonly used are combination creams of betamethasone, clobetasol, mometasone, etc.
2. Local Irritants
Another blunder which is commonly done is application of topical irritants to get rid of skin diseases. Most common is application of "CHUNA" for removal of moles, warts, etc. They give you a very bad scar and even can cause a keloid formation. You apply it once to remove something but instead you give yourself a permanent blemish. Such scars are very difficult to treat and they never go completely.
Another thing is application of some topical irritant lotions. One of them is very famous and used commonly but it is very "ZALIM"😀. It is very commonly used in jock itch. It cures nothing and just burns your skin. It can leave very bad pigmentation or scar if the burn is too intense or deep.
Nowadays the markets are flooded with many creams claiming to make you fair and lovely or fair and handsome. We are lured by such commercials and end up applying them on our face thinking that we would get a better glowing skin. But these products can damage your skin and make your skin sensitive.
These all things happen just because of the laziness in consulting a skin specialist. Like you always buy a flower from a florist and a cake from a baker and never vice versa, always consult a dermatologist for your skin problems and no one else. Never apply anything on your face until it has some scientifically backed proof of the result it claims to give you. Never apply anything just because you read it over internet, saw it on television or was advised by anyone. Its your skin you are experimenting such things and if you do some irreversible damage it would leave a permanent blemish. Even if you unknowingly do it consult a dermatologist before its too late.
