In a bid to seek answers to triggering questions on the use of make-up by ladies in recent time, Dr Faiza Sadauki, a dermatologist at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital AKTH have professionally pinpointed the strength and weaknesses.
Dr Sadauki, threw light on what seems to be hazy on the usage of skincare products, what to avoid and note.
According to her, make-up has different views to it, to some, it is the contemporary application of powder and skin care products. While to some, it is the whole concept of an appearance.
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“It maybe just your look without any application of beautifying products,” she said.
“Make-up has good sides to it and bad effects too as all that has advantages also has disadvantages”. She emphasized this by stating a skin condition called vitiligo. In her words; “Doctors do recommend a skin care products called dermablend to serve as camouflage to improve the physical appearance of the face mostly.”
Vitiligo is a skin condition where the cells that produces pigment are dead or not functioning.
It is a disease that causes loss of skin complexion.
This way, some kind of skin irritation is established which is in form blotches.
“In this case, the make-up may be said to have advantages or a good effect.”
She advised that the ideal way to use products is to get skin tests done, answer questionnaires and get professional recommendations on the most appropriate products that is suitable for her skin type.
“Most of the skin care products comes from foreign countries and for the fact that we have a different skin color from them makes it quite necessary to get a medical advice on the use of make-up products”.
The dermatologist explained that medication prescription is not going to totally prevent the effect but will surely minimize the littlest effect after match making the skincare product to the one that has least effect on you.
This maybe in form of identifying the chemicals that isn’t suitable for your skin type.
“Here in Nigeria, we do blind make-ups, no adequate testing to see what’s good for your skin type and what’s not.
“There are various unknown contents contained in the products we use these days, the creams particularly, for example steroids. Steroids are organic synthesised compounds and hence foreign bodies, they particularly don’t just work on the surface only, they go through the pores and deep into the bloodstream and constrict blood vessels.
Most brands gives us sincere information on the ingredients used in preparation. And then we blindly use them without questions and this shouldn’t be,” she cautioned.
The lipsticks and lip balms were another interesting areas that caught the attention of the dermatologist.
According to her, “varieties of products we use are not really okay for the skin, for example, some lip balm and lipsticks that are supposedly to keep the lips moist breaks the lip instead and it starts to crack”. She added that some people develop lipstick dermatitis as a result of this.
“Some of the products applied to the eye or that tampers with the areas around the eye may cause conjunctivitis. The blood vessels around the eyes are being endangered.” She explained.
It appears that some people have gotten away with the side effects of this skin care products as some users of whitening/toning products have good testimonies these days, does this means it has no obvious effects to some people?
“No. The fact that we all have different skin types answers this, because not every products that works for one works for another and this, many people have failed to take note.
If a skin care product contains foreign chemicals, it will surely destroy the skin in the long run even if it initially works magic. There will come a time it will stop working for you.”
