Going skin deep

With an aim to spread awareness about damaged skin, anti-ageing treatment, skin care and acne, a seminar was organised on December 18 at Mayfair Banquets, on the fourth level at Palm Beach Galleria mall at Vashi. The occasion was to celebrate the 12th Anniversary of the Times of Navi Mumbai.

Nearly 45 ladies in the age-group of 20 and above joined in the session to know more about how to rejuvenate their skins. Dr Jaishree Sharad of Skinfiniti, the well-known dermatologist, conducted the two-and-half hour session. She informed her eager audience on skin care, causes of skin-aging and its effects, followed by anti-ageing skin treatments.


She started her talk with skin care essentials, which are routines one must follow at home. She first mentioned that balanced diet, eight hours sleep are most important for having good skin. “One needs to take lots of water to keep the skin hydrated. Fresh fruit juices, coconut water, lemon juice, butter milk and green tea are very good for your skin. Walnut, fish, fruits, milk retain the moisture in your skin, while any colourful fruit like grapes berries, plum, cherries, etc, have natural sun protection elements. Never starve or fast completely. You must take protein rich food, if you want to have ageless skin. The most important tip for your skin is 30-40 min exercise five times a week, which will improve blood circulation,” she advised.

Readers were very inquisitive about regular maintenance of the skin. Christine Roxburgh from Kopar Khairane asked many questions relating to it.

Dr Jaishree replied, “Use any good face wash for cleansing, but do not scrub your skin, it will cause chafing. After every wash, just dab your face with a soft towel. Use good sun protection cream - for dry or normal skin, or gels for oily skin. Start protecting your skin as early as possible for getting relief from the ageing effect, which starts at the age of 35 years.”

"Jaishree Sharad informed her audience on skin care, causes of skin-aging and its effects"

Soonitha Kamath, an educational therapist and resident of Deonar, raised some queries about the pigmentation of the skin, to which Dr Jaishree replied, “Your diet must be rich in vitamin C, which will control the pigmentation of the skin. Sometimes nail polish, used regularly, can also cause pigmentation. You should maintain your hair and nails. Do not manicure and pedicure very often, as it will harm your cuticles.” She also pointed out the causes and solution for acne.

Ageing and ‘anti ageing treatment’ for skin were the main topics of the day. Dr Jaishree, the secretary of the Cosmetic Dermatology Society (India) 2007 – 2009 highlighted each and every new technique and method for anti-ageing treatment. She delivered some useful notes through power point presentation and revealed, “Botox is an injection given to relax the muscles which cause wrinkles. It can be given for crows feet, forehead lines, frown lines, lines on nose. It can be used to contour the face and to improve neck sagging. The wrinkles disappear completely by the 7th day and the effect lasts for about 6 months. After 6 months, the wrinkles appear as they were before and do not become worse. It is extremely safe, but must be injected in a proper technique by a qualified cosmetic dermatologist.”

She added, “These are injections made up of hyaluronic acid which are filled into the laugh lines or lines around the angle of the mouth. They can also be used to give fullness to the lips or give a pout, to improve the tired look of sunken eyes. They last for 6-8 months. They are safe as hylauronic acid is one of the constituents of human skin. But they should be administered by a qualified cosmetic dermatologist. Non surgical radiofrequency skin tightening requires 6-8 sessions once in 3 weeks. Radiofrequency energy stimulates the collagen production in 3-6 months and this tightens the skin. They have no side effects. Mesotherapy is a therapy where   vitamins are injected into the skin to give a glow. And lastly chemical peel or alpha hydroxy peels are done to stimulate collagen, improve skin tone and  reduce blemishes.”


At the end of the seminar, two readers were selected for complementary skin treatment on the spot. Arti Roy from Vashi, got the peel treatment with Ozic peels for toning her facial skin. Hemlata Singh, a speech therapist, was also lucky as she was selected for the free treatment with diamond polishing.

She said, “Today, I skipped my appointments to take part in the lecture. Our myths about the treatment and its after effects had been cleared. I would like to thank the newspaper for giving us such an opportunity to understand our skin problems. We got very good guidance as well.”