This week, Asian Voice spoke to Dr Saumya Jha, NHS GP, CEO MedifI Ltd. to find solutions to common skin related queries among the members of the Asian community, how home remedies and self medication can have repercussions and how one can maintain healthy skin during the pandemic.
It is known that staying indoors, and stepping out for only essential activities will be the new normal until we get a vaccine. Therefore, first and foremost, we asked Dr Jha about her advice to the Asian community (knowing their skin type) to maintain healthy skin. She said, “The main advice would be to ensure that you try to keep active, even if it is indoors. Anything from an indoor bike/yoga/exercise videos to 30 minutes of walking. This not only helps with the mental stress associated with
Covid-19, it helps with improved blood flow to the skin surface. This takes away toxins and aids skin regeneration. Secondly, it's imperative to keep hydrated (1.5-2L per day) to keep the skin supple and well hydrated Thirdly, pigmented skin struggles to make Vitamin D during normal times. With reduced outdoor activities (alongside little sunshine in the UK), most Asian people should take an oral Vitamin D supplement ( 800 IU per day). This not only helps with healthy bones and joints, studies have shown that Vitamin D can help improve conditions such as Psoriasis and Eczema”
Sharing a daily skin care routine that can help to maintain healthy skin, Dr Jha listed the following steps: Cleanse: gentle cleanser morning and night to remove any make-up/ oil from the skin surface. This allows the skin to breathe by unclogging pores. Then gentle massage when cleansing helps improve skin circulation. Tone: a non alcohol based toner helps to close pores. Moisturise: Seals the skin and keeps the skin supple ( a Vitamin c serum starting at 10-15% is a great addition prior to moisturiser). Sun protection: Helps protect against sun damage and skin cancers. A natural exfoliator twice a week and a face mask once a week can be further enhancements to this routine.
But, what are the common mistakes that Asians make in their skin care routine?Dr Jha says: Not using Sunscreen. “We all need to protect against UVA and UVB even if Asian skin does not burn as easily. It is important that everyone uses an SPF 25 and broad spectrum UVA protection at least to prevent early aging, pigmentation and maintain skin elasticity. Using "herbal" treatments without knowing the exact ingredients in the products. Many herbal products are unregulated and can contain strong steroids, allergens or skin bleaching products. These may initially seem to improve skin but can lead to side effects and severe complications over time,” she said. Talking about skin bleaching creams, she said that these creams can have differing levels of chemicals and can lead to chemical burns ( if used repetitively), allergic dermatitis and patchy pigmentation.
Self medication and reliance on home remedies in many Asian households is another major contributing factor to skin ailments. Dr Jha said, “It depends on the extent of self medication and the severity of the underlying diagnosis. The hazard scale can be from no effect to full scale non-reversible long term damage to skin and/or other organs. I would strongly suggest seeking medical advice prior to using any products topically or orally. Without a clear diagnosis, self treatment can cause more harm than good. More serious conditions can go undiagnosed and then treatment may not be satisfactory if the underlying condition has been allowed to slowly progress.”
“Some home remedies can contain chemical compounds that interact with medications given by your doctor. If your doctor is unaware of your self medication, you can be given treatment that may only lead to side effects due to the interaction from a home remedy you are concurrently using. This creates a lose- lose situation where nor the medical product or the home remedy is given a chance to work. Only side effects are experienced which leads to a higher rate of dissatisfaction and poor outcomes,” she added.
The lockdown definitely resulted in a lot of home cooking, but also accelerated the consumption of sugar and fats which may not be best practice for the body and skin. What kind of a nutrition chart should one follow? Dr Jha said, “Food high in trans-fat is widely known to be harmful as is processed and refined sugar. There are studies that show high consumption of carbohydrates and dairy can trigger acne. A balanced diet, rich in green vegetables, lean meat/ fish and low glycaemic index carbs ( brown rice, quinoa, bulgar wheat) with 1.5-2L of water a day should be a good starting point. Eating times are important too, as the body needs to carry out essential regulatory work at night, it's better to eat lighter in the evenings.” According to her, foods particularly good for skin are : Food rich in Vitamin C and Iron. Iron helps to maintain good hair, nail and skin growth and structure. Vitamin C fights free radicals formation in skin that lead to early signs of ageing.
When asked for a message to Asians (men and women) who still live in the complex of having brown skin or are obsessed with white skin, she said, “This reverence of white skin is steeped in history. The mixture of class and colonial oppression and assertion of white skin associated with superiority still affects many psychologically.
The reality is the pigment in our skin that gives us colour is a protective gift given by nature. It protects from damage caused by UV rays. Any attempts at bleaching or lightening artificially can have major repercussions: Mottled appearance of skin, increased pigmentation and scarring, and allergic eczema that can be hard to control.
Instead why not celebrate and accept our richness and colour in a bid to end this external and internal prejudice.”
