HomeAnswersVascular Surgeryskin typesHow should I determine my skin type?

What are the different skin types and how to take care of them?

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The following is an actual conversation between an iCliniq user and a doctor that has been reviewed and published as a Premium Q&A.

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Published At February 9, 2024
Reviewed AtFebruary 9, 2024

Patient's Query

Hello doctor,

I am a 30-year-old female. I have been experiencing some skin-related concerns. How can I determine my specific skin type (e.g., oily, dry, combination, sensitive)? What should a basic daily skincare routine include? With so many skincare products available in the market, how can I choose products that are suitable for my skin type and address my specific concerns (e.g., acne, aging, pigmentation)? How important is sun protection in a skincare routine? What are the best practices for using sunscreen, and what SPF should I look for in products? What are the most effective anti-aging strategies for maintaining youthful and healthy skin? Are there particular ingredients or treatments to consider?

Please help.

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Hope you are doing well.

I have gone through your query and I do understand your concern.

To determine your skin type, I will be giving you a few tips:

1. Oily Skin: Your skin would be considered oily, if there is excessive secretion or presence of oil or greasiness noted on your skin within 40 minutes to 1 hour of washing your face. Apart from the same, the presence of pimples, redness, inflammation, and sensitivity are all signs of oily skin.

2. Combination Skin: In this skin type, there would be oiliness as well as dryness at the same time. There may be situations where your skin may appear dry most often on your chin and cheek area and may have a contrasting greasiness or oily appearance on the skin on your t-zone which includes your nose and forehead.

3. Dry Skin: Dry skin type may show small white flakes and sometimes itching and redness in a few areas on the skin especially on cheeks and chin areas along with a sense of pull on the skin.

Basic skincare routine:

1. Use a mild face wash.

2. Use a moisturizer.

3. Do not forget to apply your sunscreen.

These are the basic and the most important components.

They are ideally suited for acne-prone and sensitive skin types so that they can be kept well even without using extra products that may trigger acne.

Advanced skincare routine :

1. Use a face wash.

2. Use a toner.

3. Use a good face serum.

4. Use good moisturizer.

5. Use a sunscreen.

6. Also, use anti-aging creams during the night time.

Some of the skin procedures include:

1) Chemical Peels: They are simple, superficial, time-efficient procedures. Done by a doctor once in 2 weeks for 3 to 6 sessions.

2) PRP with Microneedling: It is also called a vampire facial. Can be done once a month and done by a doctor. They have great results but may need a month's gap for the healing of small wounds created during the procedure to happen.

3) Botox Injections: They are used for moving wrinkles. Usually done once every 6 months.

4) Hydrafacials: They are the best pampering method for skin rejuvenation and tightening.

For pigmentation:

The best products would be the ones that contain kojic acid, vitamin C, arbutin, and sometimes glycolic acid. Glutathione in the form of serums, soap, face washes, creams, tablets, and injections can also be considered.

For acne :

A basic skincare routine as mentioned above including a salicylic acid foaming face wash, gel-based moisturizer, and a silicone gel-based sunscreen may be used.

Sunscreens are of different types:

1. Physical Sunscreens: They consist of zinc oxide or titanium dioxide which sometimes have a white tint to them. They act by forming a shield on the skin providing physical protection from sunlight.

2. Chemical Sunscreens: Sunscreens containing oxybenzone and avobenzone are chemical sunscreens that act with UV radiations to form a chemical bond thereby protecting the skin.

For combination and oily skin, silicone gel-based sunscreens are the best option. For dry skin, cream and lotion-based sunscreens along with silicone gel-based sunscreens are the best options.

Sunscreen should be applied on the entire face every 2 hours between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. for the best results as the UV radiations are higher during this time.

Hope this helps.

Take care.

Thanks and regards.

Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!

Dr. Sandhya Narayanan Kutty
Dr. Sandhya Narayanan Kutty

Venereology

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