Why We Need Experts to Navigate Skincare.
When walking into the pharmacy to buy medications, a well-organized pharmacy will require that you produce a signed doctor’s prescription before certain types of medications are sold to you.
For medications labeled “off the counter” you would have to go through a mini examination detailing your symptoms before they sell you even an ibuprofen tablet, the pharmacist will ask you why you are purchasing it. in some cases, when buying a prescription medication they will not sell to you if there is no signed doctor’s prescription, keyword being “signed”.
Pharmacists do this simply because drugs and medications require caution when using and although they are formulated to be effective for certain concerns, they are only effective when prescribed for a particular concern, and in a particular way. hence, each medication comes with details on how to use it, for example, take just once a day after meals.
The same goes for skincare. Taking care of the skin might seem frivolous until you unexpectedly develop a skin concern or two. Unfortunately, when issues like this arise, the common response is to ask your friends or an acquaintance for tips, which is similar to complaining of a headache and you get a suggestion to take a panadol for the pain you are feeling when in actual fact you might need malaria medication, similar to how this tips and advice from untrained individuals on skin care treatments can cause much more damage than good.
Dark-skinned men and women have been shown to struggle with skin issues with very little inclination to seek any type of professional help, this has caused severe and irreversible consequences in some cases.
I know friends who have suffered from eczema for years, trying the most interesting home remedies, which were not effective but still using them regardless because someone swore by the remedy. They have tried many things from engine oil to black soap, all sorts of chemical and fungal creams, without realizing that eczema is caused by underlying inflammation from allergens that could be hereditary or environmental. Therefore, eczema can’t be cured, but can only be managed by avoiding the allergens and its triggers. Some people realize this much later after visiting a dermatologist which could prove far more useful than the years of trial and error. with proper guidance and treatments, they start noticing improvements in their skin’s health.
Acne is a more common skincare problem. Some start trying to manage acne from the age of 9 By the time they are teenagers, their friends and family begin to give them the advice to use all sorts of harmful things, from toothpaste all the way to sand and even worse excreta, which usually worsens the situation. ‘Remedies’ like these weaken the skin barrier and affects the self-esteem of these fellows. the simple information of cleansing and being consistent in the habit of face wash might have saved them the stress but who would have given them such a piece of information?
The importance of experts in treating skin concerns can not be overemphasized but more importantly, is the need for proper education on the treatment and management of skin. This can help mitigate damage to the skin and reduce the amount of otherwise dangerous remedies in the industry claiming to tackle skin concerns.
First, providing ease of access to information online and offline, ensuring that individuals and brands retailing skincare products have certification from accredited organizations with the experience to recommend and formulate effective products. Helping people ask the right questions when buying skincare products can greatly increase the efficiency of selecting the right products and treatments that are most effective to treat skin concerns.
Article by Oluwaferanmi Ogundippe, CMO Adi+Bolga Ltd
