Keeping pace with this rapidly changing world can become more stressful if you do not look good and feel great about yourself. Thanks to cosmetic dermatology that can help you to restore your youthful charm, without making you go under the scalpel. Dr Jamuna Pai, the famous Mumbai based Cosmetic Physician is a veteran in this field and spearheads Blush Clinics Pvt Ltd – a Centre for Aesthetic Medicine. From her years of experience she shares the art of crafting beautiful skin.

What are the factors that define ‘good skin’?
Some of the quintessential factors that determine good skin are – an even tone, smooth texture, free from scars and blemishes, taut feel and adequate hydration level.

Is such skin attainable in reality?
Certainly! Many people have very good skin, being blessed by good genes as well as following a good lifestyle. It needs to be a holistic approach where one abides by a good diet plan, does regular exercise, dinks plenty of water, sleeps well and follows a basic skin care regime at the same time. All this can make a lot of difference.

What would you consider as one strength and one weakness of Indian complexion?
As far as strength of the Indian skin is concerned – the melanin content in the Indian skin is higher, which helps to absorb the UV-rays and protect us from sun damage. To give an example, a 50 year old Indian skin may pass off as 30 years as opposed to a 50 year old Caucasian skin that might look older.

But as far as the weakness is concerned, Indians are often reluctant about following a proper skin care regime like using a good sunblock, re-applying sunscreen every three hours when outdoors, moisturizing the skin  or even opting for a night cream.

What is the basic skin care regime that Indians should follow daily, keeping in mind our kind of climate. Also, is it same or different for the women and men?
It is interesting to note that the skin care regime for both men and women should be the same. Honestly, there is not much difference between the two skin types except for the fact that men have a harder texture of skin. So the four basics would be – cleaning the face with a good face wash that suits the individual’s skin type, applying good moisturiser to keep the skin supple and hydrated at all times. The oily skin type can oft for an aqua base moisturiser.

Applying a sunscreen is a must and re-applying every 3 to 4 hours when out in the sun, is mandatory to prevent sun damage. Also a good night cream can restore and repair the skin overnight if it is selected well according to the requirements of one’s skin.

People often refer to skin as ‘youthful’ or ‘mature’ and ‘aged’. Is the age of one’s skin same as one’s biological age?
In order to tell the age of a person, people look at one’s face and the hands always and not the heart or other organs in the body that may be of the same biological age. To decode what these terms might refer to, ‘youthful’ skin is – taut, even toned and radiant such that even a pink glow on brown skin is possible. ‘Mature’ skin reveals the transition phase where fine lines and wrinkles start creeping in. ‘Aged’ skin actually indicates to the ‘photo aging’ of the skin that shows wrinkles, sagging jawlines, sunken eyes and the likes. But the irony is that the skin may be ‘youthful’ or ‘mature’ and ‘aged’ irrespective of the real age.

So how effective is cosmetic dermatology in crafting beautiful skin?
Today there are non-surgical options like Botox, fillers, chemical peels and the likes that are high in demand as they are scientifically advanced and designed by experts keeping in mind the aesthetic results that are desired by the clients. It is true that a 60 year old can actually knock down 12 to 15 years from her face! Also, these procedures are less painful, have no side effects and can be under taken easily without budgeting for any downtime. They are cost effective as well since the benefits will last for a few months at least.