Skin Republic

Dear Dr Jen,

I am in my late 40s.  Just last week, I noticed a single white hair in my eyebrow.  I wanted to get rid of it at once.  But my friend tells me pulling it out will only make white hair multiply.  Is it true?  And what would you advice to do to prevent the appearance of more white hair?

Carmina

Dear Carmina,

White or grey or silver hair is associated with ageing. However, this may not always be the case.  Genetics, diet, associated diseases and even emotional stress can herald the onset of greying hair.  Race also comes into play.  Most Asians start getting white hair by the age of 40, most Caucasians start at 35, while Blacks get it by mid 40s.  If your parents or grandparents also started getting grey hair early, you will most likely follow in their footsteps. 

Pulling the grey or white hair will temporarily keep greying at bay, until it grows back.  In some rare cases, it may grow back with color. Sometimes, the follicle may be too damaged from over-plucking that it will not grow anymore, causing general lessening of hair strands.  Plucking and pulling will not cause more grey hair to appear. Cutting it close to the skin or scalp may be your best bet if you want to eliminate singular strands.

Diet rich in iron, zinc, selenium and vitamin B can encourage healthy hair growth.  Stress management and control of associated conditions (i.e. anemia) will go a long way.  Using safe hair dyes is also another possible adjunctive treatment.  A last option that you do have is to just ignore it and embrace greying gracefully! 

* * *

 Dear Dr. Jen,

How often should I use my facial scrub and brush?  The package says daily use is recommended but I noticed that my skin gets very sensitive and stings with sweat. Is it possible that I am over-scrubbing?  Also, at what age should I start getting facials?

Dianna

 Dear Dianna,

Scrubs or sonic brushes should NOT be used daily if you have sensitive and/or dry skin.  Too much exfoliation can make skin too thin, stripping your face of protective layers of skin and the natural oils that should be present. This explains the stinging that you feel, especially when you sweat.

The necessity of facials also does not apply to everyone else.  There are different kinds of facials: moisturizing, drying, acne surgery, whitening, peeling, etc…  Have your PDS derma take a look at your skin and its needs.  Some people can actually get away without having any facials at all, granting that you are using the right product and your skin is healthy. 

Too much pricking, especially when not needed, can create more pimples or bigger pores for you.  It is best if acne surgery is done by a board-certified dermatologist. 

Dr. Tan is a diplomate of Philippine Dermatological Society (PDS) and is affiliated with Perpetual Succour Hospital (PSH). For information on PDS, check http://www.pds.org.ph/. For questions or concerns, please text to: 0932 857 7070; or email to: [email protected]; or call The Freeman: (032) 2531276, or PSH: (032) 233 8620 and 232 5929. Your inquiries will be forwarded to Dr. Tan.