How to choose the right skin care products based on your skin type

MANILA, Philippines – With too many skin care products competing in the market, choosing which ones are suitable for your skin can be quite an unsettling task. As a result, most women rely on whatever brand it is that is popular in the market. But the truth is,your daily skin care regimen should not be based on the current fads, but the right ingredients that best complement your skin type.

Rule number one - to make your skin look and feel best, you should not  just go with any product that catches your eye. Not all skin care products are made with the same ingredients. Therefore, not everything is good for you, which is why you should always opt for skin care products available using criteria recommended by skin care experts and dermatologists.

To help you get the best out of your skin, Dr. Nikita Kyla Talens of Skin Philosophie shared some tips on choosing the right product for your skin type:

For acne-prone, oily skin

People with oily skin are prone to acne since acne growth is caused by excessive production of sebum triggered by hormonal changes, genetic factors and the inherent hyperactivity of some people’s oil glands. The oil secreted may turn into comedones or what we commonly refer to as blackheads and whiteheads.

“When there’s a buildup of dead skin cells, pores(or hair follicles) become clogged and excess oil is trapped underneath, these eventually lead to comedone formation.  Comedones are the yellowish/cream material extracted during acne surgery (a.k.a. “cleaning” or “extraction”)," explained Dr. Talens.

To control hypersecretion of oil, Dr. Talens says one should look for a product with salicylic acid. However, being an exfoliating agent, salicylic acid may potentially cause dryness and flaking especially if used too frequently and in high concentrations. Therefore, it is important to keep the balance between skin exfoliation and skin replenishment.

She also mentioned that alpha hydroxy acids like  glycolic, mandelic or malicacidas perfect compounds to aid in exfoliation. These take out the build up of dead skin cells.

Below are other topical acne treatments that she often prescribes:

• Retinoids like tretinoin, retinol andadapalene – aid in exfoliation
• Azelaic acid– acts against bacteria and reduces inflammation
• Benzoyl peroxide – kills bacteria and prevents build up of dead skin
• Topical antibiotics like erythromycin and clindamycin– use with caution as there are cases of antibiotic resistance

Nevertheless, Dr. Talens noted that topical medications alone are sometimes inadequate, which is why it is best to seek medical consultation to avoid misuse of products.

“It is important to seek medical consultation for acne, as self-medicating can lead to serious side effects. Expert advice is always required as the regimen is modified according to the type and severity of acne,” explains Dr. Talens.

Dr. Talens also warned about putting too much amount of the topical medications on the skin.

“If the concentration of the medication is too high, the skin may thin out. So, for the glycolic acid for daily use, ideally it should be about 5 percent or less (wash or solution).Stronger preparations of glycolic acid are for in-clinic use only.For the salycyclic, 0.5 to two percent is okay, but not everyone can tolerate one to two percent.” she adds.

Moreover, she also said people should be wary about using combination products such as BB cream, which functions as whitening, exfoliating and sun protection product at the same time.

“If you are going to use combination treatment or cocktail products like BB creams, make sure that the skin does not get irritated. If there’s irritation, you cannot  pinpoint which one of those ingredients caused the problem,” she said.

In-clinic procedures such as chemical peels and mechanical peels also help. At Dr. Talens’ clinic, they usually advise patients to undergo the Anti-Acne Peel which utilizes alpha hydroxy acids once a month to normalize the skin turnover.  They also sometimes recommend the Windsor Clarifying Polish, a type of mechanical peel, for patients who have mostly whiteheads and blackheads and minimal nodulocystic acne (commonly known as “pimple”). 

For dehydrated, dry skin

To prevent a dehydrated skin, moisturizing should always be the number one priority.

"One of the functions of the uppermost layer of the skin – the stratum corneum – is to prevent loss of water through the skin (transepidermal water loss a.k.a. TEWL).  Therefore, there has to be a balance between the production and shedding of this layer to maintain adequate hydration.  To prevent TEWL, choose moisturisers that have occlusive properties to lock the moisture in.  There are lots of moisturizers in the market that can do this but be careful as some of them can cause breakouts,” said Dr. Talens.

It is of paramount importance to apply moisturizers especially when the skin is exfoliating too much.  Given that water loss in skin occurs, the moisturizer you are using should also be able to effectively attract water from the environment and from the deeper layers of the skin (dermis) and transport it to the stratum corneum (epidermis). Examples of these are gelatin, glycerin, honey, hyaluronicacid, panthenol, pantothenic acid and urea.

To make sure that the moisturizer performs as well while preventing acne formation, it should be labeled as non-comedogenic.  While most moisturizers are greasy, there are also less greasy ones for your own preference. Silicone is the main ingredient in oil-free moisturizers (e.g. dimethicone and cyclomethicone).

For combination skin (acne-prone and dry)

For patients with dry skin accompanied by acne, combination treatment applies.  The products mentioned above for acne-prone and dry skin can both be used. 

However, it is advisable to seek medical counseling for the correct instructions on how to use these in combination.  Improper use of topical products can lead to side effects.  In one’s efforts to dry up the pimples, for example, one may wash the face too frequently.  This in turn would aggravate the dryness and not necessarily address the acne.  Another example is when one does not apply moisturizers because of the fear of triggering more oil production/acne formation then the dryness is not alleviated.

The key is to balance exfoliation with protection from dehydration.  For acne treatment, oil production, inflammation and bacteria must also be addressed.  Treatment for combination skin must be modified according to the patient’s condition.  Regimens are also adjusted as the condition resolves. Self-medicating can sometimes make the problem worse. Stop experimenting once you don’t see any improvement. 

Nikita Kyla M. Talens, M.D., DCD, MSc serves as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Skin Philosophie Medical Aesthetic and Lifestyle Solutions located at The Fort Strip, BGC, Taguig City. She specializes in aesthetic medicine, specifically skin and laser treatments. After graduating with a degree in BS Psychology from the University of the Philippines in 2002, she pursued medicine and earned the Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of the Philippines – Philippine General Hospital in 2008. 

Right after passing the Medical Boards, she completed the Diploma in Clinical Dermatology in 2010 at the Cardiff  University, the oldest medical  school in Wales and one of the UK’s leading teaching and research universities. To complement her background in medical dermatology from Cardiff, she also took further studies at Ramathibodi Hospital – Mahidol University, Thailand where she trained and eventually received a Fellowship in Dermatologic Laser Surgery.