Any eczema sufferers reading this will know how uncomfortable the skin issue can be. Add acne into the mix and it can be a whole new kettle of fish. Aesthetic practitioner Amar Suchde suffered with both of these skin concerns, growing up. But, thankfully, he found what worked for him and, in this article, he shares his tips for anyone else experiencing eczema and acne.
Hi Amar! Talk to me about your experience with eczema and acne
I’ve always had quite sensitive skin, and growing up I suffered with eczema and asthma, which often go hand in hand. And, as I got older, I also developed acne. This was really tough as a young guy trying to get through college and trying to be cool. When you’re young, you feel pressure to look good, but I really didn’t feel good about the way I looked.
That must have been so tough! It’s already hard enough at that age. What products and treatments did you try initially?
Up until the age of about 25, I was applying steroid creams to treat my eczema. These were prescription based. And with regards to the acne, I tried everything you could get over the counter - from tea tree oil to exfoliating creams. But these just made my skin more sensitive. At times, I thought products were working, but they were just making it worse. Shaving was also having a bad effect, so I switched to trimming my facial hair, to avoid extra sensitivity.
What was the turning point for you and your skin?
What took my skin to another level was using the right skincare ingredients. I tried the PCA Perfecting Peel, which contains mandelic acid, and this worked wonders on my skin.
Now, I use a good cleanser, and I include AHAs in my skincare routine, which work really well for me. I also use the PCA Skin retinol, which has really improved my skin tone and texture. But I tend to use a lot of products from The Ordinary too. Once a week, I use a combination of AHAs and BHAs, and what’s also really helped is using an SPF every day and a good moisturiser.
Sounds great! And your skin is looking incredible! So, what advice would you give to anyone else experiencing the same skin concerns?
I like to use the analogy that our skin is like the Grand Canyon. What you see of it today was at the bottom 60 million years ago. What’s now at the surface used to be new and has now become old, and it’s very much the same with our skin. We get dead skin cells on the surface but with a good skincare routine, we can replenish the old skin cells with the new. It takes a while to see new and improved skin, but with the right products and a bit of patience, it will happen.
I have regular skin peels, which is like going to the gym and having a HIT training session. Having a good skincare routine in between your skin resurfacing treatments is like having a good diet. If you have a poor diet in between your HIT sessions, you’re unlikely to get a six pack. Similarly, if you have a poor at-home skincare routine in between your skin peel sessions, you’re unlikely to get the desired results. An aesthetic practitioner will be able to help you with this.
Thanks do much for sharing your experience and advice, Amar!
If you want to improve the appearance of your skin, or get your skincare routine in tip top shape, there are hundreds of medically qualified practitioners on Glowday who are able to help. Search "Consultation" and book in!
