In an insightful Instagram live conversation with a board-certified Columbia-educated dermatologist, Dr. Kiran Sethi, Mr. Nikhil Mehta (CEO of Wellcurve.in) discussed her approach to demystifying skincare, the most frequent concerns of her patients, the solutions to skin and hair problems, and her recommendations on the same issues.
According to Dr. Kiran Sethi, what are the top 3 skin foods which she usually recommends to her patients?
“For Dry skin, I would recommend omega-3 fatty acids. Coconut water is an excellent additive for those having acne-prone skin and if you have pigmentation, I would advise you to add Amla and Moringa to your diet. These have a very high antioxidant content.” Also, for acne, Honey is known as a superfood but it is not a foolproof solution. It may work in some cases but certainly not in every case.
Emphasizing her concerns about growing misinformation and unrealistic expectations of the patients, we asked her why people are not going to the experts for advice?
“The exposure and marketization of information about health and skincare topics have led to this belief amongst the people that they can figure out an answer to anything and everything. As they have easy access to information, people think they have become experts.” She explains how the internet can give easy solutions but those are just temporary escapes from the problems. Moreover, she believes that misdirection or misinformation is even more hazardous than the actual health/skin/hair issue.
What is your approach to simplifying the entire health and lifestyle process?
For Dr. Kiran, it is more important to analyse the issues faced by her patients and then drawing suitable conclusions, keeping their preferences in mind.
- She starts by listening to the concerns and deciphering the cause by going through the diet, the skincare routine, daily habits, etc.
- After that, she makes an elaborate plan comprising of all the measures, medication, natural ways that can be relied upon.
- Explaining to the patients what they can expect from the plan and educating them about realistic expectations.
To burst the myths about skincare and hair care, we asked Dr. Kiran about the top 3 queries from her patients which are myths.
- Eating a perfect diet can cure any kind of skin issue.
- Home Remedies can solve all skin-related problems.
- Hair Fall is the first step to balding.
She is certain that consuming a balanced and healthy diet can help but, she is sure of the fact that everything cannot be cured with just a diet. ‘There has to be a rational balance between your diet and lifestyle.’
For home remedies, there are certainly no proofs to back them up. It is extremely important to talk to an expert, doctor, or pharmacist before trying any home remedy. Not everything is necessarily suitable for everyone.
Wellcurve is actively celebrating Nutrition Month by leaning into casual conversations with wellness and nutrition experts, to encourage, educate, and motivate its audience about the need and characteristics of the essentials in a healthy diet.
