Beware of dysmorphophobia! Don't lose your health while seeking beauty

The lowering age of aesthetic procedures is also emerging as a consequence of this condition. Pointing out that people should listen to science rather than influencers, Prof. Dr. Ayşe Serap Karadağ said, “Using products without knowing your skin structure or its specific characteristics can lead to irreversible results. At this point, being a conscious consumer is of great importance. Do not disrupt your skin's algorithm!”

Thousands of posts are shared on social media platforms where people spend an average of more than 8 hours a day. This situation brings some problems along with it. One of these is dysmorphophobia, also known as the disease of perfect beauty, which is defined as a person moving away from the perception of reality as a result of sharing photos taken with constant filters on social media, searching for flaws in their reflection in the mirror, and desiring to resemble their filtered photos; it threatens the younger generation the most.

WRONG PRODUCT CHOICE DAMAGES SKIN STRUCTURE

Emphasizing that the perception of perfect beauty leads to the use of wrong products, Prof. Dr. Ayşe Serap Karadağ said, “The person aspires to the image in the photo they shared or a photo they see and find beautiful. In fact, they are trying to become someone they are not. This leads to wrong choices. People think they can solve the flaws or diseases on their skin more easily via the internet without consulting a physician.

However, one must be very careful. Because everyone's skin structure is different, the use of products marketed especially by influencers can cause skin diseases while you are trying to be beautiful. Trying to fix skin that cannot be corrected with one product by using a different product can lead to chaos in the skin's structure and make the existing problem even worse. In this process, patients not only suffer financial losses but can also struggle with psychological problems along with a loss of self-confidence.”

'DON'T GET COSMETIC ACNE WHILE SEEKING BEAUTY'

Pointing out that the use of incorrect and excessive products can lead to disease, Prof. Dr. Karadağ stated the following:

“The intensive use of products with unapproved ingredients without knowing the skin structure, and the failure to fully clean off concealers and cosmetic products, clog people's pores, leading to the formation of numerous comedones, which results in a condition we call cosmetic acne.

This situation manifests itself in patients either as acne that appears suddenly when there was none before, or as existing acne worsening and not responding to treatment. Unfortunately, we see today that many patients encounter similar problems by buying and using products they heard about through word-of-mouth or saw on social media, even when there was no problem with their skin.

The increase in digitalization has led to an increase in demand for skin-related products and procedures. We see that many people who are not dermatologists or physicians are making numerous posts about skin diseases on social media. Again, many beauty centers are treating skin diseases even though they lack the competence to do so. Unfortunately, some of our patients suffer serious grievances by trusting such places. For this reason, our slogan as dermatologists is 'Entrust your skin to dermatologists'.”

NATURAL AGING IS POSSIBLE INSTEAD OF FILTERS

Emphasizing that the increase in digitalization causes patients to deal more with their skin and themselves, Prof. Dr. Karadağ concluded her words by saying, “Although this situation may seem like a problem, on the other hand, conscious patients consult a dermatologist at an earlier age, both creating a skincare routine and starting anti-aging products at an earlier age. This also slows down the aging process. Thus, the need to use filters and concealers decreases. Starting systems that increase skin quality, such as mesotherapy, PRP, microneedling radiofrequency, and lasers, at an early age also extends the process of the skin staying young through natural means.”