Sydney specialist dermatologist, Dr Ritu Gupta, was featured on Channel 7’s Sunrise breakfast show on her professional take on the rise of “cosmeticorexia” among young people. Dr Ritu expressed her concerns about young people becoming excessively obsessed with skincare, with patients as young as 5 or 8 coming in at her Ultimo clinic for various skin conditions.
Dr Ritu mentioned that children’s skin is already perfect and using skincare products intended for adults, often containing untested and unregulated ingredients such as snail mucin, bee venom, and starfish powder, may potentially lead to complications.
Furthermore, she explained that parents must handle their child’s obsession with skincare in a way that they will understand the reason for their behaviour. Children might be influenced by their peers, or trying to follow the trend of achieving a “glass skin” or Korean skin, which is something that’s impossible to do, as skin naturally has pores.
Dr Ritu mentioned that the ideal skincare regimen for children is as simple as using a gentle cleanser, a light moisturiser, and sunscreen. Children should avoid anti-ageing, acids, and vitamin A (retinol) products. Anything else is just unessential and can cause more harm than good.
Watch the segment on 7’s Sunrise below:
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Find out more about Dr Ritu’s most recent features on The Australian and ABC Radio, where she also shares her thoughts on Cosmeticorexia.
To consult with Dr Ritu, please book online, WhatsApp at 0493 766 096, or call (02) 8014 6500.
