Overuse of beauty creams causes acne, damages skin: Expert

New Delhi: Overuse of fairness and beauty creams is the root cause for acne and may lead to thinning of the skin, a leading dermatologist said here on Sunday.

"The obvious side-effect of using beauty creams on face is thinning of the skin. Daily use of these creams leads to growth of acne besides skin losing its tightness and becoming thinner in return," said Rohit Batra, a skin doctor, at Acne India Summit held at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital here.

The one-day programme was aimed at providing education and refreshing knowledge of practising dermatologists regarding acne. A quiz contest and workshop to impart procedural skills to students and private practitioners were also conducted on the occasion.

"A growing percentage of population aged 15 to 44 suffer from severe acne. Every patient wants a cure as no one wants to live with scars on their face," Batra said.

He added that dermatologists are now equipped with state-of-the-art technologies to help patients regain their confidence.

"Contrary to what we are led to believe, acne is not just a concern for adolescents, and the market reflects that. With cutting edge methods like lasers, chemical peels, thermal and non-thermal light sources, one can easily get rid of acne and acne scars," said Batra, who was also the organising secretary of the summit.

Around 250 dermatologists, students, faculty members and delegates from across the country participated in the event.