In order to get clear and healthy skin, many people use topical treatments. Exfoliation, treatment, cleansing etc. are also done twice a day to ensure that the skin remains youthful and glowing. However, skin care routine can be overly taxing for the skin, which is constantly getting lathered and slathered in one thing or another.
Skin fasting, on the other hand, is all about letting your skin be. This practice calls for cutting out on all skincare for a specific period of time so that the skin catches a break from all the physical and chemical care regimen.
The rest period allows the cells to naturally fix themselves, as they when are not getting overwhelmed by the treatment, they are able to perform better. Moreover, the use of different products on the skin does not let the cells work on their own accord. Rather, the targeted treatment dictates the trajectory of the skin healing process.
This is what skin fasting aims to change; cells should also be able to perform on their own as the internal environment of the body varies from person to person. The generic products that get used are not aligned with these subtleties. Hence, the cell cycle is completely thrown off, which naturally has an unpleasant impact on the cell’s performance which has you then rushing to a Dermatologist in Lahore.
While skin care products are great, but they also mess up the natural system. Skin care products take over the ‘caring’ system, and the cells therefore do not give their optimal performance. For example, using moisturizer to provide skin with requisite moisture signals the cells that they do not have to produce enough oils, as the body is being fed from an alternate source.
Another skin fasting benefit –albeit contested one—is that it helps to detoxify the skin. When the toxins leave the cells, clear skin is what’s left!
How do practice skin fasting?
The core concept behind this beauty trend is to eliminate all skin care products. From the moisturizer to the night cream, everything has to go so that cells rest and relearn how to perform. However, that is not a limitation of the practice.
You can cut back on as much or as little products you’d like. There is also no fixed formula to practice this beauty technique; you can cut down all product gradually, you can go cold turkey and seize the use of any skin care product for some time, or you can shrink the number of skincare products that you use. Even cutting back on the nighttime or daytime routine also qualifies as skin fasting.
Does skin fasting work?
There is a very split opinion about skin fasting, with the proponents and opponents, both, coming with genuine arguments.
The believers: It does work
Skin fasting has been trending for a while now, with avid followers. For them, this technique has enabled a simpler life. When the skin is not stressed with gazillion products, it gets better on its own.
It also allows for the skin to breath; our porous skin allows for little gaseous exchange in the body. But when there is a firm layer of beauty products on, this process is blocked.
Similarly, skin fasting also helps to eliminate all the products that are irritating your skin or are not necessary for the skin.
Moreover, skin fasting is also cheap, which is a very important point considering how very expensive skin care is.
The skeptics: It does not work
Many laypeople and experts have enlisted their reservations about this new trend. One of the biggest strikes against it is that it does not detoxify the skin.
Toxins in the body are broken down in the liver and are excreted by the kidneys. Hence, as skin cells have nothing to do with them, or their expulsion from the body, the fact that products are applied to the face or not is irrelevant.
Similarly, some skincare treatments are very necessary. Cleansing allows for the removal of the pollutants and bacteria from the face. If they are not removed, they not only damage the skin but also can lead to breakouts.
Exfoliation is also very important; it helps prevent the buildup of the dead skin cells, sebum and dirt. The lack of exfoliation leads to clogged pores, breakouts, and dull skin. Complexion also lacks luster due to the layers of dead cells.
Skin fasting also entails giving up on the essential SPF. Sunscreen is not whimsical product; it is a necessary item that saves the skin from the dangerous radiation. From skin conditions like melasma to skin cancer even, the problems that result from sun damage are aplenty. Hence, no compromise should be made on it.
Verdict?
Skin fasting comes with its own set of pros and cons. A better approach would be using a hybrid minimalistic technique, whereby complementary and only necessary products are used. Ultimately, it is always best to talk to best Dermatologist in Lahore before starting some beauty trend to avoid complications later.
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