Skin can bring us pain and pleasure, belonging and persecution. A pimple is embarrassing for a young teen but a love bite is terribly exciting. Skin keeps us cool and protects our blood, but it is also home to various fungi and bacteria. We paint, pierce, and associate so many emotions with this one organ.

But looking after skin has gone from becoming a simple soap-water operation to a complex maze of questions—do I buy herbal or laboratory-produced products? What is a peptide? Do I need to go sulphate-free? How many blueberries should I eat? Do I get a vampire facial? Whose nighttime skincare routine should I follow—Alia Bhatt or Bella Hadid?

A billion-dollar industry, skincare companies are constantly churning out new products. But is our skin getting any healthier? Is Persian rose and Sicilian almond cream enough to negate the impact of pollution, stress, sugary diets, and poor sleep? A 2020 study in the Indian Journal of Clinical and Experimental Dermatology estimates that 7 out of 10 adolescents suffer from acne today, a 153% increase from 1990 onwards.

Third-generation dermatologist Dr Rajat Kandhari joins us to help us separate fact from fiction about skin hygiene. He currently spearheads the aesthetic special interest group for the Indian Dermatology Association and is the former vice president of the Indian Association of Dermatology’s Delhi Chapter.

Tune in to learn all about the bacteria which parties on your skin as acne, realistic lifestyle advice for healthy skin and what a dermatologist’s own skincare routine looks like!

Produced by Anna Priyadarshini

Sound mix by Kapil Dev Singh