A few weeks ago, I was sitting in a presentation by a doctor who I believe is a dermatologist at one of the big hospitals in town. It was supposed to be a presentation about the importance of using proper skincare and sunscreen.
However, as the presentation went on, I felt very irked by what the good doctor was saying. In a long, trying half an hour presentation, he effectively slagged off the beauty routine of every woman sitting in the room. You didn’t need serums, he said. You don’t need to use more than 3 products and anything else is a waste of time and money. You won’t be able to keep up with your routine if you use more than 3 products – cleanser, moisturiser and sunscreen. If you spend more than 5 minutes doing your beauty routine, you are wasting your time.
Why, thanks doc. I regularly spend more than 5 minutes on my skincare routine and I use multiple products. I have been doing so for years and hardly slacked off.
I was very irritated. This was a presentation to a roomful of beauty editors from various press and he was saying all this? It wasn’t what he was saying but the way he was saying it, talking down to everyone in the room. I was so irritated, I left the minute it was over. The product being launched was lost to me. All I remember from that event is how irritated this doctor made me feel and how I was convinced I’d never ever want to consult with him. Ever. Interesting, because he was just going into private practice too.
Have you ever had a similar sort of experience? If not at a presentation, have you gone to see a doctor for a problem only to have them slag off your routine, or criticize or belittle you for the choices you make?
Thus far, I’ve seen 2 skin doctors. One was out of necessity as I was battling contact dermatitis on my hands due to an allergy to some organic skincare products. The doctor is a leading dermatologist in town and very popular especially for those who had acne and skin problems. When I went to see him, he was polite and listened to what I had to say, looked at the problem, prescribed some creams that healed my hands and I understood why he was so popular. I later had the opportunity to see him present at 2 product launches, and both times, he just gave facts about his subject and didn’t try to sound smart or funny. The take away was that he knew what he was talking about, and everyone respected that.
Another I met quite irritated me as he was opinionated. However, he listened and he didn’t slag off what I was doing. He just gave me options but left it to me to do what I wanted, if I wanted an alternate way of doing things.
In both these situations, I may not agree with what the doctor does but I will respect them because they don’t go around shooting their mouths off and being condescending.
In the case of the doctor I had the misfortune to listen to during the product presentation, well, lets just say that I have no respect for him at all. Slagging off another person’s routine to make your point, whether intentional or not is, to me unprofessional. There are ways to phrase things diplomatically and quite clearly, said doctor never figured that out.
Have you ever had the misfortune to meet a doctor who slags off your routine? Or if its outside of beauty, criticize you for what you do or belittles your problem even as they are supposed to treat it?
Health wise, I haven’t met a rude or nasty doctor yet *fingers crossed* but I do know that if I do, I will not hesitate to walk out, no matter how good they are, because I don’t believe in taking rude and condescending behaviour from anyone. You?
Paris B
I’ve worked with plastic surgeons for over twenty years. I’ve seen a lot of products that do a halfway decent job at keeping skin looking good, but I really believe less is best. Most doctors I’ve talked to feel that women end up causing more irritation and possible reactions when they use too many products on their skin. When it comes to reducing the appearance of lines and wrinkles, I’ve yet to see any product sold by a company that can produce the same results as botox or fillers when it comes to wrinkles. I’m sorry he presented his point in such a condescending manner, but I get where he is coming from.
Thanks for sharing, Marla. No quarrels with his view even if I know it’s not for me, but the way I suppose I felt treated, like I was really dumb and needed talking down to, was what bugged me more than the message being delivered. Pity that’s all I took away – what an irritating doctor he was! Lol
I’m going to knock on wood. I’ve never had to see a dermatologist in my life, and let’s keep it the way it is! If a doctor tells me not to use my serums when my skin is very obviously happy with them: well guess what, I’ll have to listen to what my skin says!
You know how skin basically has a mind of its own? Mine doesn’t always love the organic/natural products that I like (though luckily I have found brands it does), and what am I supposed to do? Keep using the stuff because I believe it’s good while my skin is upset? No. You listen to your skin and nobody else!
Lol I’m like you Sunny and listen to my skin. I only went to see one cos an organic product screwed with the skin on my hands, and another was a friend of a friend. I don’t see dermatologists otherwise and I’m sort of glad about it 🙂
Told my how my skin is so hormonal, really oily but dehydrated. He told me to wash my face more frequently. I was so irritated by his disregard of my problem. Everyone knows you shouldn’t wash ur face that frequently
Did you eventually manage to solve the problem? Or did he at least provide an option of washing your face and then applying something else to help the problem?
Paris, I had a doctor laughing at my face when I said x product was too strong for me…and makes me angry when someone says that the pain that acne medication causes I just have to take it. I think a good doctor would give advice about how to minimize the side affects and suggest alternatives. We are the ones paying their salary so better for them not to piss us off or we will not come back.
As for the doctor that you mentioned in your post, I find that what he sayed it’s true for me. My skin doesn’t like to many products and everytime I play with make up, I regret. Maybe he should be more careful how he expressed himself. I wouldn’t say that spending more than 5 min in a skincare routine is a waste of time for everyone, I can see how that can work as some sorta of relaxing theraphy (just forget the everyday problems and take care of yourself)-I envy women that can layer several products.
You’re right, Cris. We all react differently to different product and medications and doctors should understand that and not just tell us to suck it up or be ride about it. It’s why we see them right? So they can solve our problem. As for using minimal skincare, I can see the point in it. I sometimes cut back too but no one likes being told they can’t stick to a routine that they have been for years 😛
Every skin is different, a doctor should not just generalized it and said that a lot of skincare is bad n waste of time as it is insulting.i have a doctor who treats my gastric problem & the reason i always go back to him is because he is attentive & always care for the patients besides being a very good doctor. guess some docs just think they r superior.
Too true, Samantha. Totally drove me off, especially after I knew he was starting his own private practice!
He said NO need so when our skin starts to yellow and wrinkle, we have to go to THE doctor. I only have bad experience with those trial facial salon where they will tell me I need to have this done and that, and buy this and that to use….if it doesn’t bother me I don’t knw why they so concerned wor.
Haha they are concerned because their bottom line is at stake! 😉
One time, i had a fractured foot, i couldn’t walk.
my bf hold me up to the clinic, the doc was rude to say “Kena dukung ah, cannot walk ah, walk yourself la, is it really so pain?”
Then I went for x-ray, then the doc said “oh got fractured, no wonder you cannot walk”. So unprofessional!
Ouch! For the fractured foot and for the unsympathetic doctor. That was most certainly unprofessional!
I think all the women in the room were more secretly dismayed that they had spent years and tons of money using stuff that may not actually work. I think dermatology has gotten some bad rep because everyone thinks that it’s all very invasive but the fact remains that topical treatments can only go so far. And reading skincare reviews on places like MUA, it’s clear that people expect instant results from expensive creams but that will never happen! I personally feel that there is some stigma around dermatology and that people feel that it’s a form of cheating. But I feel that I would rather get some professional help that actually works rather than getting duped time and time again by cosmetics companies.
I am quite lucky because my derm (in Singapore) doesn’t push products and she is very helpful answering my skincare questions. But she too advised me to be wary of OTC creams as some may not be good for my skin. I personally enjoy reading up on the science
What you say is entirely possible, and I have no doubt he was correct. Everyone is entitled to their beliefs after all. However, its just the way the message came across that raised hackles because I found his attitude condescending and almost rude. The take away for me wasn’t that less is more, it was “Look at me, I’m such a pompous @SS and I am right because I’m the doctor and you aren’t” I guess you are lucky to have a derm who is understanding and who listens.
If the doctor dont bother to listen to me, I wont bother to listen to him too. Because he would not understand what I say therefore no point I would want to understand or follow his advice.
Too true!
Once I went to see a famous dermatologist in Subang for my acne outbreaks, and he actually told me: “I can give you vitamin A, but you need to a professional Facial session and get those black&white heads extracted, ok!!”. I was like, skeptical “…you ask me to go facial ar?? He nodded. Straight fwd advice. No hidden agenda.
I heeded his advice, and after several facial sessions – no acne problems. Yay!
Oh wow! I appreciate that sort of straight talking and that he wasn’t trying to push all sorts of medication and creams on you. Good on him and so happy his advise worked for you and that you are acne free now 🙂
I think all the women in the room were just secretly dismayed that all the expensive products/elaborate routines they have been using for years does not actually make a measurable difference to their skin! Hence, the snarky backlash. I hate to say it, but beauty companies sell the idea of beauty rather than the facts because facts are boring and they cannot come up with a new miracle cream every 3-4 months.
If you go by the evidence, only a few active ingredients have been proven in scientific studies over many years to have benefits: vitamin A (retinols/noids), vitamin C, vitamin E, green tea polyphenols, hydroquinone, kojic acid, arbutin, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, topical antibiotics, topical sulphur and ceramides among others. It is incompatible with cosmetics companies that need to come up with new products every few months.
And I have said this before but topical treatments can only go so far. Maybe most people feel getting lasers/IPL is like cheating. But I would rather pay for what works! Not everyone is blessed with perfect genes for good skin so why not get help for it that has been proven to work?
I do recommend only going to derms who have experience treating Asian skin as we react differently (like with hydroquinone).
That being said I do enjoy a good beauty routine. 🙂
What utter rubbish this so called Doctor! I have a ton of stuff i need to put on my skin. 3 months ago…I finally realised that those years of NOT taking good care of my skin finally shown it’s result. I started buying, take more care, experimenting with different skin care etc., and now, I am happy with the result. I saw vast improvement, scars fading, pores smaller, marks lightening, skin smoother..so those thousands of bucks going in did do something good. I love essential oils and have a separate routine just for it..sometimes, I take a long time but I am happy to do that. Did the skin suddenly spoke up and came up with this holy grail that it needs only 3 basic products? If someone is happy with even 2 and doing well, good for them. If someone is happy with 8 or more (wink* like me..), so who’s saying it’s wrong? In fact, it’s very good because my skin loves it. This Doc must be a quack or some sort haha!! After all, WHO is really the expert. i really think it’s the individual herself :)) OK, I did have lousy Docs in the past, it was always my last trip there if I dont like them. They can give opinion, just not being a pig will be fine haha!!
Haha I can tell you feel strongly about this 🙂 I think too that its up to us and our comfort level. If we take pleasure in piling on 20 products and our skin holds up, I don’t see why we shouldn’t 🙂
Hi Paris,
I’m a doctor and I love your blog and makeup and skincare! I think one of the readers hit the nail when they said the smart ones are the ones getting sued because of bad PR skills.
Anyway to me all dermatologists use steroid creams! Hahahh *hides from thrown glass bottles*
I suppose we’re guided by evidence based medicine and that’s what most doctors would based their advice on. Certainly explaining what we believe is best for the patient should not be made in a condenscending manner because at the end of the day, (most) of the decision comes from the patient and that will stem from their beliefs.
Keep up the good work! Missed your posts when you went on hiatus for a few days.
Lol at the steroid cream but that is so true!! I grew up in a family of doctors so I can also attest to that statement :p
I wholeheartedly agree with you about being guided by evidence based treatment. In the end whether something should work or not is all down to science and that applies to both medicine and skincare products from beauty lines. Any good doctor with that belief would never making such broad sweeping statements.
With skincare, I personally feel the ingredients are more relevant as opposed to the supposed claims of the product. Cost doesn’t translate to effectiveness. Some (not all!) of the high end beauty lines are very guilty of selling basically bad alcohol, water and fragrance with some small amount of natural sounding ingredient (plant extract!) as their miracle product. In these cases then yes, those products are not going to do anything for you and you would indeed be wasting your time and money.
You can’t deny that there are basic things our skin does need like cleansing, sun protection and moisturising. We just need to be smart about making sure we’re using the right products to help us do all that.
Ps. Do you reckon the doctor here was being controversial on purpose in order to get publicity for his new private practice? It would be an interesting strategy – attack the core believes of a whole lot of beauty editors who would then be so upset that they would write about him. Like they say, any kind of publicity is good publicity 😉
Lol I certainly hope he wasn’t being controversial on purpose. I don’t think it helps when people antagonise their patients. Nobody wins really.
Yea I totally agree about needing to be smart to know what the right products are for my skin. Anyway I think if he’s a dude, he really doesn’t get the fun in choosing n trying skincare and makeup so no amount of patronising talk will sway us. 🙂
Actually I don’t think he realised what an ass he was 😛 I don’t know if the others were listening to him either or just treating him as white noise LOL! The one I spoke to said “What was he talking about?!” *rolls eyes* so I think I was the only indignant one LOL!
Hi KM, thanks for sharing your input and its very interesting hearing a doctor’s point of view of this 🙂 I do find that science based people view skincare and cosmetics differently from the regular person, which is I suppose part of the whole training you go through. Its all good, just don’t go being rude and horrible to others eh? 🙂 Thanks for supporting the blog (and I hope I didn’t step on too many doctors’ toes >.< )
yes, and needless to say there is not going to be a second appointment. ever.
I went to see a dermatologist before and she told me I shouldn’t spend too much money on high-end brands like Estee Lauder for my face. And I don’t need an eye-cream or serum for my face. She recommended Avene (which never works for me!). I’ve been using more than 3 products for my face twice a day for the past years and I like the way it is. 😀