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WELL+GOOD posted “The Many (MANY!) Complicated Reasons You Break Out, According To A Dermatologist” featuring Dr. Purvisha Patel and Visha Skincare .

The article includes Dr. Patel‘s expert commentary on the causes of breakouts and why they happen.

I’m familiar with a lot of things about my body. For instance: Certain foods (especially of the processed variety) make me bloated. Not washing my hair for precisely three days makes it look really good. And approximately one zillion things I do can lead to a breakout.

So, yeah—you could say that when it comes to pimples, things can get really complicated. I’ve been dealing with them for roughly two decades, and it’s still hard to determine the underlying culprits behind my zits and how to get rid of them on the fly. After over three years as a beauty journalist, however, I’ve learned one thing for certain: Breakouts happen for so, so many reasons. And that’s exactly why acne affects upwards of 50 million people every year.

The main thing to know is that acne is an extremely complex thing—even dermatologists acknowledge that it’s a tough situation to deal with. That said, there are some very real reasons why you breakout, which are helpful to know about so that you can keep pimples at bay.

Why am I breaking out?
“There are four things that need to happen in order to breakout: follicular occlusion (a clogged pore), microbe overgrowth in the follicle (bad bacteria in your pores), sebum production (AKA oil), and inflammation,” explains Purvisha Patel, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Visha Skincare.

Read the full article here.

Skincare.com posted “Derm DMS: How Important Is It To Take A Break From Products To Let Your Skin Breathe?” featuring Dr. Purvisha Patel and Visha Skincare .

The article includes Dr. Patel‘s expert commentary on why it’s important to take a break from skin care products and how it can be beneficial for your skin.

Between your morning skin-care routine, evening skin-care routine and wearing makeup during the day, it can feel like you’re constantly slathering products on to your skin’s surface. Beauty devotees are not known to go without their precious products. But it raises the question: How good is this habit for your skin? To answer this burning skin-care inquiry, spoke with two board-certified dermatologists to find out just how important it is to let your skin breathe by taking a break from products.

There are differing professional opinions around this subject. While Craig Kraffert, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and President of Amarte Skin Care, doesn’t advise his patients to take part in the practice of skipping out on their skin-care products, Purvisha Patel, MD, another board-certified dermatologist and founder of Visha Skincare, does.

“It’s very important to let your skin breathe, or go without products for at least a few hours a day,” says Dr. Patel. “A good time would be when working out. Going product-free lets the sweat come out of the pores.”

Read the full article here.

ELLE posted “What Dermatologists Really Think About Using Pore Strips” featuring Dr. Purvisha Patel and Visha Skincare .

The article includes Dr. Patel‘s expert commentary on pore strips and the many benifits of using them.

There’s something so grossly satisfying about using a pore strip. Looking at all the gunk from your skin almost feels therapeutic. It’s why people can’t get enough of viral pore strip removal videos and photos. But, what is the pore strip actually doing (besides providing #content gold)? We asked board certified dermatologists Dr. Purvisha Patel, Dr. Craig Kraffert, and Dr. Jame Heskett for the rundown on everything strip related. Do they actually work? Will they fix our blackhead issues for good? They break it down, ahead.

What is a pore strip?

Pore strips are strips of material with an adhesive on one side to adhere to and pull out open comedones, aka blackheads. Blackheads happen when oil in the pores of the skin is exposed to air and oxidized, resulting in a darkened appearance.

How do pore strips work?

The adhesive truly grabs the oil and pulls it out, voilá—the blackhead is taken out. “The ability of the strip to adhere and clear the pores is a variable factor, and pore strips may not work for everyone, especially those that may have adhesive allergies,” explains Dr. Patel.

Can a pore strip cause more bad than good?

If you have sensitive skin, you should avoid pore strips. They can cause more harm than good. One common myth is that pore strips can break capillaries—it is not true. However, they can tear or injure the skin. When it comes to pulling things off your skin, proceed with caution.

Read the full article here.

WELL+GOOD posted “Cosmetic Chemists Explain What The Heck “Plant Stem Cells” Do In Skin Care” featuring Dr. Purvisha Patel and Visha Skincare .

The article includes Dr. Patel‘s expert commentary on plant stem cells and the benifits of having it part of your skin care.

I think it was around the time I was in high school that I learned that people were using stem cells to repair otherwise diseased organs. Science is crazy, right? But now, I see “plant stem cells” touted as skin-care ingredients in beauty products all the time—and immediately my mind goes back to the laboratories. WTF are they actually?

“The term stem cells is a generic phrase which refers to a special type of cell in an organism that can develop into many different types of cells,” explains cosmetic chemist Perry Romanowski. “Embryonic stem cells can be developed into all types of human cells like nerve cells, skin cells, muscle cells, etc. It’s important to know that these are human cells that are specific to an individual.”

In layman’s terms, they’re “undifferentiated cells that have not chosen a path as to what cells they are going to be yet,” adds Purvisha Patel, MD, board-certified dermatologist and founder of Visha Skincare. More specifically, however, I’m looking at plant stem cells—which are different, but have somewhat similar functions. “In plants, these cells live in the meristems of plants,” says Dr. Patel. “They help and regenerate live plants after they have an injury.”

Original studies on plant stem cells on skin came using Swiss apple stem cells, according to Dr. Patel. “Stem cell extracts were found to reverse the aging process of cultured fibroblasts,” she explains. “One of the first specific studies showed a decrease in the appearance of crow’s feet after extract administration. Other studies have followed, and it seems that the major benefit of plant stem cells is in the repair of the skin. These extracts may be beneficial as an anti-aging agent, especially if mixed with tissue exfoliating agents such as retinol, bakuchiol and alpha-hydroxy acids.”

Read the full article here.

ELLE posted “Here’s Exactly How To Get Rid of A Pimple Overnight” featuring Dr. Purvisha Patel and Visha Skincare .

The article includes Dr. Patel‘s expert commentary on key ways on how to get rid of unwanted pimples.

So you’ve got a pimple? Chances are the arrival coincides with a major life event. Pimples have a cruel way of popping up just before first dates, important job interviews, school dances, and weddings. Curse you, zit monsters!

While you can’t fix a pimple in one hour (we wish), you can take steps to clear up a blemish overnight with a diligent regime. “Pimples are small micro-infections of hair follicles,” explains Dr. Purvisha Patel, board certified dermatologist and founder of Visha Skincare. “You may not be able to get ‘rid’ of a pimple overnight, but you can make it look a lot better, so it appears to be gone.”

Dr. Patel broke down the ten key steps to getting rid of a pimple fast, or at least making the appearance of a bad zit less noticeable. Read on and good luck. You’ve got this. Your pimple doesn’t stand a chance!

Find the right ingredients

Dr. Patel explains that pimples are commonly caused by four things: follicular occlusion, microbe growth, sebum production or adding oil to your skin, and inflammation.

All these issues can be addressed and helped when a pimple is early in the game. “The most common way to address these issues is to use benzoyl peroxide, sulfur, tree oil or salicylic acid products before you go to bed,” says Dr. Patel.

Benzoyl peroxide is a bleaching agent that kills microbes and dries up oil in the follicle. Tea tree oil and sulfur also do similar things to benzoyl peroxide by drying up the pimple. “Using these products can make the pimple look smaller in the morning, ” explains Dr. Patel.

The final ingredient Dr. Patel recommends is salicylic acid. “Salicylic acid products not only dry up the pimple and kill any microbes, but also exfoliate the skin on top to let any accumulated puss out of the follicle,” says Dr. Patel. (Gross, but effective.)

Read the full article here.

WELL+GOOD posted “Women In One of the Driest Climates Swear by This Ingrediant For Hydration” featuring Dr. Purvisha Patel and Visha Skincare .

The article includes Dr. Patel‘s expert commentary on how prickly pear seed oil can help hydrate your skin and other benifits.

How do the people in on of the driest climates keep their skin and hair moisturized? One way is prickly pear seed oil. I first came across the Moroccan beauty mainstay in the Marrakesh Medina, during a beauty class with Around the World Beauty’s Stephanie Flor. The spiny fruit—which is basically a pear, but with spikes (AKA “prickly”)—flourishes in the arid climate of the Sahara, and has been an integral part of Berber women’s skin-care routines for centuries. They’ve used it as an antibacterial for medicinal purposes, but they’ve also made use of it to nourish and rehydrate hair and skin, too.

“The extract contains a lot of vitamin E, oleic acid and linoleic acid. These oils have anti-inflammatory properties and do not clog pores, or cause acne,” says board certified dermatologist and founder of Visha Skincare, Purvisha Patel MD. “The fruit also has a lot of vitamin B, beta carotene and iron. This is a great ingredient for acne-prone skin. It is best used as a moisturizer in oil form.”

So basically, it does a whole lot for any type of skin. To get the most out of any sort of prickly pear product, prep your skin with ingredients like retinol, cacay oil, bakuchiol, vitamin A or any sort of alpha hydroxy acid, which Dr. Patel says can “help exfoliate the skin and get the active in deeper to work.” Here, seven of our favorite prickly pear products to watch it work its magic for yourself.

Read the full article here.

WELL+GOOD posted “The Derm-Approved Plan To Ditch “STRAWBERRY LEGS” By Summer” featuring Dr. Purvisha Patel and Visha Skincare .

The article includes Dr. Patel‘s expert commentary on why enlarged hair follicles and pores are normal and how to easily deal with it.

There have been times in my life when I look down at my legs (which are rarely bare, FWIW) and notice that the pores look darker than usual. I’ve always chalked it up to just having larger-than-average hair follicles (cool), but never gave it much of a thought besides just thinking: ugh. Then, I came across the term “strawberry legs” and felt extremely seen. Much to my surprise, strawberry legs are not only super common, they’re also something you can easily deal with.

“This happens when the skin of the legs has darker dots in a follicular distribution, so they look like strawberries,” says Purvisha Patel, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Visha Skincare. “There may also be swelling of the skin and the hair follicles can look slightly indented or raised like the surface of a strawberry.” Board-certified dermatologist Tobechi Ebede, MD, adds that “the darker dots represent hair follicles or enlarged pores that contain a mixture of oil, bacteria, and dead skin or hair trapped in them.”

Know that it’s completely normal. “As mammals, we’re covered in hair follicles and pores, and this appearance can stem from any process that increases inflammation of the hair follicle,” says Dr. Patel. “It could be from not exfoliating, so the pores get blocked with oil and debris, shaving with a dull razor, or not moisturizing skin can create irritation.”

Read the full article here.

WELL+GOOD posted “This Derm-Office Facial taught me everything about how to apply my skin care” featuring Dr. Purvisha Patel and Visha Skincare .

The article includes Dr. Patel‘s expert commentary on how putting the right amount of pressure while using skin care, helps the product absorb.

Among the beauty myths that I’ve come to believe, I’ve always surmised that the only way to get your skin to really drink up beauty ingredients extra well is via a microneedling treatment. This works by puncturing your complexion with uber-tiny micro-tears that stimulate your skin’s collagen and also help products to sink in better. And yet—I’ve heard lots of beauty brand founders and dermatologists tell me that you need to be patting and pressing products into your skin for better absorption, too.

Besides getting this sort of infusion facial, though, you can utilize pressure for your own beauty benefits from the comfort of your own bathroom. What you’ll need? Your hands and some elbow grease. “Rubbing in skin-care products all the way definitely helps absorption,” says Purvisha Patel, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Visha Skincare. “Applying the product to your skin and wiping up your face, around your eyes, and up your neck helps the product absorb, as long as you’re going in against the hair follicles and against the direction of collagen degradation.”

Read the full article here.

TODAY posted “ What is dermaplaning and why should you try it?” featuring Dr. Purvisha Patel and Visha Skincare .

The article includes Dr. Patel‘s expert commentary on the benefits of dermaplaning.

WHAT IS DERMAPLANING?

Dermaplaning is the act of shaving your face with a single blade that resembles a scalpel to help remove dead skin cells and peach fuzz.

HOW MUCH DOES DERMAPLANING COST?

This type of treatment can sometimes cost up to $250 and is usually performed by a dermatologist or esthetician. An at-home dermaplaning tool includes a less-sharp blade and needs to be done more regularly to maintain results. And don’t make the mistake of thinking a regular shaving razor can do the same job. A typical razor includes three-to-four slanted blades to remove body hair, while a dermaplaning tool uses a single-edge blade to get closer to the skin for optimal exfoliation.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF DERMAPLANING?

“Taking off the top layer of dead skin cells helps skin care products absorb better and procedures work better,” says Purvisha Patel, board-certified dermatologist and founder of Visha Skincare. “It also tricks the skin into thinking it’s wounded and boosts collagen production, helping decrease fine lines and wrinkles.”

It prevents acne from forming, too. “By removing the top layer of dead skin cells, dermaplaning prevents oils, dead skin and debris from being trapped inside the follicle,” says Kerry Benjamin, esthetician and founder of StackedSkincare.

Dermaplaning can also serve as a primer for makeup as it allows foundation to look more like your skin, rather than it sitting on top of your dead skin and peach fuzz.

Read the full article here.

Insider Picks posted “The best makeup removers for sensitive skin you can buy ” featuring Dr. Purvisha Patel and Visha Skincare .

The article includes Dr. Patel‘s expert advice on how to choose the best make up remover for your skin.

I think I’m the only person in the world who can’t use most popular micellar waters to remove makeup. They work just fine on my face, but they burn the heck out of my eyes — not ideal when I’m trying to scrub off stubborn eyeliner and long-lasting mascara at the end of a long day.

When I first looked into skin-care, I quickly realized I preferred oils, balms, and bi-phase removers with a lot of slip to them. The kind you can really massage into your face without tugging at gentle skin, especially around the eyes and mouth. Lots of tugging not only encourages wrinkles but can also cause irritation.

“Oil-based or cream-based removers are recommended [for sensitive skin] and then a mild face wash to get off the makeup remover,” Dr. Purvisha Patel, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Visha Skincare, told Insider Picks.

It can be challenging to figure out which products could irritate your skin just by looking at the bottle, especially if you’re experimenting with a new ingredient. For some general guidelines, Dr. Patel recommends steering clear of “alcohol-based astringents and foaming cleansers” or removers that contain “strong acids, sulfates, and parabens,” all of which can have a sensitizing effect on reactive skin.

Read the full article here.