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Hi guys welcome to the acne podcast. Thank you for joining me on this podcast journey. This is where we strive to deliver the best, most accurate and comprehensive information on acne to our listeners. I’m Dr. Teo Wan Lin. I am a dermatologist practising in Singapore and also the founder of a cosmeceutical skincare line, Dr. TWL Dermaceuticals. This podcast on acne is a topic close to my heart. I started writing the book Acne Care Bible as a guide to acne written for teenagers and adults who struggle with the condition. This podcast is a companion to the book. It is also a community for readers and listeners to share about their acne journey. Hopefully this will encourage and help many of you!
ABOUT THE PODCAST HOST
A little bit about myself and my dermatology practice. A good proportion of my patients are teens and young adults. They experience changes in their skin and hair as they undergo hormonal changes associated with puberty. This is also associated with the start of acne. In this podcast, I will be covering physiologic-type acne common in teenagers as well as adult acne, including hormonal acne in adult women. We will also discuss severe types of acne associated with a medical condition, the follicular occlusion triad, presenting in the form of acne conglobata / acne fulminans. There will also be podcasts dedicated to listeners who are parents of teens struggling with acne – the same tips I share in my office. If you are a teenager experiencing changes in your skin, an adult struggling with the condition, or a parent of a teen, I hope this podcast series will help you.
WHO IS THE ACNE PODCAST FOR?
Do you have questions about your skincare routine? Are you frustrated about the confusing beauty advice you read on the internet? I was inspired to write the Acne Care Bible as a guide as a compilation of treatment “pearls” from over a decade of seeing acne patients. This draws from my experience treating patients with teen acne as well as adult acne. Many of my adult patients have shared with me the experience of having acne starting from their teenage years. This has left them feeling scarred and traumatized in their adult years as well. This topic is very close to my heart because a large number of my teenage patients do share with me their emotional struggles with their skin condition. While acne is a common condition, even doctors (who are not dermatologists) trivialize the condition simply because they do not understand the great psychosocial impact of the disease.
For parents who want to have a better understanding of what exactly is happening to their child’s skin, this acne podcast will serve as a handy guide to navigate treatments and options available. Especially for parents who have not had acne themselves. I hope to equip you all with the correct knowledge on skincare. This will help your teenager navigate the world of beauty and form good skincare habits.
A beauty podcast on acne exclusively
The reason why I decided to dedicate an entire show to acne is simple. It is after all the most common dermatological condition. In a sense also, it is considered widely as one that can be treated with over the counter skincare. Inherently, acne is actually a highly complex condition- best explained by dermatologists and not aestheticians or aesthetic physicians. Treatment options aren’t too complicated, but the efficacy of many oral treatments can wane. This leads to frustration and more misconceptions which I hope to debunk once and for all. Hopefully, this helps many acne sufferers who may be wondering why their acne never seems to go away completely, even after medical treatment.
In addition, we do know that the past few years of mask wearing has led to an increase in incidence of not just acne, or maskne but also flare ups of other skin conditions that may be confused with acne. These include perioral dermatitis, eczema, rosacea etc. For those who already suffer from pimples, while mask-wearing exacerbates the problem, the important thing to note is that there is a persistent root cause of acne vulgaris which should be addressed medically.
In this podcast, I set out to share the advice I usually dispense in my office to my patients suffering from acne. Teenagers, parents or adult acne sufferers who are looking for expert guidance may appreciate the evidence-based advice dispensed.
SKINCARE FUNDAMENTALS
By the way, I’m sure all of us remember the awkward stage of our lives when we transitioned into adulthood. Besides physical changes, we also experienced changes in our skin, scalp, and hair. While our teachers and parents were quick to explain what these bodily changes were, I don’t recall specifically having someone teach me about the basics of skincare, haircare. I found myself experimenting on what worked, and what didn’t. With the vast information available today on the internet, it’s no surprise that while consumers are better informed, they are also more susceptible to misinformation. On hindsight, it would have been ideal if someone had explained all the basics of skincare to me from the beginning. I feel it’s even more important in the internet era today.
@drteowanlin Painful acne cyst that won’t go away? Learn about acne in a fun (and serious way) with Ash the ADHD Jack Russell and Dr. Teo Wan Lin, dermatologist in Singapore. #hormonalacne #dermatologist #dermatology #tiktokdoctor #learningisfun #acnetips #acnetreatment #skincycling #skincareroutine #acnesolution #acnecyst #pimplepopper #pimplepop ♬ Quirky – Oleg Kirilkov
It is important to establish good skincare and haircare habits from one’s teenage years. This is the period when important physiological changes in the skin and scalp occur. The basis of this should first be understanding the biological processes which occur. As a dermatologist, I’m constantly explaining these processes to my patients and their parents. This is because understanding is the first key to developing healthy lifestyle habits. It is my great hope that in this podcast, I will be able to offer some insight into the understanding of acne. It is a common but often distressing disease that starts in one’s teen years.
THE COMMUNITY
Having been a part of several teenagers’ acne recovery journey, I also wish to impart words of comfort to teen readers who may suffer from less than perfect skin and hair. As a fresh take on teen beauty, I share with the authority of a dermatologist who has the professional expertise of working with teens with troubled skin. I share also as a friendly confidante, which is the same approach I take with my patients. Last but not least, I’d like to invite you all to join our “Ask a Dermatologist” community. This is where you can share your acne journey. You can also ask me acne-related/skincare questions that I will endeavour to answer in the subsequent podcasts. I have included the link in the podcast description. Do also remember to leave us a 5-star review if you enjoyed this podcast!