The fields of skin and cosmetics maintain an uneasy alliance for several reasons. First, number of cosmetic manufacturers have promoted their products with fanciful pseudo-scientific claims to rejuvenate skin, encourage hair growth, etc. Other companies claim that you will look younger and feel terrific. Most of these claims are untested, irrational and without scientific basis.

Many of the cosmetics can induce adverse reactions in skin. Most of them are due to fragrance, preservatives and dyes used in these products.

Let us list a few products available in the market having doubtful therapeutic value:

• Sapat lotion, Betex is panacea for any skin disease. These products contain salicylic acid in 10-20% concentration, which burns the skin and leaves behind a dark colour.
• Kali Mehendi. Mehendi cannot be kali (black). Hair dye combined with mehendi gives the black colour to your hair.
• Hair oils will not give rise to hair growth. This is dependent on nutrition that hair gets from blood stream.
• Vitamin E applied locally will not cure scars.
• Aloe Vera. Scientific study on medicinal properties of aloe are scanty. Several products containing this claim to be skin rejuvenators.

The outermost layer of skin, hair and nail consist of dead cells. There is no evidence or reason to believe that external application of proteins, amino-acids, collagen or the like will have anything more than a transient effect on the appearance or texture of the skin.

Following is a limited list of products having less chance of adverse reactions:

• Vaseline or liquid paraffin is a useful moisturizer.
• Nivea cream is still the best moisturizer available.
• Calamine lotion is useful in drug-eruptions, prickly-heat or any itchy condition.
• Dove, glycerine and baby-soaps are least drying to skin.

Dr. Kiran Godse Skin Specialist Laksh-Deep Hospital