Dubai: Dermatologists have advised people to be happy with how they look and not to depend on doctors to make them as beautiful as Hollywood star Angelina Jolie.
“Doctors can augment your looks but cannot completely change it,” said Dr Hassan Galadari, assistant professor of dermatology at UAE University.
The dermatologist was speaking to Gulf News on the sidelines of the World Dermatology and Laser Congress and Exhibition (Dubai Derma) that was inaugurated at the Dubai Convention Centre last week.
Dermatologists from across the world met in Dubai to discuss the various skin infections that are increasing and the new technologies that can help treat them.
Common skin problems in the UAE are vitiligo, psoriasis and eczema, said Dr Syed Asaduddin Ahmad, specialist in Unani medicine, a Graeco-Arabic traditional branch of medicine.
The doctor said vitiligo causes white patches on the skin. “It could be hereditary, but here it is due to poor diet and lack of Vitamin D,” he said. The affliction affects the face, fingers, scalp and the muscous membrane, he said. It occurs when the cells that give your skin its colour are destroyed.
The white patches are more common where your skin is exposed to the sun. The Unani doctor said the traditional medicine works better than allopathic drugs that have steroids and patients don’t suffer a relapse.
The doctor said the other common afflictions such as psoriasis (a chronic skin condition that causes skin cells to grow too quickly and makes the skin have thick white, silvery, or red patches).
“Stress is one of the causes,” he said, as the majority of people in the UAE lead hectic lives. He advised against going out in the sun during the sun’s peak hours.
“The UV [ultra violet] light from the sun here is high because of the lack of ozone layer cover,” he said, and advised using sunblock or an umbrella when out in the open.
Dr Galadari warned the sun is the biggest enemy of the skin and can age it prematurely. “Unfortunately, the media promotes the idea that you are beautiful if you are tanned and bronzed. It is important to know how to take care of your skin and the conditions that can affect it,” he said.
The dermatologist said skin cancer is the biggest killer across the world today, but fortunately it is not so widespread in the UAE.
The dermatologist pointed out that the skin is the largest organ of the body. “It is the first thing you see when you meet someone,” he said.
He said the function of the skin is not only cosmetic, but it helps regulate the body temperature and “helps put everything in”.
Asked if it is a good thing that the ageing population is resorting to plastic surgery to look young, Dr Galadari said that it was important to know who your doctor is. “Make sure to find out his qualifications and what fillers he is using,” he said.
The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) earlier warned against fly-by-night plastic surgeons that leave patients disfigured.
The doctor again stressed the fact that ageing is a way of life. “It is definite that everyone will look old [eventually]. But there is also something called ‘ageing gracefully’, where you look good, naturally, he said.
Dr Ebrahim Galadari, the conference chairman, said Dubai Derma is considered a comprehensive educational hub for dermatologists and laser specialists in the region.
