Many people think skincare routines should stay the same. Once certain products become effective, they are usually considered sufficient. However, skin is not constant. Dr Kiran Hebbalkar, dermatologist at Kiran’s Clinic, Vasant Vihar, Delhi, shared signs that indicate your skin needs a different routine now.
Sebum levels vary with age, the skin barrier may weaken, and pigmentation may start reacting differently due to accumulative sun exposure. Because of this, skin care routines that once provided flawless and problem-free skin may later produce irritation, not much effect, or address the wrong issue.
When irritation happens, skin reacts negatively, causing pigmentation issues. Pigmentation is not always a product problem. Acne, hormones, sun exposure and inflammation can all drive excess melanin, while conditions such as melasma may worsen with irritation or overly aggressive treatment.
Also read | Dermatologist shares 7 simple ways to manage acne without overcomplicating your skincare routine Dr Kiran highlighted that redness with some burning or stinging sensation may mean that the skin barrier is under stress from too much use of active ingredients like acids, retinoids, and vitamin C and what is more works against the rule: using more active components does not promise more effective results.
“Instead of continually adding stronger brightening products, the focus should be on sunscreen , targeted ingredients and identifying why the pigmentation keeps returning,” advised Dr Kiran.
