Leading dermatologists and psychiatrists are seeing a concerning increase in parents presenting with their tweens to clinics with skin and psychological issues associated with an obsession on the latest skincare products.
Skinfluencers are fueling tweens unhealthy demand for luxury skincare, while international brands such as Dior have begun to target babies in what experts have labelled a disturbing escalation in the recent phenomena.
Skin Health Institute Consultant Dermatologist Dr Mei Tam says skincare brands are profiting from this trend by targeting increasingly younger customers.
“Dior is now putting together a package, so when the baby’s born, you give them a $210 package with baby perfume, wash and lotion. These babies come out already smelling beautifully of baby, they don’t need additional perfumes to add to the problem. When you have young skin that is sensitive with not a great barrier to start with at first, and you’re applying all these allergens and chemicals, you are risking them getting sensitised and creating problems”.
Dr Tam is joined by a distinguished panel of experts including Medical and Cosmetic Dermatologist Katherine Armour and Consultant Psychiatrist Dr Siu-Ying Kwok on the respected Spot Diagnosis Podcast, produced by the Skin Health Institute.
The latest episode, Skincare Gone Crazy, delves into the growing obsession with skincare among today’s youth and its potential physical and psychological repercussions, providing parents and practitioners with valuable insights and the latest information from top clinicians.
Together, they dissect the reasons behind the youth’s fixation on perfect skin, the dangers of using advanced skincare products at a young age, and the psychological motivations driving this quest for ‘perfection.’
Dr Katherine Armour examines the reasons behind this emerging phenomenon and highlights a significant increase in parents bringing their tweens to her clinic. She discusses the harmful effects she has observed from the use of potent skincare ingredients on young skin.
“I think the phenomenon has emerged because all of these ‘Get Ready With Me’ videos and the shelving and signage in Sephora and Mecca are very aspirational for young people. The real concern is that a lot of the products that tweens and teens are purchasing, particularly in the area of skincare, it is not designed for their skin. Every single time you apply a different product, it\’s going to contain your active ingredients, it\’s going to contain preservatives, and often, unfortunately, a whole ream of fragrances. All of those are potential causes of A, irritancy, and B, potential allergy.”
Dr Siu-Ying Kwok explores the underlying reasons behind Gen Alpha\’s quest for flawless skin, including societal pressures and the influence of social media, offering guidance to parents on how to navigate this challenging situation.
“We are aware that obviously, early adolescence is just the beginning of developing a sense of self and identity, and this is the perfect age group where these influencers can have quite a detrimental impact on self-identity because obviously, the foundations are starting to be made at this point. (For parents) striking that balance between parenting and then managing the young people’s self-expression and experimenting with exploring their self-identity. It’s about using the right things and being exposed to the right things at the right time appropriate for the developmental stage”.
Skincare Gone Crazy covers the facts, offers practical advice on safe skincare practices, debunks myths, and shares meaningful guidance on navigating this constantly evolving landscape.
Skincare Gone Crazy will be available for streaming on Apple and Spotify on from 9am on Wednesday 26 June.
