From the Fountain of Youth

"I'm here to find the reason and solution for acne," announced a 19-year-old member of the audience under the empathetic gaze of older men, women and fellow-youngsters gathered in the elegant setting of The Lalit in Andheri.

Joining his rank were wellness enthusiasts from different parts of the city who had defied a spate of showers and crippling traffic to participate in the second edition of Vibrant Forever, dna and Alma Lasers new-wave platform connecting beauty-and-health aspirants across the society (professionals, homemakers, college-goers, middle-aged males and septuagenarians!) with eminent dermatologists and aesthetic practitioners like Dr Rekha Sheth, Dr Amit Karkhanis, Dr Narmada Matang and Dr Karishma Balani.

While some pleaded intervention against their "obstinate, uninvited fat", others hung on to every word of advice on skin pigmentation, toning and remodelling, laser hair reduction and body contouring. The doctors, for their part, declared themselves thrilled to be in conversation with an audience that "spoke their language" of accurate aesthetic awareness—and spilled secrets on holistic self-preservation.

Good style Lifestyle

Beginning with a dialogue on how poor diet, exercise and lifestyle can wreck havoc on one's skin and hair, Dr Rekha Sheth super-emphasized the role of protein-rich, junk-free meals and stress-relieving exercise routines in tackling certain kinds of hair fall, acne, skin darkening and autoimmune conditions. "Never miss your daily dose of milk, dahi, daal and fruits, or your set of cardio, yoga or walks," (depending on your age) cautioned Dr Sheth, adding that while "there are no quick fixes in skin and hair health", a balanced lifestyle can notch up the body's capacity to heal and glow.

Skin Pigmentation and Toning

It seemed only fair that Dr. Matang, with her warm-hued, flawless skin, conducted this segment. "What is pigmentation?" she asked the audience, to be inundated with responses about "tanning, darkening and patchy skin due to diverse factors including sun's rays and hormonal imbalances". Visibly impressed, the doctor proceeded to mention that Indian skin being pre-disposed to pigmentation, it is crucial to exercise precautions like sun screen application and internal health check-up. "The skin is a mirror to our internal system and many underlying medical conditions can reflect in pigmentation. Detailed examination and diagnosis in the hands of an able physician is important before treating cases of skin pigmentation," she remarked, adding that for some it could be a simple case of beach tanning.

A Fair Aspiration?

When Dr. Matang asked the audience what they would do to achieve a fairer skin tone, some referred to creams and lotions while cheekier ones mentioned talcum powder. "While talking about skin toning, remember that we only aim to gift you a clearer, healthier, brighter, evenly-toned skin. The covered part of your body is your original skin tone, which cannot and shouldn't be altered. Instead, be confident about the colour that you are!" stressed Dr. Matang, opening up the forum to live queries and emailed questions.

Screen that Sun

Turns out, a two-rupee coin sized dollop of sunscreen between SPF 24-30 needs to be applied (separate two-rupee dollop for the neck) and repeated every 3-4 hours for those exposed to the harsh outdoors. The different types -gel, cream or lotion, should be zeroed in on following the right match with one's skin type. Additionally, the fruit acids in lemon, orange, papaya or tomato (ones concentrated in chemical peels) can be used as home remedies for pigmentation, but only after a quick patch-test to dislodge chances of adverse reaction.

Laser for Skin

Dr. Karkhanis revealed that "there are many different kinds of lasers, each used for specific purposes." One such laser treatment, the Clear Lift from Alma, was declared to be a safe bet for a 17-year-old girl with pimples, blackheads and darkened skin. Emphasizing that a physical diagnosis of the patient is absolutely essential, Dr. Karkhanis advised the email-questioner to "stop touching her face." Dr. Balani assured another digital participant that her under-eye dark circles can be treated by laser with an additional precautionary measure of eye-shields. "But first the real reason and nature of skin condition in the area has to be determined," she insisted. "Is it a hollow with a shadow effect or is it really pigmentation? Is it due to lack of sleep, B-12 deficiency or hormonal imbalance?" she said, sounding out the importance of accompanying laser treatment with a clinical diagnosis by a qualified medical professional. With Dr. Sheth approving the possibility of laser treatment for a patient with a "misbehaving burn scar" on her forehead, it was established that laser treatment is a safe as long as the procedure is undertaken by a responsible medical professional.

...And for Hair Reduction

Dr. Karkhanis explained that laser hair reduction is the most common cosmetic procedure performed globally, where a beam of light (laser), naturally attracted to darker pigments, is used to target and destroy dark hair follicles. "An average of 6-8 sittings can cause an 80 percent reduction in hair. One might need to return after a year for maintenance sessions," he shared, stressing that against common perceptions, the accurate term for the procedure isn't "laser hair removal". "Reduction", on the other hand, is a maximum possibility.

Pain? What Pain?

Of the pain factor, Dr. Karkhanis said that for females used to waxing, the Alma-invented advanced laser machines with cooling-tip would signify a virtually painless experience. Apparently, for most patients, male and female, it resembles "a warm massage". Dr. Sheth backed him up saying "Don't be scared, the modern laser does not hurt at all". The estimated cost depends on the area where procedure is to performed, its cost-benefit ratio much more impressive than the recurring expenditure of temporary removal methods.

The Man and the Machine

Time and again, the doctors emphasized that it is the right combination of the man (qualified doctor) and the machine (American FDA-approved, high-end laser machine) that can deliver safe and optimized benefits. Even so, underlying health conditions in different individuals could mean some variation in the end result. For example, a woman with 'hirsuitism', a hormonal imbalance causing hair-growth in the chin area, would not get rid of her hair in the mentioned 6-8 session period, pointed out Dr. Balani. Dr. Sheth mentioned PCOD (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) as another condition that requires extra attention when it comes to laser hair removal.

Body Contouring

As the last chapter of the interactive session, the topic of body contouring drew a lot of interest. Dr. Balani started at scratch, defining obesity as "a chronic condition where excessive accumulation of fat cells occur, resulting in a faulty BMI (Body Mass Index: weight /height in meter square)". A BMI of 30 plus indicates obesity, which makes one a candidate for body contouring. Besides suggesting extensive check-ups to identify the primary health condition triggering obesity, switching to frequent smaller-portion meals (7-8 a day) to speed up rate of metabolism and of course, following a well-rounded regime of diet in synchronisation with exercise, Dr. Balani also threw light on the role body contouring devices can play in such cases. "RF Ultrasound is effective in targeting specific problem areas like abdomen, thighs, buttocks. Different body contouring technologies get rid of the fat in different ways, usually using heat to break up the fat cells that are then metabolised and excreted from the body," she explained.

Weight Watch

At this point, the doctors reiterated their good old advisory of health tips (consume not more than 3 tea spoons of oil each day, using various types of oils in for cooking rather than a staple one--if one meal is cooked in rice-bran, use groundnut oil for another) and workout advice (take out 45 minutes for yourself every day). "The day you ask someone else to switch on the fan, consider yourself obese," Dr. Matang warned through light-hearted banter.

Live surprise!

Just when the high energy was beginning to set with the sun, Alma Lasers floored the audience with an offer of live laser demonstration for skin pigmentation treatment. As a male and a female participant relaxed under the expert supervision of Dr. Matang, others observed the procedure on a giant screen.

Check this Space

Fast-forward to the next edition: You could be the observer or the volunteer, or perhaps both. Keep an eye out for the DNA-Alma Lasers wellness workshop nearest to your location as Vibrant Forever is all set to tour newer locations in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Thane.