5 things a dermatologist never does so she can keep her skin clear without wasting money

• A dermatologist has shared five habits that she avoids to keep her skin clear without damaging it.
• Dr. Aamna Adel said that people were coming to her clinic with red skin from using too many products.

A dermatologist shared the five things she never does so she can keep her skin clear.

Dr. Aamna Adel, a dermatologist working at an National Health Service hospital in London, UK, said that she'd noticed more people come into her clinic with dry, red, raw skin from using too many products or spending thousands of dollars on products that don't work.

Here are five things that Adel would never do so she can maintain clear skin while not wasting money.

Try cosmetic procedures at home

Adel said that she would not waste money doing procedures like microneedling at home because there was a "high risk" of infection and scarring when it's not done correctly.

"I would get a professional to do those procedures," she said.

Adel added that she'd also never get eye filler to improve her skin because the blood supply to the eye is "really complex." If filler isn't applied correctly it can directly or indirectly block the blood supply to the eye, which can lead to blindness in extreme cases, she said.

Adel said that people who want the procedure should seek someone with an "excellent understanding" of facial anatomy and experience in injecting around the eye area.

"Look into those credentials, see what qualifications they've got, and look at their track record: The procedures that they've performed, how many they've performed, and how long they've been doing it for," she said.

Put on skincare products before brushing her teeth

Adel said that she always applies her skincare products after brushing her teeth because there are reports of people using fluoride toothpaste and developing acne-like lesions around their mouths, called perioral dermatitis.

"It's always a good idea to make sure that you have brushed your teeth. Clean that area properly before applying your skincare," she said.

Blindly follow skincare routines on social media

Adel said that she doesn't "blindly follow" skincare routines that she sees on social media.

People on social media tend to over-exfoliate or use "really quite strong active skincare ingredients" — like exfoliating acid serums and retinol all in one routine — which can damage the skin barrier.

Once it is damaged, it can become red, irritated, and more likely to get infected, she said, adding: "It can also make any underlying skin condition like eczema or acne worse."

According to Adel, skincare should be based on a person's skin type and tailored towards any "skin concerns," like fine lines or pigmentation, and then "it's trial and error" to find products that work.

"It's really important to try to understand your own skin and your own skin type," she said.

Use expensive products, thinking they're better than cheaper ones

Adel said that she never buys expensive products assuming that they will work better. "We know that's not necessarily true," she said.

Adel said that there are affordable skincare products that contain similar ingredients to more expensive ones. "A fraction of the cost of expensive products can come from marketing and packaging," she said.

Adel said that she uses a $12 dollar sunscreen from Altruist and CeraVe hydrating cleanser that costs less than $5 per 3.3 oz.

"I don't think there's any need to spend huge amounts of money on things like sunscreen or cleansers when a cheaper alternative is just as good," she said. Adel hasn't done any paid work for Altruist or CeraVe.

Pop pimples

Adel said that she doesn't pop pimples because it delays the healing process, causes pigmentation, and increases the risk of infection.

Adel said on Tiktok that popping pimples in the triangle of death — the area of your face including your upper lip, nose, and between your eyebrows — is particularly dangerous because infections can spread to the brain.

Instead, Adel said she treats her spots with salicyclic acid, which helps to unclog pores and reduce oil production, and benzoyl peroxide, which has antibacterial properties that help to treat acne and reduce acne flares, and a pimple patch.

To use the pimple patch she cleanses the skin and then places a clear patch on top for 12 hours.

Adel said that the pimple patch helps with the healing process.

"But it also is a really good way to create a barrier on the skin to stop you from picking the spot and bacteria from fingers going onto the pimple," she said.