In today’s #insta world, we expect things to happen fast. Research and development (R&D), active ingredients and skincare formulations have improved so much, with some even promising instant results. However, there are also products whose effectiveness depend on the skin’s renewal cycle of 28 days.
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So just how long does it take for skincare to work? We speak to two dermatologists, Dr KS Lim, consultant dermatologist and medical director at The Dermatology Practice, and Dr Teo Wan Lin, dermatologist at TWL Specialist Skin & Laser Centre, to find out.
Spoiler alert: always take “instant” claims with a pinch of salt.
Understanding your skin and how it responds to various products and ingredients is important. Dr Lim believes that some of the “instant” claims are just hype: “Some of these products use subjective measures where results are based on how you feel versus what’s been scientifically measured.”
Dr Lim also says it takes three to six months on average to see real progress. He adds: “Ultimately, it depends on the product. Some prescriptive items may take a few days. For cosmeceutical ones, it usually takes between six to 12 weeks.” Even with R&D advancements, take these “instant” claims with a pinch of salt.
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Dr Teo states: “Cosmetic claims are not regulated by Singapore’s Health Sciences Authority (HSA) or the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). There is no one global regulation to ensure that all cosmetic claims are scientifically backed.”
So just how long does skincare take to work? Here’s our instant results cheat sheet.
