60-Day Skin Literacy Check

1. Is acne a skin type?

Answer: No, it is a condition that can happen on any skin type. A skin type is how skin usually behaves (oily, dry, combination). Acne, melasma or redness are conditions that can come and go on any type.

2. Your face is shiny but also feels tight. What is likely going on?

Answer: There is oil, but also a lack of water. Oil and low water can exist together. Dropping harsh cleansers and adding a light moisturiser often eases both.

3. How much sunscreen do the face and neck need?

Answer: Two full finger lengths. The SPF on the label assumes a generous layer. Most people apply less than half of that, which cuts the protection a lot.

4. When you are outdoors, how often should you reapply sunscreen?

Answer: About every two hours, and after sweating or getting wet. Sweat, wiping and sunlight wear sunscreen off over time. On a hot Dhaka commute by rickshaw or bus, reapplying matters even more.

5. Where should you try a new product first?

Answer: A small spot under the jaw or behind the ear, for a few days. A small area over a few days keeps any reaction off the whole face. The skin around the eyes is the thinnest; do not test there.

6. What do glycerin and hyaluronic acid mainly do?

Answer: Draw in and hold water. These are humectants: they hold water. A cream or emollient on top keeps that water from leaving quickly.

7. On a night you use retinol, should you also use an AHA or BHA exfoliant?

Answer: Usually on separate nights, especially at the start. Both can dry or irritate. Together on one night they raise the risk of barrier damage. Retinol belongs at night because light breaks it down.

8. What do the first names on an ingredient list usually tell you?

Answer: They are present in the largest amounts. Lists run from most to least (ingredients under about 1% can appear in any order). Some ingredients work well at low amounts, so order is not effectiveness.

9. After a pimple heals, a flat brown mark stays. What is it usually?

Answer: A colour mark that fades with time and sunscreen. This is post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, very common on brown skin. With sun protection and no picking it fades over months.

10. Retinol or other retinoids during pregnancy?

Answer: Not without talking to a doctor. Oral retinoids are known to harm an unborn baby. Creams carry less risk, but the usual advice is to stop during pregnancy or when planning one and ask a doctor.

11. Which one needs a doctor without delay?

Answer: A rash or patch spreading fast, painful or swelling. Fast spreading, pain, swelling, fever or trouble breathing call for a doctor or hospital, not home care. The other two are ordinary and simple care is enough.