Her vision is to create a chain of skin & hair clinics that provide standardized, effective and affordable care to the everyday Indian. She has been on the expert panel for her talks on Cosmetic Dermatology topics at various conferences and meetings nationally and internationally.
In January 2006, Dr Anand moved back to India from London to pursue her dream of opening a chain of world standard skin and laser clinic in India and started a specialist Cosmetic Dermatology clinic and Bangalore’s first MediSpa – Kosmoderma.
Dr. Chytra V Anand in an interview with Suman Prasad and Prateek Thakker, spoke in length about the idea behind starting Kosmoderma, why she chose India over London to start her own venture, how men are becoming more conscious about their looks and other important aspects of skin and hair care.
Excerpts from the interview.
The idea behind Kosmoderma
Kosmoderma is the leading skin, hair and body healthcare provider. The idea behind Kosmoderma is to offer safe, effective and affordable procedures with an unmatched experience while maintaining gold standard.
Why India over London to start Kosmoderma
I have certainly learnt a lot and gained experience by studying and working abroad. But I always wanted to move back home to make a difference in this industry. I moved back to India from London in Jan 2006, to pursue my dream of opening a chain of world standard skin and laser clinic in India and to start a specialist Cosmetic Dermatology clinic and Bangalore’s first MediSpa – Kosmoderma. We have come a long way. Today, Kosmoderma is a pioneer in introducing the latest technology in skin & hair treatments.
On whether or not men are concerned on how they look and feel
Aesthetics is no longer limited just to women. Men are becoming more metro-sexual these days and they are equally concerned about how they look & feel. I have seen quite an increase in the number of boys/men visiting our clinics over the years. And they come from all age groups. From college students for issues like acne to sports persons for tan and body odour to older men for hair fall & hair transplant. In fact, many of our male clientele come from corporate with stress related concerns like, hair fall, dark Circles, premature aging, pigmentation and acne. Long hours in front of the laptop, irregular meals, lack of proper sleep, closed & air conditioned environment and many more such factors could lead to these concerns.
We also offer treatments for grooms and we see a lot of them opting for laser hair reduction and maintenance program for skin & hair.
On why is it important to take care of skin irrespective of gender
A spotless, fresh and radiant skin grabs attention irrespective of gender. That means taking care of the skin is not just women’s concern but men too need to pay attention to how they treat their skin. In fact, men have added concerns like shaving hassels!
Taking care of the skin involves day to day maintenance, proper home care and professional guidance. A professional will evaluate your skin type, and discuss what issues you want to address. If you’re gifted with flawless skin, he/she will help you select skin care products to help keep it that way. But if there are issues with your skin that you would like to resolve, they can certainly help you.
So if you want to age gracefully, you need to take care of your skin now as its easier to ‘prevent’ the damage than to ‘reverse’ it.
Frequency of getting professional care for skin/hair
Issues like hairfall, sun damage, acne, wrinkles can be addressed easily in the beginning but many people seek professional help when the concern gets very serious. Only a skin doctor can analyse your skin & hair conditions beyond the superficial layers.
Especilly for the skin, an annual exam for everyone, to look for moles, growths, or rashes that could signal a potential problem is very important. Checking your skin yourself is crucial, too, but a trained professional may notice a trouble spot that you might overlook or consider unimportant. These days, skin clinics use facial analyser and 3D imaging of the skin to analyse and personalize the treatments. In most cases, catching a problem early means it will be easier to fix.
So it’s a good idea to consult your dermatologist at least once in six months to keep your skin & hair concerns at bay.
On whether or not home remedies are useful for hair/skin care
Absolutely. For minor concerns, we all must try home remedies. But there is a fine line between minor concerns that can be handled at home and a serious one that needs professional guidance. I suggest, it’s a good idea to visit your dermatologist to clear out any skin or hair related doubts before it’s too late.
Kosmoderma’s pet project for cleft palate and burn patients
Kosmoderma clinics has joined as a partner with ABMSS and offers cosmetic treatments such as state-of-the-art lip fillers and laser interventions free of cost for such patients. The reason why we are convinced such treatments are essential is that we believe that every person has a right to a dignified life. Kosmoderma is glad to help such patients with an improved look which helps them reintegrate into main stream society.
Advice for people on taking care of their skin and hair
The way you take care of yourself today will determine how you will look later in your life. There are a lot of misconceptions about taking care of the skin at young age. Many think they don’t need to address problems until they see them. This is the number one mistake. It’s never too soon to start maintaining your skin & hair. I believe that taking good care of the skin in the early years ensures much younger-looking skin in the years ahead. That includes proper home care regimen and regular maintenance under professional guidance.
Having said that, it’s never too late either. Do not ignore any health concerns. The latest technologies have enabled us to address any issue at any age!
Follow these tips and take care of yourself:
- Use soap free / Ph balanced face wash
- Always remove the dirt / make up before going to bed ( No matter how tired )
- Drink at least 1.5 – 2 liters of water / fluids per day
- Use Sunscreen, minimum SPF 25 even on cloudy days/ even when indoors
- Eat healthy portions of fruits and coloured vegetables
- Take Antioxidant supplements
- Drink Green tea
- Use a good moisturizer / hydrator to protect skin from AC / Heater
- Start Skin, Hair & Body care early and delay ageing
