Skin care goes electric: What's driving greater interest in skin health gadgets?

"The Indian clientele is extremely taken by the idea of looking youthful, vibrant, and glowing without having to smear on any makeup. Advanced skin care tools and products have made this a reality," observes Sana Dhanani, a skin care enthusiast and founder of the White Door India, a Mumbai-based beauty and spa facility.

Innovations in the skin health sector have led to the production of skin care devices, ranging from easy-to-use everyday appliances to tools only used by professionals. While these devices had been mainly restricted to high-cost salons a few years ago, today people can easily purchase gadgets such as for microneedling and dermasuction and use them in the comfort of their home.

The tools are designed to provide a holistic care to the skin surface to provide long-term benefits and quick results. According to the Indian Skin Care Market Report 2021, the market for skin care products in the country is estimated to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 8.22 percent during 2021-2025. In 2020, face care products accounted for 57.22 per cent of the total revenue from skin care products.

Dhanani observes that for the longest time, well-traveled Indians would retreat to foreign destinations to get complex facials and beauty treatments because of the technology lag and lack of expertise in the country. This has changed in the past years, with people becoming more open to experiment with and agree to get these non-invasive beauty procedures done.

Here are some of the commonly available skin care devices:

Micro-needling tools

These include devices like the derma roller, which help boost collagen and improve the texture of the skin by creating microscopic punctures in the skin. This helps with skin rejuvenation and has quicker results along with long-term benefits. This is better done professionally, as there is a technique that skin care specialists use to attain visible results.

LED light therapy

LED therapy face masks are popularly used to help regenerate the skin from aging, fine lines, acne, wrinkles, and sun damage. While red light therapy helps reduce inflammation and boost collagen in the skin, blue light therapy focuses on eliminating acne-causing bacteria.

Microcurrent devices

Microcurrent devices work by sending microcurrents of electricity to stimulate the muscles, and produce an instant face-lifting effect. This is essentially a low current that helps sculpt and retrain the muscles. The effect differs with the intensity of penetration of the product. This product is available in professional and at-home models, both of which differ in terms of usability and frequencies, and may need a little bit of expertise to manoeuvre.

Deep cleansing facial devices

Deep cleaning face tools are used to deeply cleanse and exfoliate the skin, without being too harsh to offer a more hygienic cleansing experience for users. These tools eliminate bacteria transfer and prevent its spread to the face. They are easily available online and are fairly easy to use.

Blackhead dermasuction

Electric blackhead removers are used to remove debris and dead skin cells from the pores, without any harsh action such as bursting or pinching. These vacuum-based tools work by using mild-suction over the skin pores to extract the unwanted substances and exfoliate the skin in some cases.

Microdermabrasion tools

Microdermabrasion tools are used traditionally in a professional manner, the intent is to exfoliate the dead skin for a smoother, even-looking finish. This tool is not recommended for sensitive skin types. At-home microdermabrasion tools would not have the same effect as getting this service professionally done, as the frequency of the machine and technique would differ greatly.

Are the devices safe?

Trusting an electric do-it-yourself device with your face skin comes with its own risks and fears, however. More so for individuals experiencing prolonged skin concerns. Experts therefore stress on educating one about the products and also on testing the ability to use such tools with precision. Though individuals are particular about the products they use and are investing in tools, which are backed by the advice and recommendation of their medical expert, incorrect handling of the device, misunderstood pressure and speed can cause problems, which can have long-term impact on the skin.

Dhanani says beauty and skin care enthusiasts need to review the instructions and look through videos on how to use the product before trying on themselves. "Oftentimes, it is recommended that only a trained technician should administer a service using these tools to ensure that there is no serious damage done to the skin," she adds.

According to Dr. Manasi Shirolikar, Consultant dermatologist and Founder of Online Consulting Brand drmanasiskin.com, products such as dermarollers are made using needles that aren't big enough to penetrate deep enough into the skin to show any effects. So essentially, one is possibly damaging their skin for no reason at all. Moreover, with the ones with bigger needles, there are chances of bruising and further infection, due to improper usage, which is why opting for an in-clinic procedure becomes safer. Similarly, cleansing tools and blackhead removers, if not used correctly can cause unnecessary trauma to the skin, discoloration and breakage of blood vessels, thus aggravating acne and rosacea.

What's driving the demand in India?

The growing desire for a clear and even skin tone, if not 'glass-skin' type, has prompted many users to expand their areas of research, comfort of home-made remedies and look for new-age solutions. A gamut of research-based information on skin care and medical advice for dermatological concerns available online and in beauty publications has further catered to this interest. Moreover, the heavy penetration of online retailers, who package products such that it claims to offer desired results, have increased the number of takers for skin care appliances too.

Another major factor promoting the use of skin care devices is the influence of ‘Instagram influencers' in recent years. These influencers include lifestyle bloggers, beauty enthusiasts to skin care experts and professional dermatologists and surgeons. Social media users, especially younger adults, are increasingly consuming content produced by online experts and are able to adopt new practices or products as per their purchasing power. According to the report ‘Skin Care Devices Market', Indian millennials are actively taking up skin care regimes and do not hesitate to spend on beauty products. This is likely to impact regional growth in the market of skin care devices in India.

Dhanani says global trends and celebrities have also influenced the native market. This stands true for the boost in demand for Korean skin care products inspired by the K-Pop and K-dramas and the love for K-culture. "When global personalities are open to sharing their tips and tricks and their ability to look incredible on every red carpet, this creates a demand back home. We have noticed that the market for new beauty technology is at an all-time high and businesses are looking for the most effective tools that are able to give clients the results they desire," says Dhanani.

(Disclaimer: This article is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Mid-day Online does not in any way endorse the accuracy, completeness, efficacy or timeliness of any advice or line of treatment mentioned in this article. Readers must always seek the advice of a certified medical practitioner and/or a mental health professional before deciding on or starting any course of treatment.)