Skincare with Friends Ep 64- Interview with Dermatica’s Dermatologist Dr Baldeep- Prescription Skincare and What it Can Do for You

I am absolutely delighted to announce Skincare with Friends has paired up with one of Dermatica’s team of doctors to chat prescription skincare. Dr Syan Baldeep is a GP with a special interest in Dermatology and a real passion for skincare, making her the ideal person to chat too. I quizzed her about slotting prescription skincare into a routine, what we should be avoiding when we’re on tretinoin and what skincare she loves. I also found out a bit more about Dermatica’s rosacea treatment ingredients. It was such a treat.

This article is a bit of a summary for you in case you missed any important details or want to refer back to her advice.

We have an awesome discount code for our listeners to get money off their Dermatica treatment.  

Dermatica are offering the first month free for all new customers but we’ve also got a special code to share with you which gives 10% off your second month! Head over to Dermatica.co.uk and use my code NIAP1 or 

Disclaimer- For transparency, this is not a sponsored podcast but Dermatica kindly provides my prescriptions for free (I do pay for my Azelaic 20% Cream which I can’t be without). Please support the work we are doing by liking and subscribing to our podcast (that old chestnut, but if we don’t get feedback, how will we know if we’re doing a good job?). You can also follow us on our socials- @niapattenlooks, @natswf, @skincarewithfriends. The links in this post may be affiliate, if you click and buy something we will get a small percentage that goes back into making our podcast.

Dr Syan Baldeep

Dr Baldeep is a GP with a special interest in Dermatology and a passion for skincare, she knows how to work a routine around the prescription ingredients for best results.

Find her at her site drbaldeepskincare.com or her Instagram @dr_baldeep

My Skincare Journey

Nia- I hope you don’t mind if I share a bit of background on my own skincare journey? I’ve had acne since I was teenager  (I’m 41 now) and I’ve only got my condition under control in the last few years. I attribute that control to Dermatica, I know this is going to sound like a giant ad for your service but it’s absolutely true. When I first heard about Dermatica I was really interested. At the time I was getting nowhere with my acne treatment, after so many failed treatments from my GP I had pretty much given up. I didn’t like bothering my GP for something that I thought he would consider trivial, so I felt that I was out of options. Private dermatologists are expensive and not necessarily accessible depending where you are. Dermatica bridges that gap between stretched NHS services and expensive private Dermatologists, making prescription skincare something that an ordinary person can use. It really is a life changing service. At the moment, I’m on Tretinoin 0.05%, Hydroquinone 4% once daily and Azelaic 20% twice a day and that sorts my acne, aging and hyperpigmentation and that’s where I’m at.

What is Dermatica?

Dermatica is a compounding pharmacy with a team of dermatologists who assess patient’s individual needs and prescribe bespoke formulas to treat your individual skin requirements. To begin your Dermatica journey, you fill in an online form and submit photos which are assessed by their team of doctors. They come up with a prescription for you and it gets sent in the post.

The service costs £19.99 a month plus postage (the first month is free and you can get 10% off your first month with our code SKINCAREWITHFRIENDS10). Prescriptions come fresh every month in 15ml airless tubes. The packaging is recyclable. Your journey is monitored and your prescription and needs are regularly reviewed. If you have any worries or issues, Dermatica is there for you throughout. Also you can cancel at time. Here’s my full review.

Dermatica’s New Rosacea Treatment

Dermatica have recently added some new ingredients to their line up-

• Ivermectin-A powerful anti-inflammatory and anti parasitic which helps deal with the Demodex mites which are implicated in Rosacea
• Metronidazole– An antibiotic which reduces inflammation, it helps with the redness, lumps and papules you might get when when you’re suffering with Rosacea
• Also combined with Niacinamide, which is anti bacterial and helps to repair the barrier.

This is the first online, prescription strength, evidence based Rosacea treatment available in the uk, so it’s really exciting news. The dermatologists can tailor your Rosacea treatment to your skin, if you have other skin issues like acne they will take this into account. This is going to make rosacea treatments a lot more accessible for sufferers, which is a real lifeline while NHS services have been so stretched by Covid.

How to Deal with Tretinoin Peeling

• Low and slow– Dr Baldeep’s advice on reducing Tretinoin- “Start low and slow”, Dermatica’s personalised approach to compounding means that they can gradually increase the percentage of your prescription, from really small percentages like 0.025% to 0.1%. Also working up with the frequency from 2-3 times a week up to every day. This slow gradual approach help make the Tretinoin journey nice and smooth.
• Buffering– My approach that has worked for me after trying and failing several times, then eventually succeeding to use Tretinoin every day is to moisturise after cleansing then leave a big time gap between this and applying the Tretinion when the moisturiser is really absorbed and the skin is calm. This approach is called buffering. I like a lighter moisturiser with plenty of nourishing ingredients like vitamins and ceramides
• Keep cleansing gentle and minimal– Cleanse as little as possible ideally, so only double cleanse when strictly necessary and use a gentle cleanser that doesn’t leave your face feeling tight. Avoid devices, scrubs and abrasive cloths (maybe just a really soft flannel)
• Use a gentle formula– The base that your tretinoin comes in is really important, a moisturising cream base with ceramides and vitamins will help reduce the irritation, peeling and purging. Dermatica’s compounded prescription formulas always come with their smart base technology
• Keep it simple– Keep your routine simple around your prescription skincare and let it do the work.

Good moisturisers for buffering– Dermatica Ultralight Moisturiser (with Ceramides, vitamin E, Hyaluronic Acid and Niacinamide), Cerave Moisturising Lotion, Rovectin Clean Lotus Lotion

Good Cleansers– Dermatica Purifying Cleanser (gentle foaming gel with glycerin and panthenol), Cerave Hydrating Cleanser, Hylamide High Efficiency Cleanser, also check out my big cleanser guide.

Can I Use Acids like Glycolic and Vitamin C at the same time as Tretinoin?

Is there anything we shouldn’t be using alongside tretinoin? Some studies report Glycolic Acid and Vitamin C increasing the effects of Tretinoin, I would personally be a bit nervous to use these three at the same time, due to the likelihood of irritation this would cause. Dr Baldeep has these thoughts-

• When you’re starting out– Don’t use exfoliating acids like Glycolic if you’re just starting with Tretinoin, if you use them normally, take a long break. I think a year on Tretinoin is a good amount of time before thinking about adding in strong actives, especially as you will be increasing the percentage. You may do more harm than good, your skin will be turning over very quickly making the top layer very thin, adding an exfoliant which removes skin cells could cause irritation and barrier damage (aka redness and spots- not nice).
• Glycolic acid– When you feel that you want to reintroduce, keep the percentage low and use Glycolic in the morning with the Tretinoin in the evening. Keep a close eye on your skin and draw back if you get any issues. You may find that the Tretinoin gives you everything you need in terms of textural improvements and reducing pigmentation.
• Vitamin C-It’s not necessary to use a vitamin C and it’s quite an irritating ingredient. You can switch to a vitamin C derivative like Ascorbyl Isotetrapalmitate from The Ordinary. If you want to try using a pure vitamin C, use it in the morning and watch for irritation. Dr Baldeep loves C-Firma by Drunk Elephant.
• Azelaic Acid– I personally find that I can use Azelaic Acid twice a day alongside the Tretinoin with no problem. You may be different. If you want to try, introduce once a day and watch your skin closely for irritation

What is Azelaic Acid Good For?

Azelaic Acid is a fantastic ingredient, it has so many great effects-

• Post inflammatory inflammation
• Pigmentation and melasma
• Acne
• Texture

It is also a very easy going ingredient with low irritation and good resistance to oxidation.

What is the Best SPF to use alongside Prescription Skincare?

Dr Baldeep recommends using whichever sunscreen you like using- essentially, the most important feature of an SPF alongside the protection it gives you is it’s wearability. If you are able to wear a sunscreen comfortably, then keep using it. As long as it is high factor and broad spectrum, it doesn’t matter whether it’s mineral or chemical. If you find that mineral formulas give that white cast, chemical filters are fine to use. If you find chemical filters irritating, try a mineral product with Zinc and Titanium Oxide.

Product suggestions- Altruist Face Fluid SPF50, Heliocare 360 Oil Free Gel SPF50 , Beauty Pie SPF 50

Is Hydroquinone Safe?

Yes! Under the supervision of a dermatologist it is. We’ve already covered this in the past, see our previous Hydroquinone post. It is the best ingredient for treating melasma and hyperpigmentation, and used it combination with Tretinoin it really improves the appearance of pigmentation like nothing else. Taking breaks from Hydroquinone every six months under the supervision of a doctor ensures the best results with maximum safety.

Hopefully Dr Baldeep will come back to chat to Skincare with Friends podcast again, she was a legend!