Awareness and Practices about Skin Care among Medical Students: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Introduction: Skin care is defined as practices that help in maintaining the structural and functional integrity of the skin. Routine skin care focuses on keeping it clean, balanced, protected and free from irritation. This can be achieved with a simple regimen including gentle cleansing, moisturising and protecting the skin from UV rays. Aim: To evaluate the awareness and practices regarding skin care among medical students. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study involving medical students studying at a medical college in Western India. A questionnaire consisting of close-ended questions regarding skin care awareness and practices was used as study tool. Data was analysed using the STATA14 software. Results: The study group comprised of 300 participants of which 201 (67%) were females and the rest 99 (33%) were males. The age of participants ranged from 17 to 23 years. Ninety-three (31%) felt that ideally face should be washed twice in a day, while 153 (51%) students were having the awareness regarding makeup removal before sleep. The ideal sunscreen SPF was not known by 211 (70.3%) students while 47 (15.7%) knew that it should be 30-50. Awareness regarding physical exercise, yoga and meditation improving the skin health was seen in 201 (67%) and 235 (78.3%), respectively. Awareness regarding adequate sleep and healthy diet necessary for healthy skin was reported by 261 (87%) and 250 (83.3%) students, respectively. Total 129 (43%) students used Over-The-Counter (OTC) products or face wash to wash their face, 167 (55.7%) used some or other cosmetic products, 226 (75.3%) students didn’t share their cosmetic products with others while 277 (92.3%) students didn’t use sunscreen routinely. Conclusion: Medical students need to be aware about skin care practices, so that they can educate the general public about its importance particularly in country like India where most of the general population is under the influence of advertisements in newspaper and television about routine skin care.

Knowledge and attitude of Lebanese women about cosmetics: a cross-sectional survey

“…Conversely to the results of Upadhay et al 26 , the majority of our participants demonstrated that they are fully aware of the first step in skincare, “cleansing the skin,” the best time to apply sunscreen, and the most common adverse effects of cosmetics.…”

“…Saudi women, in contrast, were aware of the negative effects of hair dyeing, but nevertheless, this has not deterred their high consumption patterns. 25 More than 60% of participants were unfamiliar with the side effects of nail polish; this percentage was higher, as previously reported by Lteif et al 20 Conversely to the results of Upadhay et al 26 , the majority of our participants demonstrated that they are fully aware of the first step in skincare, "cleansing the skin," the best time to apply sunscreen, and the most common adverse effects of cosmetics.…”

Gap between awareness and practices of cosmeceuticals among young adults of Panjab University

“…10 Among the national studies, the medical students in western India had only 51% knowledge with much utilization whereas the medical students of KIMS, Bangalore showed 97% knowledge with 96.5% utilization. 11,12 In contrast, the present study reported a high level of awareness and utilization of essential skincare products such as cleansers, moisturizers, shampoos, and sunscreens. This underscores the significance placed on basic skincare routines, indicating a growing understanding of the importance of skin protection and hydration.…”