Heavy night care: Helping or hurting?

Understanding whether rich night skincare helps repair skin or actually disrupts natural recovery processes instead

- Dr Bindu Sthalekar

Among the most widespread suppositions a patient makes when entering a consultation room are the following: as long as my night cream is thick and rich, it is helping to repair my skin even better.

This assumption has only become stronger in a world where the extravagant nighttime routines tend to be equated with commitment. As a Medical Director of Skin Smart Solutions, I have encountered many patients who come with this mindset.

Why nights?

It is true that the skin goes into the recovery mode at night-time. Its main role during the day is defense — defense against ultraviolet radiation, pollution and environmental stressful factors. The concentration at night becomes inward. There is an increase in cell turnover, micro-damage is initiated to be repaired, and collagen synthesis is enhanced. This is the reason why nighttime skincare is meant to nurture and revive. However, it should be known that the heavier formulation does not always speed up this process. Barrier integrity, hydration balance, and ingest compatibility are the three primary factors of skin repair. The product thickness on the surface does not dictate the performance. Actually, too much or too thick formulations may occasionally impede the processes that they are intended to reinforce.