Q&A with EZSkin Dermatology’s Eloisa Ayres

How long have you been practicing and how did you get started as a dermatologist?

Eloisa: I fell in love with dermatology while I was in college and started attending courses and congresses in dermatology before I even started my specialization in the field. I started my practice as a dermatologist 24 years ago in my city, Niterói, in Rio de Janeiro, where I was born and raised, and currently live.

Do you have a specialty or particular skincare focus? If so, why is that field so interesting to you?

Eloisa: When I started practicing, I realized that some areas of the field attracted me more than others. I grew especially interested cosmetology and in treating aesthetic disorders/pathologies like acne, rosacea, and melasma. When I started performing minimally invasive procedures, I realized that cosmeceuticals could be useful in those treatments.

What emerging skincare trends do you think are most exciting and useful?

Eloisa: Among the new products, I have been using antioxidants, hyaluronic acid, peptides, and growth factors. I recently learned more about Squalane, which is definitely a trending product in the industry.

Are you currently using Squalane as a solution for skin care? If so, how?

Eloisa: I started using Squalane last year when I was looking for more natural solutions for my patients. Today, I often prescribe Squalane for specific pathologies and recommend it for routine skincare.

What would you like your clients to know about Squalane?

Eloisa: I think my patients need to know more about the benefits of Squalane and how we can either combine it with other dermatological treatments or use it routinely for clean and natural beauty.

What new applications using Squalane do you think would be the most innovative?

Eloisa: There are many benefits of Squalane and we have a lot to learn about its potential applications. It could prove useful for helping my patients with a variety of challenges, be it scalp/hair complaints, sensitive skin, pathologies such as atopic dermatitis, and other inflammatory diseases.

What are some of the most common misconceptions patients typically have about skincare that we can learn from?

Eloisa: Here are some skincare misconceptions that I commonly hear in my practice:

• “Oily skin does not need moisturizing.”
• “Products with oils cannot be used on oily skin.”
• “Patients with sensitive skin cannot use any products on their skin.”
• “Patients with disorders such as acne and/or rosacea can not use anti-aging products at the same time (as their other products/treatments).”

There is also, in general, some confusion about how we can combine products that have synergistic benefits on the skin.

How do you think your industry could effectively promote Clean Beauty?

Eloisa: Clean Beauty is a new concept that we are all learning more about and incorporating into our practices. My patients need to learn more specifically what Clean Beauty is and how to implement it into their skincare treatments and routines.

At a high level, it is necessary to limit the number of toxic substances that are applied to the skin. We also need to help patients understand beauty in a holistic way; it comes from within as well as with interaction with the outside world. We all must, therefore, take care of our body and the environment.