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Maximum effort, minimal evidence: Experts weigh in on the high maintenance hacks to be low maintenance
Women are investing in 'high-maintenance' devices and routines to be 'low maintenance' in a broader sense. Is this smart or simply counterproductive?
Just like 'no-makeup' looks require patience that needs to run longer than a full-glam routine, carrying effortless skin, was probably never this effortful an endeavour. With deteriorating climate conditions and increasingly fast-paced, stress-stepped lives being a baseline reality for most, that pore-less, soft-glow look doesn't come easy.
Now skin clinics are well on their way to becoming an aspirational fixture on the higher range of bills when it comes to upkeep-forward self-love. But if social media is to be held as an intel-marker in this scenario, there's actually been a consistent stream of investments away from these medical parlours and towards their own bathroom shelves. LED masks are usually the first step on the staircase with dermaplaning kits swiftly becoming as commonplace. Procedures like micro-blading and self-laser kits may fall on the more complicated end of this spectrum - but you best believe the dexterous lot is already on it.
So is this trend of adopting ‘high-maintenance’ routines to be ‘low-maintenance’ in the broader sense actually smart - or counterproductive? We asked Dr. Blossom Kochhar, Chairperson Blossom Kochhar Group of Companies to weigh the pros and cons.
Why the fad?
One answer - COVID. Dr. Kochhar reflects, "Post-COVID, many people became comfortable managing beauty and wellness routines at home, and at-home treatments seemed more practical and cost-effective than frequent clinic or salon visits. At the same time, social media and influencers have amplified the idea of achieving ‘high-maintenance’ skin through home routines. In reality, most people now follow a hybrid approach, using home devices for regular upkeep while still relying on professionals for more complex skin concerns."
Worth the investment?
If DIY clinic-core skin was so simple to achieve, everybody'd be doing it. But a major fork factor influencing the decision are the price points of the tools needed to kickstart such routines. Dr. Kochhar says, "At-home devices like LED masks, dermaplaning kits, and microcurrent or IPL tools are designed to operate at lower intensities for safety, which means their results are gradual and mainly useful for maintenance rather than correction." Convenience and control are definitely attractive factors when it comes to investing in these tools, but deeper concerns are best left to the professionals. "For example, a microcurrent, in the salons used with more intensity to achieve the desired result," she adds.
Where to draw the line?
It's ok to cosplay a clinic tech for your own - as long as your routine is surface-level skin deep. Dr. Kochhar articulates, "Self-care is safe when it remains non-invasive and focused on maintenance cleansing, moisturizing, sun protection, and mild exfoliation or over-the-counter treatments. The line is crossed when procedures break the skin or involve injectables, strong lasers, or deep peels that require medical judgment and sterile conditions. We’re also seeing issues from overuse of active ingredients like glycolic acid, which can damage the skin barrier and lead to irritation or hyperpigmentation. Even procedures like dermaplaning must be done with proper technique, as doing it on acne-prone skin can break the acne and in turn spread infection." Simply put, the second you start considering yourself capable of spearheading corrective or invasive treatments on yourself, pull back - and always consult a professional.
Long-term impact on skin
Skin clinics are seeing a greater influx of patrons who are already dabbling with these at-home, high-end treatments on their own time. So is their skin, as a rule-of-thumb, better-maintained, or grappling with added layers of sensitivity and damage? Dr. Kochhar gauges, “We’re seeing both outcomes. Some clients arrive with better-maintained skin because they use devices like LED tools correctly between treatments. At the same time, there’s a rise in sensitivity, barrier damage, and even burns or infections due to overuse or improper handling of at-home devices. The technology itself isn’t the problem, it's the lack of professional guidance.”
She also clears that the tools aren't really the problem in this dynamic - instead, it's about not knowing when to introduce professional guidance; because self-induced damage on the skin due to these practices also directly means that even professional help will take longer to show results.
Final takeaway: Should you do it?
Stick to Dr. Kochhar's advice: "Home care is ideal for maintenance, while corrective or invasive procedures are safest in professional hands." More clearly, she says LED therapy devices, facial rollers, Gua Sha tools, microcurrent devices for gentle muscle toning, along with good sunscreen and skincare products are always worth the investment as they help maintain your skin between procedures and treatments. However, anything that involves "breaking skin" - think lasers, IPL, deeper micro needling, chemical peels, or injectables - should necessarily be left to the experts. She adds, "Treatments like micro needling create tiny punctures in the skin, and without proper technique and post-treatment care, they can actually worsen flare-ups or lead to infections."
So are you team DIY or team skin clinics?
