Skin Condition vs Skin Concern

Many terms in the beauty industry are used interchangeably that perhaps they shouldn't be. Take skin conditions vs skin concerns, for example. Despite sounding incredibly similar, they have different meanings and very different treatment pathways. If you want to have visible results and help resolve the skin issue you’re experiencing, you first need to get to the bottom of what you’re dealing with before deciding upon the solutions to take.

Here’s exactly what each term means and why it’s important to understand the differences to find the best treatment.

What is a skin concern?

A skin concern is a general issue you have with your skin, be it dryness or blemishes. It’s generally temporary or short-term rather than a chronic skin issue. Most people can easily identify what skin concern they have (if any), and because these concerns can change, people switch up their skincare to accommodate. For example, you might get more blemishes during a menstrual cycle or notice you get dry skin as the weather drops. These concerns either resolve themselves or with the help of a few over-the-counter products. There’s often no need to visit a doctor or a dermatologist.

Skin concerns can include:

Dry skin: There are many reasons we get dry skin. These can include weather changes, overwashing, over-exfoliating, central heating, and some medication. We also tend to experience more dryness during perimenopause and menopause. However, dry skin usually isn’t something to worry about. It can be solved by adding more hydration into your routine through medical-grade products. If your dry skin becomes severe, that’s when you might consider visiting a doctor or dermatologist (more on that later).

Neostrata Restore Ultra Moisturising Face Cream

MediK8 Hydr8 B5 Intense

Alumier MD Calm R

Fine lines and wrinkles: Fine lines and wrinkles are a common concern for many. Though, we’d argue ageing is a privilege, so try not to worry about what nature’s given you. This is a concern rather than a condition as it's nothing that needs fixing — it’s simply your body ageing, and you don’t need to visit a GP or dermatologist. The experts at Skin Pharmacy are here to answer any questions you have with a range of over-the-counter, medical-grade skincare options to help minimise fine lines. Through Skin Pharmacy, you can get retinoids from brands including ZO and Obagi.

Medik8 Crystal Retinal 20 Serum

Alumier MD Alumience A.G.E.

ZO Skin Health Retinol Skin Brightener 1%

Blemishes: Blemishes are where things can get tricky. There’s a difference between having a few spots every once in a while and persistent pimples. The latter is more likely to be acne, which can be classed as a skin condition that’s typically chronic. But, that’s not to say you can’t have pimples that are simply a concern that can be solved with over-the-counter treatments.

Medik8 Blemish SOS

ZO Skin Health Complexion Clarifying Serum

Obagi Retinol 1.0

Alumier MD Clarifying Collection

Book a free consultation with our experts to get your hands on these hardworking products.

What is a skin condition?

Skin conditions can also be impacted by skin concerns, which is where things can get a little confusing. However, a skin condition is a medical treatment that requires diagnosis. It’s crucial that you visit a skin professional — a GP or dermatologist — to get to the root cause (if possible) of the condition and to be prescribed any medications or topical treatments you may need. Normally, if skin conditions are left untreated, they could worsen.

Skin conditions can include:

Eczema: In its early stages, people often mistake eczema (atopic dermatitis) as dry skin. Eczema is more than just dry skin; it’s a condition that weakens your skin’s barrier function, causing extreme dryness, itching, and even blisters and open sores. It requires an expert’s help to guide you on a holistic treatment plan alongside product recommendations.

Acne: Acne is a broad term that can present in a variety of ways with lots of treatment options. That’s why it’s imperative to seek expert advice when it comes to acne. Having blemishes every so often doesn’t mean you have acne, so the odd pimple doesn’t mean you need acne treatment, but if the blemishes are persistent and don’t get resolved with over-the-counter treatments, then you should seek further advice.

Rosacea: Rosacea is an inflammatory skin condition that features redness, dryness, and sensitivity. It’s another condition that’s often seen as a concern until symptoms worsen. If rosacea is on the moderate to severe end, it’ll require prescription creams alongside over-the-counter products to get it under control.

Melasma: This one can be a little confusing, too, because melasma is a type of hyperpigmentation. It typically falls under condition versus concern because it’s difficult to treat and often requires dermatologist and in-clinic procedures to resolve.

Once your condition is under control, you can also use over-the-counter products to reduce a flare and keep it feeling comfortable and looking healthy.

What are the differences between skin concerns and conditions?

A skin concern tends to be easier to treat than a skin condition. A condition is something that requires a diagnosis and an expert-led treatment plan.

Skin conditions don’t change too much, whereas concerns can change from week to week. Having said that, conditions are likely to worsen if they aren’t treated, but concerns normally resolve themselves or can come and go.

It can get complicated when you try to add skin types into the mix, but they tend to fall under concern with the exception of acne. Not everyone with blemishes has acne and requires specialist treatment.

The takeaway is that conditions and concerns aren’t the same and shouldn’t be treated as such. There are lots of brilliant products out there that tackle skin concerns quickly and effectively, but if you think you’re suffering from a skin condition, it’s important to first get a diagnosis from a medical professional before diving into treatments.

If you are concerned about either a condition or a concern you can speak to an expert.

Skin Conditions Include Skin Types Include
Inflammation Sensitive
Acne Blemish-prone
Hyperpigmentation Uneven Skin Tone
Rosacea Discolouration/dark spots
Eczema Redness-prone
Psoriasis Combination Skin
Dry Skin
Oily Skin
Updated: Published:

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