The post-pandemic global demand for quality skincare has only increased every year, including in Bangladesh. Dr Nur-us Sama Loba talks about how SKINN Centre, a family-owned dermatology-led aesthetic centre, blends decades of medical experience with the latest in aesthetic technology to give Bangladesh a unique offering.
Stepping off the elevator on the 11th floor, I am greeted by sleek furnishings in soothing, yet luxurious blush and gold tones, and wide windows offering generous views of the glittering skyline above the Gulshan-2 intersection. The effect is instantly calming, and I need all the calmness I can get as I am ushered into the consultation room where I’m about to have my face scanned by the Dermascope. After my age is input into the machine, I thrust my face into it for a short, pain-free scan that provides a detailed breakdown of my overall skin health. It is the most comprehensive view I’ve had of my skin health that didn’t require invasive lab tests. And this sort of innovation is precisely what makes SKINN Clinic an exciting new addition to the shifting health and wellness landscape in Dhaka.
After I’m treated to a visual presentation of the menu of treatments available at the Centre, I sit down with the Chairman and Chief Consultant, Dr Nur-us Sama Loba.
Was there an ‘aha’ moment that led to SKINN, or was it a gradual shift?
NSL: The decision to enter this space actually started with my father, Professor NM Huda, who as you may know, has been practising dermatology for over forty years and has pioneered many of the modern dermatological practices in Bangladesh. I followed his footsteps into the field and have been practising for seven years as well. In Bangladesh, you have clinics and medical institutions with dermatology departments that treat patients in a hospital environment, and you have parlours and spas which offer therapies and cosmetic solutions but don’t necessarily have the medical experts providing treatment. There is scope for malpractice in both situations. We had always talked about doing our own thing together, something that makes skin a priority, and gives our clients clinical support in the comfort of a wellness centre. So that’s where the idea has been marinating.
A big motivating factor for pushing for our own centre was seeing how the public has in recent years lost confidence in medical establishments. Hospitals may have their business interests that don’t prioritise expensive equipment for certain departments, or short consultation windows to manage high patient volume. When you have lower-quality machines, for example, that require multiple sessions for effective treatment, it discourages a lot of people from continuing treatment, leading to complications, which further lower their trust. That is why at SKINN, we prioritised the latest technology, all imported directly from Europe, from Fotona and Fractional CO2 lasers to the first ever Emfusion treatment in Bangladesh. Everything is FDA approved, and the treatments are performed by specialist doctors, which significantly reduces any risk factor.
You’ve mentioned seeing a lot of the damage caused by the information gap. Could you expand a little bit about this? What are patients getting wrong?
In recent years, I’ve noticed that the weight-loss industry has really had a negative impact on skin health. People are very influenced by social media trends and are quick to jump on this diet trend, or that slimming tea, or even injectables promising quick results. Your body is not meant to drop weight that fast, and when it does, the most visible casualty is the skin. This is the most common issue I’ve seen.
At SKINN we have excellent counsellors who take the patient’s history and advise the safest course of action, whether that’s our PRP, injectables or PICO laser treatments for concerns like cellulite, double chin, and stretch marks, and these are administered by experts who have the right training. And because we are using the latest medical-grade equipment, our clients get good results with fewer sessions. It is more cost-effective in the long run.
Another thing we have faced, again because of trends and social media, is that people experiment with a lot of trending skincare, regardless of whether it suits them. There’s a huge K-Beauty craze, and there’s always a new viral product out in the market. The products themselves aren’t always the issue – these are not one-size-fits-all solutions, and the wrong treatment can have a terrible result, not just on the skin, but overall organ health. This is why the screening is so important. All new clients get a free facial analysis with our Dermascope, which tells us exactly what the treatment plan should be, and we go from there. Whether it’s the Pico Star Laser, or Fotona, or PRP, chemical peels – we can figure out the suitable one for your particular skin concern and advise accordingly.
Have there been any positive changes at all, in the case of awareness and acceptance?
I think education has had a great, positive impact, especially on women. We’re seeing more patients – especially women – embracing their natural skin tones and hair colours. They’re less invested in trying to look younger and more in maintaining skin and hair health. The craze for skin whitening is going down, believe it or not, and more people are embracing greying hair, as long as it looks and feels healthy, and I do think this is a positive change. We’re also seeing more men come in with a real desire to invest in good skin. In fact, we have as many male customers as we do women.
That’s so fascinating. Could you tell us a little more about the demographics of your clients?
“As I mentioned before, we get equal numbers of male and female patients, although their concerns are different. Women tend to go for more hair-removal therapies like any of our Laser Hair Removal, while men go for more hair regrowth therapies such as our Exosome with PDRN with GFP and LED therapy. The bulk of our clientele is in the 25-25 age group, although we do have patients of all ages come in. After all, the Professor N M Huda name value is a big reason for patient trust. I will say this, though: in my observation, men in Bangladesh have fewer issues with their facial skin than women, probably because they don’t experiment as much with skincare products.
Could you walk us through what a first-time client can expect at SKINN?
We begin with a facial analysis with our Dermascope. A doctor will read the results and take the patient’s medical history before recommending a treatment plan customised for the patient. We discuss the number of sessions, and then proceed when all parties are in agreement.”
With gentle guidance from the experts, an eager and polite help desk to deal with queries and bookings, and a flexible payment plan, SKINN Centre has definitely taken the wellness factor into account when planning their programme.
SKINN Centre is located at Navana Trillium, A-11, Plot no. 32/A, Road 45, Gulshan 2.