Library
Articles on skin and hair health
The questions we hear most often in clinic, gathered into four series: how something works, whether a common belief is true, the basics of care, and what to watch for by season. All articles are prepared by Dr. Oya Oylum Argun, specialist dermatologist.
How does it work?
How do sun spots form?
A sun spot does not appear in a day. It is the result of a build-up that spreads across the whole year and carries on through every season, and summer is the most intense period of that build-up.
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What is the skin barrier and how does it get damaged?
When the mortar wears away, the wall loosens. Water is lost faster, and outside irritants get in more easily.
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What does a chemical peel do to the skin?
A chemical peel does not “strip” the skin; it increases the speed of renewal in a controlled way. The type, strength and contact time of the acid determine the result.
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What phases does a single hair go through?
Hair does not grow all the time. Each hair goes through a cycle with three phases, and this cycle explains why hair loss seems to show up late.
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How does a dermatoscope show a mole?
To the naked eye, a mole shows only its surface. A dermatoscope gets past this limit. The procedure is painless and takes a few minutes.
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What causes spots?
A spot forms when the oil gland at the base of a hair becomes blocked and inflamed. Hormones stimulate the oil glands more than anything else.
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What makes eczema worse?
Eczema is a skin condition in which the skin barrier is weak, and it is itchy and dry. It is not contagious.
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What causes dark spots on the face?
Dark spots on the face are most often caused by the sun. Most facial spots are harmless.
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What causes white spots on the face?
White spots on the face are most often due to a harmless cause. No product should be tried until the cause is known.
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What causes brown spots on a child’s face?
Most of the small brown spots on children’s faces are freckles. Spot-lightening creams are not used in children.
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Is psoriasis contagious?
Psoriasis is not contagious. A dermatologist looks after psoriasis.
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True or false?
“You do not need sunscreen when it is cloudy.”
Clouds do not block all ultraviolet rays. UVA rays in particular pass through a large part of the cloud cover and through many types of glass.
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“My skin is oily, so I do not need a moisturiser.”
A skin can be oily and short of water at the same time. For oily skin, the question is not “should I moisturise” but “what texture should I moisturise with”.
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“Peels make the skin thinner.”
The part that gets thinner is the layer of dead cells on the surface, not the living tissue of the skin. The real risk is not in the treatment itself but in how often it is done and in choosing the wrong depth.
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“Losing 100 hairs a day is normal.”
Daily shedding within a certain range is considered normal. So the real question is not “how many hairs” but “for how long and where”.
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“If you touch a mole, it wakes up.”
This is one of the beliefs that most often delays an examination. The real risk is the opposite: a mole that is changing being left unmonitored.
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“Apple cider vinegar gets rid of warts.”
A wart is a harmless growth caused by a virus that settles in the top layer of the skin. Apple cider vinegar does not get rid of this virus.
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“Wrinkles get worse when you stop Botox.”
When Botox is stopped, the face returns to how it was before the treatment. Wrinkles do not become deeper than they were before the treatment.
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Skin care basics
Where do you start with skin treatments after summer?
After summer, skin carries three things at once: more pigment, a weakened barrier and water loss. The order matters.
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Types of moisturiser: what does each one do?
A moisturiser is not one single thing. It has three different jobs, and most products combine them. If dryness does not go away, the missing part is often the third layer.
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Using a peel product at home: five rules
Do not try more than one new ingredient at once; if a reaction appears, the cause cannot be found. Which peel product suits your skin is decided at an examination.
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When should you see a doctor about hair loss?
Seasonal hair loss usually limits itself. The priority in assessment is finding the cause. Hair loss that looks the same can have different causes, and the approach changes accordingly.
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Do acne marks go away, and does squeezing a spot leave a scar?
The marks left after a spot are of two kinds, and the answer depends on the kind. Squeezing a spot raises the risk of scarring.
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Which skincare products should you avoid in pregnancy?
Some skin products and procedures are not used in pregnancy or are put off until after the birth. Creams containing retinol and retinoids are not used in pregnancy.
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I have small white bumps on my face. What can I do?
Most of the bumps people commonly call oil spots are harmless. Squeezing these bumps or trying to open them with a needle can cause marks, inflammation and infection.
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Do shampoos or oils help with hair loss?
Shampoos and hair oils do not stop hair loss on their own. Hair loss has a cause, and changing products without finding that cause wastes time.
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How do you choose a sunscreen for skin with dark spots?
For skin with dark spots, a sunscreen must protect against both UVA and UVB rays. For the face and neck, you need about two fingers’ length of product.
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I have an allergic reaction on my face. What should I do?
When sudden redness, itching or swelling starts on the face, the first step is to stop using any new product.
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Do you know your skin before you go to a beauty salon?
Skin type decides whether a product used in skin care will suit your skin. Skin type and the current state of the skin are worked out with a skin analysis.
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Skin calendar
September: the month the summer bill arrives
Summer lasts a long time in Antalya, so skin settles its account late. This month is less about adding something new and more about repairing what summer left behind.
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Why is autumn the season for skin renewal?
Most skin-renewing treatments are planned for a particular time of year. There is a medical reason for this. That is why autumn is the most suitable time of year for planning.
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Seasonal hair loss peaks in September and October
Extra hair on the comb and in the shower in autumn is, most of the time, a sign of a seasonal cycle and not of a new problem. But if the shedding goes on for months, the hairline is receding or there is thinning in particular areas, the cause may not be seasonal.
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Summer is over: time to check your moles
What you look for is less how one mole looks than change and difference. A home check does not make a diagnosis; it tells you when to see a doctor.
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Patient guide
What does itching mean, and when should you see a doctor?
The most common cause of itching is dry skin. The first department to go to for itching is dermatology.
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Who is allowed to carry out a medical procedure in Türkiye?
The condition for treating patients in Türkiye is set out in a single sentence. The law does not look at the name of the procedure, how long it lasts, or who it is done on.
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How do you check the licence of the place you are going to?
When you visit a healthcare facility for the first time, you can ask to see three things. All three are your right, and there is nothing wrong with asking.
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Your rights when you are treated in Türkiye
Being a foreign patient does not change your patient rights. These are written rules. Knowing them makes it easier to ask.
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What does a dermatologist treat, and when should you see one?
A dermatologist looks after diseases of the skin, hair and nails. Cildiye and dermatology are the same department.
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Do you have to fast before a dermatology appointment, and what should you bring?
You do not need to fast for a dermatology consultation. Fasting is asked for only before some blood tests, and the doctor tells you separately.
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Which doctor should you see for broken veins on the face?
For broken veins on the face, you see a dermatologist. A cream or apple cider vinegar does not close a vein that has become visible.
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How many years does a dermatologist train for? Is a dermatologist a doctor?
A dermatologist is a doctor who has completed specialist training in skin diseases after finishing medical school. The total time is at least ten years.
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These articles are for general information and do not replace an individual medical assessment. The approach that suits you is decided at the consultation.
Last updated: 19 September 2026