Dr. Rinky Kapoor

15/09/2026

You may be fooling yourself into thinking it’s acne.

Because not every breakout that looks like acne actually is.

Those stubborn, similar-looking bumps that keep returning could sometimes be Malassezia folliculitis - commonly called fungal acne.

And if you keep treating it like regular acne, you may simply be treating the wrong problem again and again.

Same-looking bumps. Different cause. Different approach.

That’s why diagnosis comes before treatment.
Swipe through the clues before you reach the answer.

Would you have guessed it right?

09/09/2026

Same laser. Two completely different outcomes.

For some skin, it fades pigmentation beautifully. For others, it triggers the very thing it was meant to treat.

The difference often comes down to how skin of colour responds to heat and inflammation. Lasers work by targeting pigment, but that same thermal injury can kick off melanogenesis in skin prone to post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. A 2023 review even places lasers as generally second-line for PIH in skin of colour, simply because the response and complication risk vary so much.

A 2024 systematic review of 48 studies involving 1,356 people found real improvement across multiple approaches, but also documented cases of PIH getting worse after laser.

So the real equation isn't laser + pigment = clear skin. It can just as easily become laser + inflammation + melanogenesis = more pigment.

Wavelength, fluence, pulse duration, density, skin type and patient selection all matter. Not every pigment problem is the same pigment problem.

Before anyone says "let's just laser it", the better question is what exactly are we treating, and how will this skin respond?

Comment "LASER" if you want part 2: which lasers are actually used for different pigmentation problems.

02/09/2026

Can you hide yourself forever?

Your arms. Your legs. The clothes you love. The photographs you avoid. The places you stop going.

For someone living with psoriasis, hiding the skin can slowly become hiding from life itself.

I’ve met women who came to me wanting treatment for their skin but what they really wanted was to feel comfortable being themselves again.

Different conditions. Different circumstances. But often, the same emotion underneath.

The skin is what I treat.
The person is who I care for.

Because being understood is also part of healing.
— Dr. Rinky Kapoor

25/08/2026

There's a cream in most Indian bathrooms that works brilliantly for three days. Then it turns.

Nobody using these is being careless. They're inexpensive, available without a prescription, and for the first three days they work beautifully. That combination is precisely what makes them dangerous.

What I see in clinic is the part that comes afterwards. Someone arrives having used one for months, and by then the rash doesn't look like anything recognisable, the skin is thinned, and there's often pigmentation that will outlast the infection by a year.

If you have been using one on a rash nobody prescribed it for - don't stop abruptly and don't panic. Sudden withdrawal after long use causes a flare of its own. Book an appointment and stop it under supervision.

And to be very clear: if a dermatologist prescribed you a topical steroid, keep using it exactly as directed. Used properly these are excellent medicines. The problem was never the molecule. It's the missing prescription.

Send this to someone who keeps a “general purpose” cream at home.

22/08/2026

The 4th one is most important one.

Monsoon shedding is real and it is seasonal. Most of what I see between June and September settles on its own once humidity drops - usually within two to three months.

That's the part nobody says. People panic in July, buy four products, feel better by October, and conclude the fourth one worked. It didn't. The season ended.

What I'd actually do: photograph your parting in the same light once a fortnight. Far more reliable than counting hairs in the drain, which mostly just makes you anxious. Wash regularly rather than less. Dry your scalp properly instead of tying wet hair up.

And know where the line is. Seasonal shedding is diffuse, temporary, and doesn't expose scalp. Patches, a burning scalp, a parting that is genuinely widening, or shedding that carries on past the season - that's a blood test and a consultation, not a new shampoo.

What's your biggest monsoon hair question? Ask below.



[monsoon hair fall, hair fall vs breakage, oiling scalp monsoon, hard water hair loss, seasonal shedding]

19/08/2026

Your left and right cheeks are of different ages. In India it’s almost always the right one. In America it’s the left. And there’s a reason.

Most people find something when they check properly, a heavier fold on one side, one cheek a shade more pigmented. Almost nobody has noticed before, because we look at ourselves face-on every day and asymmetry only shows in profile.

The one I see most in Mumbai is the right-side driver's face. Second most common is the window-desk left cheek, in people who've had the same seat in the same office for years.

None of this is reversible with a serum, and I'd rather say that plainly. A decade of daily UVA is a treatment conversation, not a skincare one.

But it is entirely preventable from today. Sunscreen indoors if you sit beside glass. Sunscreen in the car. Re-apply on long drives, a windshield is not sunblock.

Go and look in daylight. Which side of your face is older? Tell me below.

07/11/2025

11/08/2025

Vitiligo is not just a change in skin colour. It can change how a person is seen and how they see themselves. The psychological and social burden can be far heavier than the medical one. Our latest research sheds light on these hidden struggles.

Watch the video to understand the true impact and how we can all make a difference.

19/07/2025

Is there a link between beauty treatments and health concerns?

Modern beauty treatments, such as anti-aging therapies and glutathione IV drips, now extend beyond skincare. With saline infusions, tablets, injections, and diagnostic tests becoming part of the process, these treatments are increasingly performed by qualified doctors.

As medical professionals enter the world of aesthetic care, and consumers are increasingly seeking these treatments, awareness is key. It is important to understand:

🔹 What precautions should you take before starting beauty treatments?
🔹 Why is glutathione commonly used in aesthetic therapy?
🔹 And what exactly is this IV drip therapy that’s gaining popularity in beauty care?

I’ve answered all these common questions and more, on the Mumbai Tak Podcast concisely to help you make informed decisions.

Dr Rinky Kapoor | Cosmetic Dermatologist

08/07/2025

Glowing skin doesn’t follow trends; it follows consistency. ✨
This World Skin Health Day, let’s stop copying and start understanding.

Your skin isn’t your favorite influencer’s.
It’s yours. Own it. Learn it. Treat it right.

Personalized care > Popular products
Right treatment > Too many treatments
Healthy skin > Fair skin