Dr. Noor AlTajalli on Skincare and Haircare

Mar 29, 2023

Writer: Rasha AlSabah, Photography: Patrick Sawaya, Fashion: Bloomingdales Kuwait, Jewelry: Raaya Jewelry

As one of the most well-known doctors in her field, Dr. Noor AlTajalli has clearly made a name for herself. She is a dermatologist and hair disorder specialist at The Roof Clinic.

Last year, Dr. Noor launched an exhibition, called “Nawer with Noor.” An exhibition that first launched in 2018, it offers the best skincare products in the market with the best prices. During the exhibition, doctors gave seminars and answered frequently asked questions.

3oud.com interviews Dr. Noor as she talks about her favorite skincare trends and her proudest moment so far.

Fashion: Bloomingdales, Jewelry: Raaya Jewelry

Why did you choose dermatology as a career?

I decided to become a dermatologist because of my passion for skin and skin care since I was a child. I remember the first time I did a skin care session was for my brother, when I was about nine years old. I also loved to go to the pharmacy to read, study and search for the ingredients of skin care products. I was really fascinated by the idea of skin care, and after studying medicine, I decided to specialize in dermatology to fulfill my dream and passion for skin.

Tell us about your daily routine.

First, I drop off my son at his school in the morning, then I drink my coffee in a quiet place, then I go to the gym to work out, after that I go to my clinic and work for about 8 hours, then I go back home and spend some time with my children, and in my free time I hang out with my friends.

Fashion: Bloomingdales, Jewelry: Raaya Jewelry

Why did you decide to open your own practice?

I decided to open my own practice because I like to have my own business and be responsible for myself. I also like to have the freedom to choose the treatments for my patients. I chose everything in the practice myself including the equipment, materials, furniture, decoration, receptionists and staff. I am keen to provide the best for my patients because I always aim at keeping my work perfect and neat.

The purpose of the practice was to achieve my ambition to do everything perfectly and at the highest levels. In addition to that, the practice is a place that carries my name, so I am trying as much as possible to add my own unique signature to it, and to provide the best possible service, and I hope to be able to expand and become more famous in my domain.

What skincare trends do you expect to see in the upcoming year or two?

We cannot call them trends because we actually provide medical services. But we can tell that medicine is generally developing rapidly and aesthetics in particular. The focus today is on natural beauty, which means that we do not want to change the person like it was done previously by changing the face, the lips, or the nose, but the goal today is to appreciate and improve natural beauty, and to reduce the signs of aging as much as possible.

Regarding what is new or trending in the world of aesthetic procedures, it is the trend towards needles, so called Bio- Stimulators. it contains ingredients which do not give immediate results when injected into the skin, but they refine the skin and give it freshness, firmness, and a unified color in the long run. The more injections you give to the skin, the better it will become, and this is the current trend. In addition to the use of devices such as lasers and radio frequency machines. There is also a new trend of using compound therapy, which means, not relying on one specific type alone, such as Botox or fillers, or even devices, but rather on a treatment plan that includes all of the above to achieve the best results and maintain a youthful and healthy glowing skin.

Fashion: Bloomingdales, Jewelry: Raaya Jewelry

What are the different types of sunscreens, and what is the difference between them?

Sunscreen is one of the most important skin care products that must be included in the daily skin care routine for protection. Its aim is not only to protect against pigmentation, but also to protect against skin cancers, and to reduce skin diseases such as acne, eczema and psoriasis. Sun exposure is the main cause of 90 percent of early skin aging. Even dark skin needs protection with sunscreen, unlike what is said.

Regarding the types, there are two, the best one is simply avoiding being exposed to the sun, by wearing a hat, carrying an umbrella or by staying in the shade.

As for the second type, it also has two subtypes, chemical and physical: the chemical one contains materials that are absorbed by the skin, interacting inside it and giving it the necessary protection. We do not prefer to use such a type because it may lead to skin problems such as pimples or allergies. It is preferable to use the physical one, which contains physical materials such as titanium oxide or iron oxide. These materials have the ability to build a barrier on the surface of the skin that reflects the sun's rays so that they are not absorbed by the skin, which is the best and most suitable type for everyone.

6. Rosemary oil went viral all-over social media channels in the past couple of years, with people claiming it makes hair longer, do you recommend it or is there a better alternative?

Rosemary oil is one of the oils that benefit hair, and many scientific studies have recently begun to show that it can help in cases of hereditary hair loss, and some small studies that lead to impressive results proved that it has an effectiveness close to the effectiveness of a drug called minoxidine, which It is usually used to treat these conditions.

It is an awesome trend, and it was adopted by many international brands as a basic component of their skin or hair care products. I think it's a great oil. It is also possible to use the plant itself as a tonic by preparing it at home, where you can use the solution for one week only, and then you need to get rid of it because it does not contain preservatives.

I think it's great and we can add it to our daily hair care routine as it can really help growing hair longer.

Fashion: Bloomingdales, Jewelry: Raaya Jewelry

There are many home remedies that can treat skin and hair problems, which one do you recommend the most?

Yes, I do support home remedies, but if there are medical conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, severe acne, or rosacea, I do not advise doing treatments or taking medications without referring to a specialist doctor and seeking medical advice.

And yes, there are many doctors, but not all of them are dermatologists. We -dermatologists- have special treatments and medications to treat these conditions. For those with normal skin who do not suffer from any problems and just want to make a skin care routine such as moisturizing or protecting, of course, there is no problem with home remedies.

It is also possible to seek the dermatologist’s advice when someone is not fully aware of skin care, and to tailor a special routine that suits the nature of their skin. I prefer a simple, non-stressful routine consisting of a lotion, all-time moisturizer, and sun protection. And if there is a problem such as pigmentation, or we are at the age when we need an anti-aging cream, a night cream can do the trick.

What are some lifestyle tips you would recommend for skin or hair care?

A healthy diet that is rich in fiber, protein and omega-3, and avoiding carbs, refined sugar, fried foods, and fatty dairy products, which I think they might harm the skin in some cases. Regular exercise is also very important because it enhances the blood flow to the skin and muscles, which will tighten both skin and body.

Stay away from stress, smoking and sunlight as much as possible. All of these tips help to maintain the youthfulness and freshness of the skin. As for hair, I recommend staying away from dyes, hair bleaching, avoiding using harsh or strong shampoos, and avoiding using a lot of heat for hair styling, just keep your hair natural and moisturize it with serums or natural oils.

Fashion: Bloomingdales, Jewelry: Raaya Jewelry

What are your favorite skin care trends?

The most important trend I follow to take care of my skin or hair is the use of the Microfiber Towel, which helped me a lot.

I do not wash my hair daily with shampoo, and if I want to wash my hair daily, especially after working out, I do not use shampoo, and I noticed the difference greatly. I also use a Dyson hair dryer.

For the skin, one of the most important things that I adopted was sleeping for a long time, which made my skin improve significantly, and the use of fruit acids of different brands, which helped me a lot in getting rid of pigmentation. There is also the radiofrequency machine which I have in my practice, it helped me a lot to tone and rejuvenate my skin. I also inject my face every six months with a “calcium hydroxy apatite” needle, which helped me a lot to tighten my skin and give it a youthful look.

What is your proudest moment so far?

The moment I am most proud of myself is any moment related to my specialty in treating hair diseases, when we see pictures of someone before and after treatment, and we feel that big difference in the result, that moment when the patient says to me, thank you doctor, because you changed my life, or that I was a reason in saving someone from a state of depression, despair, and the inability to enter into any relationship because of her hair, and when I hear that this woman got engaged and continued her life and regained her self-esteem after undergoing treatment and reaching a beautiful result, indeed, that is the moment in which I feel most proud of myself.

Fashion: Bloomingdales, Jewelry: Raaya Jewelry