What are the 9 crimes we commit against our complexion
While we are in lock-down, the best skincare treatments are not possible in the Clinic, so looking after yourself with the right skincare products and routines can still ensure a glowing complexion. There are however a few bad habits that are easy to fall into that will be crimes against your complexion.
Product Choice: many skincare products, no matter their price point, can take a few weeks to a month to reveal their true potential. As humans, we want a result even before we have opened the jar. It should happen through osmosis, right? Prioritise a daily routine with the correct products and the skin will respond in kind, producing a healthy complexion. It’s the things we do daily that enhance results. If you are switching products too often this can stress the skin creating adverse results. It is also important when using various brands to know how they are interacting with each other, so irritations are not the outcome.
Cleansing: this should be the first step in your morning and evening skincare routine. Keep in mind, you clean your teeth twice a day, clean and treat your skin with the same respect. Under washing is just as bad as over washing the face. Use lukewarm water with a pH-balanced cleanser so the skin is not stripped of its natural protective barrier, setting up irritations, dryness, and flaking.
Exfoliation: dull, lifeless skin can be revived with exfoliation. I usually suggest when using your toning lotion after removing the cleanser, to apply this with a gauze square. Too little toner will scratch the skin while too much is a waste of product and money. This regular form of cleansing and exfoliation is one of the best skincare routines you can do morning and night to ensure the last traces of cleanser, makeup and dry skin are removed and your serums that follow will be used to their maximum potential.
Sleep: the lack of sleep means the skin does not have the full ability to heal and repair itself. It will mean the cellular turnover slows down, the flow of blood to the skin is disrupted and the result is a sallow complexion. Over time sleep deprivation elevates stress levels which can increase skin conditions such as acne, psoriasis and eczema.
Alcohol: excessive alcohol consumption, whether it be each day or week, impacts the skin by showing signs of dehydration, making it appear sallow and increasing the appearance of fine lines and pores size. Alcohol can also have a negative effect on sleep which in turn will affect the skin.
Poor Diet: a good rule of thumb is to eat the colours of the rainbow when it comes to vegetable choices and to have a balanced diet with a choice from each of the 5 food groups. Remember each of us has different health requirements and often a consultation with a naturopath or dietician can be of assistance. Some of the key vitamins for the skin are D, C, E, and K. Essential fatty acids are good fats and are imperative for healthy skin.
Exercise: as well as improving our sense of well-being, flexibility and cardiovascular system, exercise increases the blood flow to the skin which will keep it healthy and glowing.
SPF: even on dull, cloudy days harmful UVA and UVB rays can damage the skin all year round. Using an SPF of at least 30 each day before entering outdoors and then reapplying every couple of hours will help to protect the skin and prevent premature aging.
Makeup Brushes: these tools along with sponges if not washed every week at least gather dirt and bacteria. Using them daily just keeps spreading a build-up of colour, along with the dirt and bacteria all over the face creating poor makeup application and potential breakouts.
Crimes against the Complexion can be rectified simply with a little extra effort. Prevention is always less expensive than curing and your skin can maintain a healthy appearance.
Our beauty within is revealed through our eyes. This does not mean they have to show our age. It is so frustrating when no matter how much sleep you get, someone will always let you know how tired you are looking. There are many options to improve the fine lines, wrinkles and hanging skin around the eye area which might include surgery, skincare, radiofrequency, Tixel, chemical neuromodulators, plasma treatments, or a combination of the above.
Compared to our facial skin, the skin around our eye area is as much as 10 times thinner. The eye area does not have as many moisture and oil glands as the rest of our skin, and this is one reason aging shows very quickly in this area. This is another reason why the eye area needs a helping hand and more support than other skin areas of the face.
A new medical-grade treatment available is called the Tixel. It uses heat, or thermo-mechanical ablation, to resurface, rejuvenate and tighten the skin of the face, eyes, neck and body. It is safe to use right up to the upper and lower lash lines, making it a unique and result-driven treatment. The Tixel treatment can be used on its own, but may also be used in conjunction with surgery and other in-clinic procedures in order to improve the texture of the skin. The Tixel will deliver similar results to those of a fractional CO2 laser, but without the risks, pain and downtime. A most fascinating alternative way to use Tixel is to infuse ingredients including anti-wrinkle injection and hyaluronic acid. This will assist in reducing the crepey texture and help with deep hydration of the skin in the orbital area. It is normally suggested to have 2-3 treatments that are spaced 4 weeks apart.
An alternative treatment for skin tightening and wrinkles is using the Accor Plasma Cosmetic Corrector. This is a gentle and low pain procedure, where the conductor tip creates a tiny plasma flash from the tip of the needle. The tip does not touch the skin but leaves the skin with very small, superficial brown carbon spots that look like a henna tattoo. These small dots contract the skin in their direct surroundings and will shrink and tighten the skin. This is a non-surgical treatment providing a result where the skin has shrunk and wrinkles and small bags have been reduced. Again normally 2-3 treatments are scheduled about 2-3 months apart.
The use of neuromodulators such as anti-wrinkle injections, along with fillers using hyaluronic acid is an amazing treatment when performed by qualified injectors. The easiest treatment for the furrows between the brows and the crows’ feet at the sides of our eyes is injecting a neuromodulator. These injections temporarily disrupt the muscle contraction in the eye area and therefore reduce the appearance of the wrinkle. The neuromodulator can also be used to give the eye a browlift, allowing a more youthful and awake appearance. This usually lasts 3 months and if the result is to be maintained the injection is then repeated. The hollows under the eyes can be injected with a very fine filler. The filler can also reduce the appearance of darkness which may be caused by the loss of volume as we age. This injection may last from 9-12 months depending on how active we are and our overall health and age.
Radio Frequency and PEMF treatments are the most relaxing and effective when it comes to a gentle firming and hydrating result. These treatments stimulate the circulation so efficiently, we have seen in our clinic the reduction of puffiness, darkness and fine lines. The warmth of the RF wand is so relaxing we often see clients going to sleep during their treatment. These treatments are necessary to be performed every 5-7 days over a 6-8 time frame. In order to maintain the result, it is recommended to have 1 every month. Radio Frequency is one of the best treatments to be used in conjunction with surgery, Tixel and Plasma.
The delicate periorbital area needs some extra love and attention, compared to the rest of the face. When combining a healthy internal lifestyle and a proactive external clinic treatment regime, the eyes will reflect our own kind of beauty, being the best version of ourselves.
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Whenundergoingtreatmenttoremoveorimprovemilia:
Follow a well-balanced diet with lots of water and eat the rainbow (all colours of fruit and vegetables). Reduce sugar and all refined carbohydrates and include good fats.
Change bed linen each week and pillowcases every other day
Do not wear hats where possible, as they will trap oil, dirt, sweat and coconut-based ingredients
Check product ingredient index lists found on the back of products and reduce coconut-based ingredients, waxes and silicones as much as possible
Clean makeup sponges and brushes.
Do not pick, as a milia cannot be squeezed out. The end result can be infection, scarring and PIH (post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation).
Cleanse and tone (using gauze squares morning and night) using pH-balanced products so the skin is not stripped of natural oils which act as a protective medium to help stop bacteria from entering the skin. When using a treatment product they usually contain plant extracts and a combination of mandelic, salicylic or glycolic acids. Just as you clean your teeth morning and night, do the same for your facial skin with appropriate home care products that are specific to your skin concerns
One of the easiest methods of treating milia is with a treatment in a professional clinic using diathermy (a treatment using a fine needle and a high-frequency electric current). Often only 1 treatment is required, dehydrating the milia, and within a week they have dissolved, leaving the skin clean and bump-free. Remember this is treating the condition but is not preventing new milia from forming.
If the milia are large it may be professionally lanced and extracted by a qualified aesthetician
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After an outdoor lifestyle during the hotter months, we are left with the ravages which are reflected on our skin in the form of hyperpigmentation or brown marks.
As the season changes, the humidity dissipates and the cool weather brings welcome relief from the heat of summer, it is the perfect time to review our skincare concerns, practices, and home care regime.
Many of us aim for glowing, radiant skin, but regrettably, many also battle some level of hyperpigmentation. It is not a skin type, rather a common condition brought on by many factors ranging from medicines to sun exposure to hormonal changes and trauma or acne.
Any skin type can experience Hyperpigmentation – dry, oily, dark, also light. Simply put, it is the extreme stimulation of melanin in the skin that produces darkened, uneven, skin tone. Extreme melanin production can occur from systemic (with-in the body) and extrinsic (outside the body) causes.
There are numerous explanations of hyperpigmentation (dyschromia) and uneven skin tone as well as several depths of harm to the skin. The changes indicated in the skin happen as melanocytes are either destroyed causing hypopigmentation or over-stimulated, resulting in hyperpigmentation.
Our melanocytes, or colour producing cells are there for the protection of the cell initially. We require them in order to assist combating the impact of UV rays. Nevertheless, after that security process has actually taken place you are now entrusted with underlying damage and we see this in the kind of pigmentation.
Types of Pigment Changes Include:
Hyperpigmentation – darkened pigment
Hypopigmentation – no melanin
Demarcation – irregular pigmentation from picking, scratching and procedures
Melasma – Patches that appear denser and larger
There Are Three Types of Hyperpigmentation:
Epidermal – the surface is not as dense and light brown in colour
Dermal – The Skin is ashen-grey and deep brown, it also seems more solid
Mixture – Both levels are usually dark brown
Some Typical Causes of Hyperpigmentation Can Include
PIH (Post Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation)
Birth Control Pills Estrogen (HRT)
Pregnancy
(Melasma) Long-Term Sun Exposure
Acne
Razor Bumps
Severe Sunburn
Eczema,
Chemical Irritations, Electrolysis
Rashes
Abrasive Scrubs
Certain Prescription Medications
Chicken Pox Picking
Scratching, Insect Bites
Trauma to Skin
Surgical Procedures
Perfumes Sprayed on Sun-Exposed Areas
Two primary elements that affect hyperpigmentation are the sun and heat. So please wear an SPF during the day, stay cool and be careful with overuse of products that contain hydroquinone. This active ingredient remains in numerous non-prescription lightening items and has numerous debates connected with it. Your skin may develop resistance, or immunity, and can even end up being darker with continued use of hydroquinone.
Professional Treatments
The goal for the in-clinic treatment is to combine both brightening and skin building treatments and active ingredients which will assist with reducing hyperpigmentation, sun damage concerns, and assist with resetting the skin towards healthy, clear and radiant.
There are numerous outcome-driven peels offered in the hands of a qualified expert, ranging from progressive to mid-depth and deep peels. One such peel is the Pigmentation Solutions Peel which is a progressive to mid-depth peel designed to begin cellular turnover, enhance skin and lower pigmentation. With simply the right balance of TCA (Trichloroacetic Acid), sake and potent melanin suppressors, skin will be left toned and fine-tuned for luminous skin.
Other Clinical treatments available to assist with lowering colouring are IPL (Intense Pulsed Light), Skin Needling, Nano-Fractional Laser, Fractional Laser, Q-Swithch Yag, Diathermy and Tixel.
When any intensive in-clinic treatment is undertaken, it is recommended to prepare your skin with supportive home care products to assist with strengthening and/ or lightening the skin for at least a few weeks prior for optimal results. This will help in the preparation of the melanocytes so there are no rebound results such as darker spots of pigment a couple of weeks post-treatment.
Diagnosing and repairing hyperpigmentation and sun damage is sadly not one size fits all. In order to reveal the best version of you, a mix of excellent house care and in-clinic professional treatments is typically the very best method to help with healthy, glowing and more youthful skin.
