1. What advice would you give someone from a young age to best look after their skin?
PROTECTION AND PREVENTION – If still blessed with a young, healthy and great looking skin, the goal should be to maintain this. Apply sunscreen (in particular to your face), every day, including cloudy winter days. UVA rays, which are responsible for premature skin ageing penetrate through cloud and glass. Select one that contains at the very least titanium dioxide, or even better, zinc oxide as these offer the best protection.
At Prescription Skin Care we offer an extensive range of facial sunscreens….moisturising, tinted, spray on, sport, chemical free and even one that helps to reduce acne.
Finding one that works for you will ensure compliance with daily application and you will look younger for longer!
2. To look after their skin, what (in a nutshell) should women be doing in their: 20’s; 30’s; 40’s; 50’s; 60’s
Skin conditions can vary dramatically within the various age groups e.g. someone in their 20’s may have significant sun-damage due to an outdoor lifestyle and lack of early protection, or someone may still be struggling with acne in their 40’s. Therefore I base my product and treatment recommendations on skin type, condition and concerns.
Seeking advice from a skin care professional will ensure the right advice, the right products and therefore the right results
20’s
At the very least…
Cleanse morning and night with a gentle cleanser that won’t strip the skin’s acid mantle. Harsh cleansers and soap weaken the skins barrier and cause irritation.
Apply an antioxidant product followed by a broad spectrum sunscreen every day.
If you have specific skin concerns e.g acne, then treatment products to address these will need to be incorporated.
30’s
When it comes to the skin, a lot deteriorates at the age of 30! If you haven’t been serious about skin care, now is the time to start. Up until 30 our body has a good mechanism for repair.
Of course continuing with your cleansing, antioxidants and sun protection, now is the time to add a medical strength vitamin A e.g. retinol, +/- a gentle AHA (alpha hydroxy acid) to exfoliate and freshen the skin.
Pigmentation, from sun-damage or melasma (“mask of pregnancy or caused by oral contraception/hormones), can be a concern in the 30’s and requires use of a skin lightener and pigment control product.
At Prescription Skin Care we also use the latest technology from Cutera, the Limelight IPL, which is superb at removing red and brown pigmentation.
40’s
Continue as per the 30’s. If not using vitamin A start! If already using, we would increase your strength for added age management benefits.
If wanting to turbo charge your regime include additional collagen stimulating ingredients such as growth factors (preferably a blend of human growth factors) and peptides.
Cutera Laser Genesis is very popular at Prescription Skin Care in this age group as it stimulates collagen growth, reduces pore size and facial redness.
50’s and 60’s
Keep persevering! You are not excused from any of your product recommendations from your 40’s. Due to hormonal influences your skin may become drier and therefore you will need to add a more emollient moisturiser, along with your key active ingredients.
Your skin condition in your 50’s and 60’s will depend on how you have cared for it in earlier years. If you have been using antioxidants, sun protection and vitamin A, it will be a case of maintenance. If serious skin care is new to you, a more intensive regime will be required.
3. For women whose skin is showing signs of ageing, is it possible to turn back time to some degree? How can they do this – with what products/ingredients?
Absolutely…. Many women think that the damage has been done at a young age, and therefore it is too late, but it is never too late to start improving your skin.
In the medical skin care market, we have a phenomenal range of what I call “performance products” that make significant changes in the appearance and health of the skin, at any age.
You can get noticeable improvements in signs and symptoms of sun damage and skin ageing, including visible dryness, roughness, uneven mottled skin tone, fine lines and wrinkles.
(see below for products/ingredients)
4. If you were to chose 3-5 skincare ingredients for anti-ageing, what would you recommend (please explain the benefits)
My “favourite four” for age management skin care are:
1. Sunscreen (containing zinc oxide) – simply put, you cannot manage skin ageing without wearing a broad spectrum sunscreen. The sun (in particular UVA) has the most impact on how your skin will age and in fact 80% of visible skin ageing is caused by sun exposure
2. Antioxidants – which include L-ascorbic acid and other forms of vitamin C; vitamin E; lipoic acid; green tea; beta carotene and superoxide dismutase to name but a few. Many serums contain more than one antioxidant for optimum results. Antioxidant products work by protecting the skin against environmental damage that leads to visible signs of ageing and deliver nutrients necessary for healthy skin. Many antioxidants protect the skin as well as repair and treat e.g vitamin C is essential for the synthesis of collagen which is why in higher percentages it reduces the appearance of lines and wrinkles, and improves skin texture, while at the same time it is reducing skin damage caused by free radicals.
3. Retinoids (vitamin A) – is key in treating and preventing skin ageing. It increases cell turnover and renewal (which slows down with ageing), stimulates collagen production and growth of new blood vessels, improves texture, reduces fine wrinkles and improves mottled pigmentation. It encourages your skin to function like younger skin.
4. AHA’s (alpha hydroxy acids) – e.g. lactic acid, act as gentle exfoliators, by dissolving the “glue” that holds dead skin cells together, increasing cell turnover and sloughing off dull rough skin. As well as improving the overall texture and tone of the skin (if you have not used these before you will notice an instant improvement), they help to increase penetration of other key ingredients.
Fortunately today we have ‘multi –tasker” products that combine key ingredients in 1 product.
If adding two more ingredients it would be peptides and human derived growth factors
5. Which treatments are the best for anti-ageing purposes? How often should you have them?
1. Medifacials and peels – Think of these as facials but with more dramatic results that will last longer. Peels fast track your results and there are numerous peels available which allow us to chose an appropriate peel for your skin type and condition. These days, peels are more superficial and often have no down time, but the same great results, and can be performed on a monthly basis. The ingredients, are highly specialised, gentle on effective at keeping wrinkles and sun spots at bay, such as the Results Rx range. Qualified medical professionals who specialise in skin care and health often generate the best outcome.
2. IPL and Laser treatments –will improve overall skin quality and address concerns such as pigmentation, enlarged pores, broken capillaries, reduce unwanted hair and stimulate collagen production. Treatments are usually recommended every 2-4 weeks for an initial course of 3-6 treatments.
3. Injectables – Botox improves and prevents facial wrinkles caused by underlying muscle action. The most popular areas to treat are the frown lines between the eyebrows, and the crows feet around the eyes. Treatments 2-3 x/year maintain the result. Dermal fillers do everything from soften and lift out facial lines and folds, through to replacing volume in the face, which we lose with ageing. New generation skin booster fillers (restylane vital), hydrate the skin and stimulate collagen production – perfect for the face, neck ,décolletage and the backs of the hands. Fillers are recommended every 6- 12 months and are a great way to turn back the clock.
6. What daily routine would you recommend to someone who was concerned about ageing?
Skin care is like working out – it takes a long term commitment.
A recommended daily routine would incorporate previously mentioned ingredients/products to address, the individuals skin condition and concerns.
e.g
Morning: cleanse, antioxidant +/- growth factors/skin lighteners and broad spectrum sunscreen
Evening: cleanse, vitamin A +/- AHA and growth factors
7. Apart from the face which other areas of the body are more susceptible to ageing and how can you help prevent/treat this?
The neck, décolletage and backs of hands, all areas that receive the most sun exposure. The décolletage is one of the most neglected areas of the female body, yet the skin is thinner and more susceptible to sun-damage and ageing.
If you have protected your face and neck, but overlooked your décolletage, there is often a noticeable contrast in skin quality, which can lead to women avoiding wearing lower cut tops.
Ensure you keep these areas protected with antioxidants and sunscreen. Hands are prone premature ageing from driving, as the UVA rays penetrate through the glass. Keep a sunscreen in your handbag or car for reapplication throughout the day.
Cutera Laser treatments can rejuvenate the skin in these areas, from removing red and brown pigmentation with Limelight IPL to reducing the signs of wrinkles and restoring lost collagen with laser genesis.
8.What lifestyle changes can you make to ensure you age more gracefully?
The fundamental principles for rejuvenating the skin through lifestyle include eating a healthy well balanced diet, rich in antioxidants and including 6- 8 glasses of water daily, adequate rest and relaxation and stress management, limiting alcohol and caffeine intake, not smoking and regular exercise.
We don’t often see an unhealthy person with healthy radiant skin!
9.If you were on a desert island and could take one anti –ageing product only, what would you chose and why?
A sunscreen that contains zinc oxide and antioxidants, as it is still the best age management product, and I figure I would be exposed to a number of environmental challenges on a desert island.