Sun Cream Products Explained
Most dermatologists advise that the best anti-ageing product you can buy is a good quality suncream. But which one? You may not realise it but over the counter products rarely cover the full spectrum of the sun’s rays. The sun emits different types of harmful rays, predominantly Ultraviolet A and B (UVA and UVB). UVB is responsible for burning the upper/outer layers of the skin, whereas UVA penetrates more deeply, and is responsible for causing greater skin ageing. In fact, 80% of skin ageing comes from sun damage, being the largest of the extrinsic factors (ones we can potentially […]
Facial Redness
Do you suffer with facial redness, especially across the cheeks and nose? If so you may have Rosacea (pronounced “row-zay-sha”). This often starts with a tendency to flush and frequently occurs in fair skinned people aged 40-60. Whilst it’s more common in women, when it occurs in a male patient it tends to be more severe. In addition to generalised redness, those with rosacea often experience a burning or stinging sensation, and the skin in the area can be particularly sensitive, especially to sunlight. Patients may describe trigger factors such as spicy food, alcohol, stress, exercise, wind, a change in […]
Five ways your moisturiser may be harming your skin
Many patients I see use moisturisers to try to stave off wrinkles and other signs of ageing. Frequently, however, I hear a complaint that they don’t work and that the skin feels dry and dull despite adhering to a strict moisturising regime, often with expensive products. Why do so many complain of sensitive skin, when the incidence of true allergy is much lower? Why do many people suffer from spots well beyond teenage years? It is easy to misdiagnose rough skin for dryness and then start to moisturise, whereas exfoliation is what the skin really needed. Read on to learn […]
What Are Antioxidants and Why Do We Need Them?
The word ‘Antioxidant’ is often seen in beauty magazine articles, and most people will be aware that they are ‘a good thing’. But how much do we really know about what they are, why we need them, and how do we get them? To begin with, think of a freshly cut apple, left exposed for just a matter of minutes, and how it quickly browns. That is the process of oxidation, the oxygen in the atmosphere reacting with the cells on the inside of the apple. The cells in our bodies are designed to deal with oxidation, but 1-2% of […]
My top tips for facial skin care
I’m often asked for my recommendations on helping to maintain great looking skin. Here are 7 of my top tips- 1 – Never use solid soap (which is alkaline and disrupts the normal acid pH of the skin). 2 – Exfoliate twice a week. This will encourage the dead skin cells to slough off and increase production of new, healthy cells. 3 – Don’t over-moisturise, as this can cause dead cells to be retained on the surface of the skin, creating a dull skintone. In fact, habitual moisturising can actually dry the skin out, because the moisture-producing cells slow down […]
