From wrinkles to sun damage, skin changes are among the most visible signs of ageing. However, there are some steps we can take to help keep our skin looking its best, for longer. I caught up with clinical skin specialist Douglas Pereira at his beautiful Park Street clinic to talk about all things skin care and ageing.
What are the biggest causes of ageing?
Many things cause our skin to age. Some things we cannot do anything about; others we can influence.
One thing that we cannot change is the natural aging process. It plays a key role. With time, we all get visible lines on our face and reduced facial volume. It is natural for our face to lose some of its youthful fullness. We notice our skin becoming thinner and drier. Our genes largely control when these changes occur. The medical term for this type of aging is “intrinsic aging.”
We can influence another type of aging that affects our skin. Our environment and lifestyle choices can cause our skin to age prematurely. The medical term for this type of aging is “extrinsic aging.” By taking some preventive actions, we can slow the effects that this type of aging has on our skin.
Where are women misinformed and what do they get wrong in their skin care?
The main misconception women get in the arena of skin and anti-ageing is with the mass of skincare and anti-ageing products in the market place. So many of the big brand cosmetic product make clams of preventing and reversing the signs of ageing, yet the product they develop simply cleans and moisturises the skin and in no way holds up the claims made. Most of these products are within the cosmetic categories and available in department stores, pharmacies and salons.
These types of products are splashed all over the magazines and television advertising and offer unachievable results with weak cosmetic formulations and minimal active ingredients that can penetrate the skin to improve the skins health and wellbeing.
For example, cosmetic companies promote collagen as being an ‘active’ ingredient in many cosmetic and cosmeceutical products when it will never penetrate the skin. From a scientific perspective any peptide over 10 amino acids is too large to penetrate the skin. Collagen, for example, is a complex protein of around 1000 amino acids. It’s like forcing a football through the eye of a needle!
I recommend using Niacinamide, retinol or new small peptide ingredients that trigger your skin cells to produce its own collagen and that will work to reduce the destruction of collagen.
What is it about your service / approach that is able to transform challenged skin?
Using a combination of state of the art medical grade equipment, and my own exclusive range of cosmeceutical products, active ingredients, and my many years of knowledge about the skin, I take a customised approach to treating each person’s skin individually. My approach is based on the current condition of the skin; my clients skin goals and the performance of their skins functions. From here I assess the best solutions for my clients skin and personalise a single treatment or design a plan to achieve your skin goals, for healthy beautiful skin.
By taking this very prescribed and customised approach I can adapt the products, equipment and methods used in each treatment to target my clients skin challenges and concerns to achieve the best results possible.
What are the biggest factors that contribute to poor skin condition?
1. Not wearing sun protection
2. Hormonal imbalances
3. Not using the correct or good quality cosmeceutical or mediceutical products
What should a woman in her 20’s, 30’s or 40’s do to care for her skin?
20’s: Use a good quality sun protection, a serum that contains a minimum of 10% Niacinamide and an antioxidant serum. Start having skin treatments every one to two months. And minimise sun exposure
30’s: Use a good quality sun protection, a serum that contains a minimum of 10% Niacinamide and an antioxidant serum, and now introduce serums that contain vitamin A and growth factors and introduce a lipid based serum or booster. Increase skin treatments to monthly. And still minimise sun exposure. It’s also a good time to conceder muscle relaxants (Botox) as a preventative.
40’s: Use a good quality sun protection, a serum that contains a minimum of 10% Niacinamide and an antioxidant serum and now increase the percentage of vitamin A, growth factors serum and in the late forties changing your moisturiser to something richer in nutrients and lipids to combat the pre menopausal symptoms of the skin. Increase skin treatment to every three weeks or monthly. And still minimise sun exposure. Introducing dermal fillers to combat a loss of facial volume is also recommended.
What diet modifications or supplements do you recommend for improved skin?
Eating clean and organic is always going to support healthy skin. Consider reducing or cutting out sugars and processed foods. Focusing on a good gut health will not only promote a health body and reduce inflammation but will also provide you with healthy, glowing skin.
Using products such as The Beauty Chef range of probiotics is a great starting point to achieving good gut health, but I also recommend seeing a good naturopath to advise you on the correct supplements to support body and skin health.
You can find out more about what skin services and products Doug offers here. If you’re in Sydney, I would definitely recommend getting a facial from Doug – your skin will thank you for it!
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Taking care of my skin is so important to me! I pride myself on waking up five minutes earlier so I can go through my skincare routine, and I enjoy having my skin be more pale compared to my friends who are tanned from the sun. I mean there’s always fake tan, right? Both my parents have slightly damaged skin from the sun so they always made me lather my body in sunscreen when I was young and now I can’t thank them enough for it for I am extremely cautious with my skin in protecting it. I will have to bookmark this post so in ten years I can return to it for what exactly I should be doing ;) xx
http://www.beingisabella.com
Sugar and processed really does take its toll to the body, and can definitely affect your skin. Anyway, thanks for this wonderful read dear. Super informative!
Jessica | notjessfashion.com
Author
So true! Thank you x