Bought the cream and still not 10 years younger?
Skin scams are plentiful on social media. Creams, lotions and novel skin treatments pop up in our news feeds, inboxes and within our favourite gossip magazines. These claim to be the wonder “fix” to turn back the clock and leaving us ten years younger.
So what’s the truth…do any of these products or treatments work?
The truth is that some do and some don’t!!
Ultimately, you are investing in your future wellbeing by investing in a course of treatment or buying topical products, so I think its really important to be savvy and not to be sold snake oil!! For anyone that doesn’t know snake oil was sold in Victorian times, for an extortionate fee, by traveling salesmen. They would go from town to town selling it in lotions and potions to rub , scrub and ingest. They claimed that it cured almost anything from arthritis to the flu. This is until they were exposed by a a national newspaper who investigated their claims and found that ALL of the products contained absolutely no snake oil what-so-ever, the tingling sensation was actually caused by pepper that had been added to a cream base.
The truth about anti ageing products and treatments can be hard to find or may mean reading scientific explanations that probably mean nothing to you if you don’t have a degree in skin biology. Trust me, having a medical background doesn’t mean you can’t be fooled by the large pharmaceutical companies about their latest offering to the anti-ageing market!
So my advice is not to go big, but go for small incremental changes over time. The truth is there is NO MIRACLE cure!! It’s like keeping fit, you can’t exercise once a year and expect to keep a yourself healthy. So don’t go for that miracle cure that promises the world, rather invest in your face a little at a time to get the benefit of the Combination Effect.
So whats the Combination Effect? It’s the idea, held by experts, that combining 1 treatment with another doesn’t just double the effect it can more than double it, or in some cases triple it! I use the effect in my clinic to get the best possible results for my patients. But you don’t need to think about combining treatments until later on. It’s about correct management of your ageing right from the start.
Okay, so when do you start?
My advice is that you need to start protecting your skin in your 20’s by using the right products and addressing any skin issues like oily skin, acne, pigmentation issues or dehydrated skin. A skin scan will show up any unseen problems and allow your skin professional to advise you on the best products for you and your skin. Less is more and products don’t have to be expensive, unless you have a skin condition like acne or rosacea, micellular water is fine to cleanse your skin. Expensive cleansers are not necessary. Harsh cleansers will disrupt the skin barrier and cause your skin to become sensitive which means you will be limited as to which products you can use. You shouldn’t need Botox at this age, my clinic has a policy of not treating anyone under 28 unless there is a medical indication.
Top Tip: a good skin therapist will introduce only a few products at a time!! Steer clear of someone who wants you to buy their full product range.
In your 30’s try to keep on top of the fine lines and wrinkles by introducing line relaxing treatments, bearing in mind that light botox treatments are advisable.Light infrequent treatments mean your face keeps moving to maintain but limit the muscle bulk in the frown and brow area.Heavy botox treatments at this age cause muscle wastage and more overall drop of the face and brow in the long-term.I see too many young girls who over use wrinkle relaxing injections, fearing muscle movement. Muscle movement is good and can be anti ageing, you just don’t want too much of it. A good doctor/nurse will know how to balance their injections to ensure you still have muscle movement whilst benefiting from the anti ageing effects of your botox treatments.
Its in your 30’s that you should consider profile assessment to correct any deficient areas like the chin, mid face or brow that may cause premature ageing in the face as its in this decade that the skin start to really loose its ability to bounce back efficiently. Deficiencies like a short, recessed chin leads to excessive muscle activity and deeper creases and ageing in the affected area.
It’s also the time to step up your skin regime and ditch the over the counter products that don’t contain medical strength actives. Medical grade products of sufficient strength can only be dispensed by prescribers, so you need to consult a skin specialist to get advice on what will suit your skin. Buying these active products online means you cannot guarantee they are what they claim to be, just like the snake oil we mentioned previously. For instance Retinol is only effective and safe if used in the correct formulation and concentration and with face to face consultation with a skin therapist. It shouldn’t be dispensed as an over the counter product because retinol used incorrectly, can damage the skin and cause permanent sensitivity so be very careful and select your products wisely.
In your 40’s you really need to step up on your skin treatments as this is when your skin cells stop working to produce collagen and elastin efficiently. The decline can be rapid for some and this is mainly due to falling hormone levels and how careful you have been in protecting your skin in your youth. I would recommend bi-annual skin boosting treatment courses like Endymed skin tightening and resurfacing, Wow Fusion or Hydrafacial. Its better to look at a combination treatment but if the budget doesn’t fit then alternate the treatment and get a different one every 6 months or as often as you can. Now is the time to address any sagging before it becomes a problem, consider volume replacement with filler or a thread lift to reposition sagging tissues. It’s also time to see your skin therapist again as your skin will be changing, a skin scan will help to identify them and he/she may want to introduce a cell stimulator cream in addition to your other actives.
From the age of 50 upwards it’s all about maintaining tissue volume and position to keep a natural but youthful look. I recommend monthly collagen boosting treatments to really keep your collagen levels topped up. This is because without them you probably will loose up to 30% or more of the collagen in your face. Then, about once every 12-18 months invest in a treatment like filler or threads to counteract gravity. These treatments are mostly used to support and replace lost volume in the mid face which in turn supports the lower face and in some instances the neck. Talk to your clinic, most good clinics offer a subscription plan to help you manage your treatments, or can develop a bespoke one to suit your treatment needs. It can life that much easier to know that you have got it covered.
In conclusion, ageing doesn’t happen overnight. You may not know it but your skin and face is changing by the day. Good management and advise can help you plan for these changes to keep you looking and feeling good for your age which research shows contributes towards overall wellbeing and happiness.
