SKIN DIARY OF A DERMAL CLINICIAN – what a skin professional uses on her own skin !

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This month I’m getting down, dirty and a little bit personal, opening my bathroom cabinet with a peek inside my personal skin care toolbox, with a little too revealing of my no fuss, no muss approach to skin care.

As a Dermal Clinician and skin health professional I’m sharing my daily skin care diary with a glimpse into what a skin health professional does (or rather doesn’t do) to keep her skin healthy and looking it’s best…..you may be surprised!

You won’t see a bathroom cabinet heaving with products. I maintain a simple skincare philosophy; combining ingredients that deliver results, backed up by scientific evidence. My message of Keeping Skincare Simple is what works best for my skin.

Acknowledged or otherwise,  being on the front line of skincare/skinhealth means there are pressures to maintain and present a happy, healthy skin…. after all,  you wouldn’t go to a dentist with bad teeth would you?

My minimalistic streamlined approach to skincare was born from lack of time with a splash of laziness – no Robinson Crusoe here – so what little I do do for my skin needs to be both effective and time efficient and able to treat the visible signs of ageing, of which there are a plenty….I’ll get to that!

You would expect and assume, with my background in skin sciences I’d have this ‘skin thing’ all sown up, with the perfect formula for radiant, glowing and youthful skin at my fingertips. As they say, ‘careful, assuming makes an ASS out of U and Me’ and it not  surprisingly, I don’t always have the perfect skin 100% of the time. Yes, being a Dermal Clinician means I have the skills and resources in my skin care arsenal to know what works and what doesn’t when treating my own skin, but there are times when my skin doesn’t always play nice!

Under the magnifying lamp…

With my Dermal Clinician  hat on, there’s no denying that this more than middle aged woman is suffering from the effects of the visible signs of ageing, due in part to a misspent youth on the beaches of Sydney. Pigmentation/ skin laxity/increasing dryness together with the occasional spot and ohh, my arch nemesis – fine lines and ‘wrinkles at rest’ all combine to produce the visible signs of ageing. They’re referred to as ‘wrinkles at rest’  because they remain permanently etched long after that last laugh… well, find a seat somewhere else!

Whats in that cabinet….

Morning routine
  • I use a gentle Cosmedix oil based cleanser –  Purity Solution morning and night as I find this to be the most efficient in removing makeup and dirt. I tend to steer away from foaming cleansers as the lauryl sulfates needed for foaming to occur are a bit drying on my skin.
  • 2-3 times a week and in the shower I exfoliate with Clinicians Complex Microdermabrasion Cream which contains fine magnesium oxide crystals helping to remove a buildup of dead skin cells.
  • You can never have enough sun protection so I use a broad spectrum UV sunscreen doubling as my daily moisturiser…..might be a little lazy but it does the job!
  •  Colour Science manufacture a ‘Sunforgettable’ mineral based powder with 50+sunscreen –  water resistant , great when exercising.
Night-time weapons
  •  I repeat my cleansing ritual using a face washer which helps to exfoliate.
  • Whilst my skin is still damp I apply SkinMedica Vitamin C+E Complex serum which I allow to absorb-approx 1 minute (taking up almost ½ of my allocated routine)
  • This is followed by a prescription strength 0.05% Vitamin A – commonly known as Retrieve

Tip; Vitamin A and Vitamin C are best used at night as they’re  oxidized by air and light.

  • If I extra moisture is needed i reach for Cosmedix Rescue Balm/Mask which can be left on overnight – this can be quite occlusive and not for everyone but I love the thick texture and how hydrated my skin feels in the morning!

Tip; Don’t forget your neck and décolletage – extend product onto these areas as they’re often exposed to the sun.

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 And with a little help from my friends…

Bi-annually I enlist the help of my colleagues for some IPL keeping pigmentation and redness under control.

I’m a fan of medical grade peels which resurface the skin. Both these treatments involve a little downtime but are well worth it when chasing a more youthful even skin tone.

I’ve made friends with muscle relaxants and dermal fillers but less is definitely more, when it comes to muscle relaxants and dermal fillers.

What I should do more of…..

  1. Eat less sugar –sugar causes inflammaging –a low grade chronic inflammation at the cellular level and sits alongside the sun as one of the causes of aging and in the aggravation of acne.

2. Drink more water- this hydration calculator will help you assess if you’re drinking enough water

3. Exercise more- – exercise helps to reduce cortisol, the hormone released when we’re stressed.

I plan on ageing disgracefully …. those visible signs of ageing are in for quite a fight… glove up wrinkles and pigmentation – I will not go quietly!

Disclosure :Lastly I’d like to mention this post is my personal skin diary as a Dermal Clinician and I have  included products I have purchased and found to be effective…..also no animals were kicked or maimed in the writing of this post!

 

 

 

 

 

HOPE IN A JAR

As a Dermal Clinician I’m not wanting to wage a one women crusade targeting cosmetic companies, preferring instead to provide information for consumers allowing them to make informed choices when purchasing skin care.

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Recently on Facebook a friend posted her new range of recently purchased, beautifully wrapped ,psuedo medically labeled skin care with the caption #illgiveitago, which got me thinking……..do consumers really have an understanding of ingredients in skin care and what they can expect to achieve from using them,and /or their limitations……….or just throwing the dice with every purchase ?

 “If it’s wet dry it…….if it’s dry wet it’!  is the ‘catch cry’ for those of us who deal in skin.

Skin defines who we are and how other people perceive us so little wonder Aussies hand over in excess of 60 million of hard earned $$$$$ a year in cold hard cash in order to present the best possible us –  but are these $$$$$ well invested ?

In our society beauty and youth reign supreme, so no surprises when we’re seduced by clever marketing campains and find ourselves clamouring for products claiming to be the elixir of youth, hoping to find our spent youth in the next jar!

Skin’s demands are simple. It doesn’t like to be stressed and it loves to be cared for.

Skin wears it’s badge of irritation, showing it’s displeasure by getting all rashy and cloaking you in red. Apply something it loves and be rewarded with glowing ,dewy skin free of irritation and imperfection. However, if – like many of us, you are part of the unfortunate collective who suffer from chronic skin disorders then management isn’t always so simple.

 

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“She works hard for her money” ….thanks Donna Summer.

Skin works tirelessly 24 hrs a day functioning as a barrier to the environment and infection.  If compromised by excessive cleaning or injury it is unable to perform its job as a gatekeeper. In order for the skin to perform optimally it must maintain an acid mantle of 4.5-5.5 and maintain lubrication by secreting sweat and oil through our skin glands This oil also acts as a waterproofing agent on the surface of the skin.

Great Expectations…..

 There is no quick fix!

The science of skin care is ever evolving and has led to the rebranding of skin care as ‘cosmeceuticals’  with names such as Medik8, Cosmedix, Skin Physics, MD Formulations, DNA Reset and Photon to name a few. Such medicalised name branding is a deliberate strategy to insinuate confidence in their brand, subtly leading consumers to believe their product is medically endorsed.

Truth in aging published a review describing the the term Cosmeceutical as  being misleading and stating under US law to have no meaning. Further in the article it describes there is a record number of warning letters to Cosmeceutical companies for making misleading claims.

http://www.truthinaging.com/review/cosmeceuticals-what-are-they

 Even with my background, at times I find it  hard not to be seduced by all this colour & movement and “freegift with purchase”  marketing, but can they deliver on  their claims, or will it only end in empty wallets and dissappointment for the consumer?

Skin functioning as a barrier frequently means that absorption of many of  these ‘super duper and innovative’ ingredients is prevented – they are unable to be absorbed due to their large molecular size so will stay exactly where you applied them.

 

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For the most part it will be tears for the consumer…..but there are some ingredients in skin care that will benefit your skin.

Tis not all acne & age spots doom and gloom……….

 What does work? What should we be looking for?

Retinoids and Retinoic acids

  • Vitamin A derivative known to  increase epithelial turnover
  • Used in the treatment of  fine lines, acne and pigmetation changes
  • Retinoids are available by prescipton only and are available in greater strengths
  • Retinols may be purchased over the counter in skin care formulations
  • Degraded by light so best used at night
  • May increase photosensitivity so sunscreen is vital
  • Introduce slowly as may cause irritation
  • Not to be used by lactating or pregnant women

 

Vitamin C or L-Ascorbic acid

  • Anitoxidant and essential part of skin health
  • Essential for collagen formation
  • When used in conjunction with Vitamin E and Zinc plays an important role in wound healing

 Vitamin E

  • Antioxidant and found naturally occuring in  sebum which lubricates the skin
  • Absorption is limited to the epidermis

Vitamin D

  • Synthesised in the skin and benefits those suffering from psoriasis
  • Assists in the  wound healing process

 Vitamin K

  • May be used topically in the treatment of bruising,spider veins ,stretch marks,burns and inflammation
  • Used in the treatment of Rosacea

 Vitamin B complex

  • Helps maintain skin hydration
  • Assists with pigmentary changes
  • Reduces inflammation

 Alpha Lipoic Acid

  • fatty acid and powerful antioxidant
  • Facilitates the properties of Vit C and E

 Hyaluronic Acid

  • Naturally occurring in the skin
  • Attracts water and able to absorb 1000 x it body weight
  • Used in fillers due to it’s water loving properties

 

Gold in them thar hills……

Minerals for the skin

Copper

  • works together with Vit C to form elastin,a supporting structure of the skin improving elasticity and thickness

Zinc

  • Healing properties
  • Regulates oil production
  • Benefits an Acne skin

 

If you want a shared loving relationship with your skin, include some of these ingredients in your skin care  and remember ‘if it’s wet dry it, if it’s dry wet it!

Rome wasn’t built in a day, so allow 6-8 weeks for visible signs of improvement and to include these Vitamins in an healthy diet whilst maintaining good hydration with lots of water…..your skin will love you for it!

 

ASkinSolutions is happy to answer any skin care questions you might have.

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