Beautiful skin doesn’t always come naturally. Give your skin the helping hand it might need and discover ultimate skin perfection.
Flawless skin is perhaps the most sought-after beauty must-have by women around the world, with many of us clamouring as much for the luminous complexions models parade down the runway as the clothes they are draped in. Indeed, nothing radiates health and good looks in quite the same way as an impeccable skin tone.
With acne, dehydration, pigmentation, eczema, rosacea, fine lines and wrinkles all on hand to wreak havoc with our looks, it can be hard to love the skin we’re in.
Today, however, we’re blessed with an armoury of weapons designed to help reduce pore size, perfect skin tone, even blemishes and leave a long-lasting glow. From laser resurfacing to microdermabrasion and active cosmeceuticals, we run down the skincare essentials you’ll need to fast track your way to flawlessness.
Laser and light-based therapies
Today’s lasers can significantly diminish and even reverse many of the tell-tale signs of ageing, from early lines, uneven pigmentation and broken capillaries to deep wrinkles and severe sun damage. They can reach much deeper levels and affect far more significant changes than would be possible with most other common modalities of treatment, and without needing to invest significant money. Moreover, a procedure can often be performed in less than an hour and may require little or no downtime.
One of the most influential advances in aesthetic laser technology, fractional laser resurfacing (ablative and non-ablative) can achieve skin rejuvenation results that approximate conventional ablative laser but with less aggressive treatment protocols and, so, fewer potential side effects.
With traditional ablative laser (selective photothermolysis), the whole of a selected target area is damaged – in effect burnt – usually requiring significant downtime and prolonged redness or pinkness of the treatment area for up to three months, and even more.
Fractional laser (fractional photothermolysis), on the other hand, seeks to only damage certain zones. The laser beam is fractionated into thousands of tiny little shafts of light. These penetrate the deeper layers of the skin, causing tiny injuries to the skin, whilst leaving the surrounding skin perfectly intact.
The skin then repairs those tiny shafts by pushing out the old, damaged skin and replacing it with new skin. The targeted heat damage also helps to shrink existing collagen for an immediate firming effect.
This process only causes fractional damage and allows the skin to heal much faster than if the whole area was treated. It causes no visible wounds and requires less downtime than traditional ablative lasers.
With light therapies such as intense pulsed light (IPL) also available to help ward off the signs of ageing, there is a dizzying array of choice – and much potential confusion for the consumer. It’s always best, therefore, to seek the advice of a doctor or clinician who is fully qualified and experienced in using laser and light devices and who will be able to advise which treatment is best for you.
PRP
Packed full of growth factors, platelet-rich-plasma (PRP) is fast becoming one of the most popular tools for those looking to restore a youthful tone, texture and firmness to their skin.
Drawing on the body’s own healing capabilities, PRP uses a patient’s own cells to 
regenerate and rejuvenate the skin, helping to improve the appearance of sagging skin, fill lines and wrinkles and plump areas that have lost volume over time.
PRP therapy targets the growth factors found in the patient’s blood, which are then injected back into the patient to stimulate the body into producing new collagen and hyaluronic acid. During a typical treatment, blood is collected and then spun in a centrifuge in order to concentrate the blood plasma. The platelet rich plasma is then injected into the treatment area. Depending on the areas being treated, different amounts of plasma will need to be collected.
Because the raw material is taken from the patient’s own body, PRP is considered a non-allergenic, ‘body’s own’ physiological product as opposed to animal derived or human donor products, synthetic fillers or neurotoxins.
When being used aesthetically to invigorate the appearance of the skin, patients may benefit from a number of treatments, spaced several weeks apart.
During the procedure, numbing cream or local anaesthetic is applied in order to numb the area before injection, and patients should expect to experience slight bruising, swelling and redness after the procedure. Any side effects tend to settle over the course of 24 hours.
Patients typically see some results two to three weeks after their first treatment, but for optimum results a course of three or four treatments is required, spaced a minimum of eight weeks apart. Results will continue to improve over the course of a few months.
Microdermabrasion
With age, the rate at which our skin sloughs off dead cells slows down dramatically, which leads to a build-up of hardened cells on the top layer of the skin. Microdermabrasion removes the outer layer of the stratum corneum (outermost layer of the skin) to aid this process, improving the appearance of fine lines, sun damage and scars, and creates a more even tone and texture on the skin.
There are a number of different types of micro-dermabrasion. Most commonly, however, an exfoliating material is used to buff away the top layer of the skin whilst a handpiece vacuums the stripping agent and skin particles from the treatment area.
The treatment is generally well tolerated and can be adjusted according on the sensitivity of the skin and the individual complaint.
After treatment, the skin can feel hot and appear slightly red but this usually settles over a few hours.
It’s generally recommended that a course of six treatments is carried out to improve problems such as age spots, but it can also be effective to treat blocked pores and blemishes with two to three treatments.
Skin peels
Peels are solutions applied to the surface of the skin to strip away the outermost layers, revealing fresh new skin beneath. Used to treat a variety of conditions, peels can improve problems ranging from lines and wrinkles to dryness or dullness, acne, rosacea and pigmentation.
Ingredients range from naturally-occurring chemicals and herbal extracts to synthetic chemicals, and their effects range from mildly brightening to aggressive resurfacing. Depending on the strength, peels can be administered by dermatologists, cosmetic practitioners and skincare professionals, and in most cases are recommended as a course of treatments.
Natural peels are relatively mild and only affect the superficial layers of the dermis. Alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) peels are the mildest option, available in salon treatments and can be used on most skin types. They use lactic, fruit or glycolic acids to treat dryness and improve skin texture. Beta hydroxy acid (BHA) peels use salicylic acid to speed the skin cell shedding process and improve blemished skin.
Chemical peels are higher strength solutions that use different grades of acid to strip the skin of dead skin cells and promote the production of collagen and elastin in the skin.
Chemicals ranging from alpha hydroxy, kojic and salicylic acids to extremely potent trichloroacetic acid (TCA) and phenol also vary in their depth of penetration, causing them to directly target specific concerns.
Typically, the stronger the peel the deeper the penetration and the more severe the post-treatment side effects.
The treatments typically cause stinging during application and various degrees of flaking after treatment – from fine flaking to sheeting – as the new layers of skin start to form.
Chemical peels can be quite aggressive, so skin analysis during consultation is required to find out which peel is most suitable, and whether any allergic reactions will occur. Dryness, redness and peeling can be expected for up to a week after most peels, which feels similar to sunburn. It is imperative the peeling skin is not picked at or rubbed as it may cause scarring.
Active skincare
Of course, the results of any skin treatment need to be backed up with a skincare regime that will maintain and enhance your results. Rather than heading for the skincare aisle in your local supermarket, it’s best to discuss your specific skincare needs with a specialist, who will not only prescribe a skincare range suited to you and your needs, but who will also lean towards a range packed with active ingredients.
Also known as cosmeceutical or clinical skincare, active skincare is often prescription based thanks to the high percentage of active ingredients contained in the products. As well as more traditional creams, active ranges typically centre around a number of different serums, each designed to address a specific concern.
Packed with potent ingredients such as retinol, topical vitamin C and AHAs, it’s best to introduce these ranges slowly to your skincare regime, and under guidance, to ensure against any reaction. With time and guidance, however, there’s no doubt your skin will benefit from your investment in actives.
5 steps to healthier skin
Of course, there are a number of free, easy steps everyone can take to safeguard their skin and maintain a flawless complexion.
1. Protect yourself from the sun
From wrinkles and pigmentation to skin cancer, over-exposure to the sun is to blame, so cover up with a quality SPF and stay in the shade between 10am and 4pm.
2. Stub it out
If you want to fast forward your way to older-looking skin, light up a cigarette. Smoking decreases blood flow to the skin and damages collagen and elastin. The result? Aged, sagging and wrinkled skin long befor your time.
3. Be gentle
Daily cleansing, shaving and baths can all take their toll on the skin. Be kind – choose a mild cleanser, use warm, not hot, water and pat your skin dry rather than rubbing it.
4. Eat a healthy diet
A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins will all help you look (and feel) your best.
5. Stress less
Stress isn’t just bad for your health, it’s bad for your skin, too, so take steps today to manage your stress. Try regular meditation or yoga and scale back if you feel you have too much on.
