Posted on June 3, 2021August 5, 2021 by Kesiree Naidoo

How to restore & maintain your skin this winter

Winter is fast approaching, so it’s high time to revisit the impact that winter weather has on the skin and look at what we can do to keep our skin hydrated and healthy in the colder months.

Here are a few essential tips to restore and maintain your skin this winter.

Discussion Points

1. Antioxidants and Sunscreen

A powerful and sometimes forgotten step is including a topical antioxidant in your skincare regimen. Prevention from the effects of sunlight and environmental factors, often referred to as the exposome, is vital even in winter. Antioxidants are our first line of defence when it comes to protecting our skin from outdoor exposure.

Additional oral antioxidant supplements keep our immune system healthy and functioning. Antioxidants including pure vitamin C, vitamin E, ferulic and phloretin help fight off free radicals during the day and form a reservoir in the skin to repair existing damage to skin cells.

Applying sunscreen every day is vital. Whether it is summer or winter, ultraviolet light and visible light damage our skin cells, accelerating the ageing process and causing unwanted hyperpigmentation. No matter the season or the activity, sunscreen should always be applied and kept close!

2. Keeping Hydrated

As the cold season approaches, the use of indoor heating such as air conditioning, heaters, fireplaces, and electric blankets increases. The resultant heated air leads to moisture loss, causing dry, flaking skin and irritation. Use an appropriate moisturiser to restore the skin barrier and prevent further trans epidermal water loss and skin dehydration.

3. Avoid Hot Showers

Excessively long, hot showers can irritate the skin’s surface layers, causing damage to the skin barrier and leading to moisture loss (trans epidermal water loss). Hot showers can also trigger or worsen skin conditions such as eczema or dermatitis. It is better to have lukewarm showers and avoid long periods in hot showers or baths. Equally important is a skincare routine for the body and face to help support and maintain skin barrier function.

4. Winter Skincare Routines

Our skincare needs need fine-tuning with the change of season. Our skin will need lighter moisturisers or even fewer steps in our routine during the summer because we secrete more sebum during the warmer and humid seasons and less during the colder, drier seasons.

It is not uncommon to change your skincare routine during winter by adding additional products or ingredients or even using a moisturiser that can provide more nourishment or moisture.

We lose more moisture during winter due to the colder, drier air and indoor heating and heaters. It is a good idea to take a gentler approach when choosing a cleanser to avoid stripping the skin of its natural oils. If you are not used to using active ingredients or exfoliating your skin, winter is an excellent time to start! Exfoliation will remove the dead skin cells that sit on the skin’s surface.

Introducing ingredients like AHAs (Alpha Hydroxy Acids) to the skin will improve the skin condition by removing dead skin cells, accelerating the cell turnover process, and improving the skin’s moisture. Retinol increases epidermal turnover to create newer and healthier functioning skin cells. Ingredients like lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids keep your skin’s barrier healthy and functioning correctly by supporting the skin barrier, while hyaluronic acid is vital for hydrating and holding hydration in the skin. It is essential to consult a dermatologist or skincare therapist regarding the use of the different ingredients and skincare products.

5. In-clinic Skincare Treatments

Winter is also a safe time to do your in-clinic treatments such as chemical peels and micro-needling, as it allows a quicker recovery time. That’s because even though we are continually exposed to ultraviolet rays, the sun’s rays are not as intense in winter as in summer. Sunscreen and sun protection is always essential.

Our skin needs more attention during winter and will benefit from extra professional care. With the dead skin build-up on our skin during winter, chemical peels provide an exfoliation to revitalise the skin and allow better product penetration. Certain facial treatments can calm and soothe dry and sensitive skin caused by over-exposure to harsh weather.

As the change in seasons draws closer, now is the perfect time to consider the impact that winter weather has on your skin and ensure that you adjust your skincare routine for these changes. If you notice persistent concerns unrelated to the change in temperature or need assistance with choosing the best products for you, book an appointment with your dermatologist.

Winter Best Sellers

Cleansers

Moisturisers

Exfoliators

SkinCeuticals Glycolic 10 Renew Overnight

NeoStrata Smooth Surface Glycolic Peel Pads

Exfoliation combined with hydration

Anti-oxidants & Sunscreens

Posted on July 25, 2018August 2, 2021 by Kesiree Naidoo

Ageing- The changing face of time

Ageing, or “maturing,” is a natural process that happens to all of us and in fact begins the moment we are born!
It affects all our organs including the skin. Sooner or later we start to notice this, particularly on our skin as it is the organ that we are most aware of. How we age is what makes the difference, and this depends on how you look after yourself and your skin from a very young age.
Skin ageing is a complex biological process influenced by a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic factors.

Intrinsic ageing is the type of ageing that we cannot really control. It is also known as chronological ageing and occurs as time passes. The genetic make up, cellular metabolic processes and hormonal influences of an individual determines how the passage of time will affect us. Intrinsic ageing is greatly influenced by external or extrinsic factors.

Extrinsic ageing is caused by external factors and is really the only aspect of ageing that we can control. We can do this by using the right skincare products and supplements and by modifying our behavior. Smoking, sun exposure, air pollution, poor nutrition, chemicals and toxins are examples of extrinsic factors. The biggest contributor to skin ageing is sun exposure. We call this photo ageing.

Extrinsic and instrinsic factors cause ageing but both these processes overlap particularly in the sun exposed areas and are difficult to distinguish.
Chronologically aged skin appears thin and dry with fine wrinkles.
Photo-aged skin appears leathery and lax with coarse wrinkles, broken veins and uneven pigmentation.

So, as we age, we need to bear all of the above factors in mind when choosing the right skincare products, and change our behavior to ensure the signs of ageing are kept to a minimum.

Posted on June 20, 2018August 2, 2021 by Kesiree Naidoo

The impact of winter on your skin

We all experience drier, and somewhat more sensitive skin in the colder, winter months, and the solution is not as simple as ‘drinking more water’ to hydrate your skin.

There are many factors that can contribute to dull, dry, dehydrated skin , and many ways in which you can remedy the situation during winter.

Cold weather, especially cold wind, combined with increased use of indoor heating leads to an increase in transepidermal water loss (TEWL). This essentially leads to a decreased water content in the stratum corneum (uppermost layer of the skin), leading to dry, rough, scaly and sensitive skin.

The situation is worsened with long hot showers and soaps that contribute to damaging the skin barrier function, further contributing to TEWL.
Dry skin has a genetic component, and some will be more predisposed than others, though even those with ‘normal’ skin will notice some change in their skin condition.

A change in the weather or season is often known to cause flare-ups in those with pre-existing dry skin conditions, or medical conditions and medication that causes dry skin. Hypothyroidism, renal impairment and other chronic illnesses can cause skin dryness, as well as commonly used drugs like isotretinoin and lithium.

Cold air tightens the skin’s pores and reduces blood circulation. This reduces sebum production. Sebum is an oily substance which acts as a protective layer that traps moisture in the skin. With humidity in the air lower during winter, the effect is that existing skin conditions are aggravated.

Worse still is that dry skin makes fine lines and wrinkles more noticeable. All the more reason to make that extra effort to keep our skin in good condition!

Posted on January 16, 2018August 2, 2021 by Dr Kesiree Naidoo

Summer skincare tips

It’s summer and you want to look your best!
You may find yourself confronted with some skin problems that leave you feeling less confident.

Here we look at a few common summer skin concerns with advice on how to manage them.

DRY SKIN
Chemicals and salt water from swimming pools can cause excessive skin dryness. Similarly, air conditioning in offices and cars removes essential moisture from the skin, resulting in dehydration, dryness and sensitivity.

Solution: Don’t forget to moisturise your skin in summer. You may want to change to a lighter moisturiser or serum for the day, and opt for a richer night cream. Apply your daily moisturiser before your sunscreen. Apply moisturiser after cleansing, when the skin is still warm and slightly damp for maximum absorption. A weekly masque could give you an added boost of moisture.

Recommended Products:

Neostrata Bionic Face Serum
Obagi Skin Rejuvenation Serum
Obagi Advanced Night Repair
SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5
SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Masque

SUNBURN
Excessive sun exposure can cause damage to the DNA of skin cells leading to photo-ageing (fine lines, wrinkles and solar keratosis) and skin cancer.

Solution: Stay out of direct sunlight. Wear a hat, sunglasses and UV-protective clothing when outdoors, and reapply a broad spectrum sunscreen (at least SPF 30). Choose a sunscreen that protects against UVA and UVB. Apply sunscreen half an hour before sun exposure and reapply every 2 hours, particularly after swimming.

Recommended Products:

Heliocare 360 Mineral
Heliocare Spray SPF 50
Heliocare Ultra Capsules
SkinCeuticals Physical Fusion UV Defence SPF 50
SkinCeuticals Physical Matte UV Defence SPF 50

BREAKOUTS

Acne and skin breakouts may worsen in the summer months because of humidity and perspiration. Occlusive and oily sunscreens can contribute to the problem.

Solution: Cleanse the skin with an appropriate facewash to target blocked follicles. Ingredients like salicylic acid and glycolic acid help remove dead surface skin cells. A weekly masque may also be beneficial. Don’t be tempted to squeeze or scratch acne spots as this could lead to pigmented marks and blemishes with sun exposure.

Recommended Products:

Neostrata Clarifying Facial Ceanser 4PHA
SkinCeuticals Blemish and Age Defense
SkinCeuticals Clarifying Clay Masque

Enjoy summer, but take care and don’t allow yourself or your loved ones to burn!

Complete our skin assessment for more product recommendations. If you need any help with choosing a suitable product, email our skincare therapist who is always available to assist.