Prepping sun-kissed skin for the colder months

As holiday season draws to a close and with the autumnal climate arriving sooner than expected, people are being advised by a leading skin specialist to act now on sun-kissed skin ahead of the colder months.

Leading skin specialist, Peter Beard from SkinGenesis is advising people to prepare the skin now before the draining effects of autumn and winter cause lasting damage on the face, hands and neck.

Starting a regular skin protection programme well in advance of when the harsher elements kick in can pay dividends to a person’s complexion by developing a protective barrier to safeguard skin integrity.

Peter, who is director of treatments at the leading skin care specialist, says that taking time to introduce your skin to a new regime post-summer can rectify any sun damage early and prevent all the irritations and problems associated with such a dramatic change in seasons.

He said: “If you have spent two or three weeks in the sun, even returning to the present cooler weather can play havoc with the skin in terms of oil production or dry skin. By starting a dedicated skin regime now, you can build up your skin’s natural resistance to the harsher elements to maintain a healthy glow and avoid problems later down the line.

“The skin is the body’s largest organ, yet it is the most neglected throughout the year. The colder months are already setting in and judging by previous British winters, it is a good idea to start prepping the skin for what is likely to be one with a particularly vengeful bite.”

Peter has provided his top tips to instantly brighten the face and start prepping for the colder months:

Invest in a quality facial cleanser

There is no doubt that a good quality cleanser can bring dramatic benefits to the skin. Achieving a balance is key and with so many products available, it is important to find one that contains ingredients that are suitable to your skin type and pH. Many are very drying on the skin, so it’s worth shopping around and requesting samples from cosmetics counters so that you can try a product before you buy it.

Double up with a rich moisturiser

Many people who suffer from traumatic skin problems such as acne believe that moisturising the skin only causes the skin to be more oily, which is not necessarily true. Choosing an oil-free, rich moisturiser can actually work with the cleanser to balance the skin and restore lost moisture, which in turn will prevent problematic, excess oil production. The pH of a moisturiser should be no greater than 5.5 and should be rich in antioxidants and vitamins. A low pH ensures that the barrier function of the skin will be at its optimum and the vitamins and antioxidants will help the skin repair any accumulated sun damage.

Refresh and revive with a gentle skin peel

The skin exfoliates naturally on a regular basis, but the build up of cells, along with make-up traces and the daily grime, can cause pores to become blocked. Modern non-surgical cosmetic treatments, such as gentle chemical peels and microdermabrasion can give the skin a boost by freeing it of dead cells more quickly, leaving you with a refreshed, more polished complexion.

Eat a healthy diet

Diet is often overlooked but its effect on the skin is dramatic. Your skin is as good as the nutrients you feed it. The dos and don’ts of a healthy skin are simple. Don’t eat simple carbohydrates and transfats and do eat a diet rich in minerals, vitamins, proteins and essential fatty acids. As a guide eat a wide variety of vibrantly coloured fresh vegetables, fruits and salads together with oily fish such as sardines, mackerel and salmon and avoid processed foods, white bread and sugary sweets.

Choose ‘healthy’ make-up

Make up is not what it used to be – it has evolved with the development of ‘healthy’ cosmetics ranges that actually protect the skin, as well as enhancing your appearance. It’s important, particularly with sensitive skin, to use a make up range that cares for your skin and does not deplete it of its natural nutrients. Mineral make up brands are always best, many of which have been developed with problems like acne, thread veins and oiliness in mind.

Choose the right, natural colours for your skin

Simple changes to your usual make-up colour palette can make all the difference to your appearance. To look younger and more fresh-faced, swap black shades for navy blue or dark brown, which tend to be softer and make the eyes look whiter and brighter. Semi-permanent make-up can also ensure make-up stays put and can achieve a natural look for eyebrows that have thinned with age. Certain blush shades suit certain skin tones better than others too, so play around with the testers in store to ensure yours lifts your skin, rather than clashing with your tone or hair colour.

SkinGenesis is a non-surgical cosmetic expert with clinics in Leeds, Manchester and Chester.

For more information visit the SkinGenesis website www.skingenesis.co.uk

Body’s largest organ, the skin, gets its own exhibition

The skin is the body’s largest organ, but a new exhibition in London reveals how it is often the most overlooked organ, which people seem to take for granted.

The exhibition at the Wellcome Collection, London has put the human skin under the spotlight highlighting what a crucial part of the body it is.

The human skin prevents infections, retains fluid and other parts of the anatomy, it keeps us cool by allowing us to perspire, and generally act as a barrier to protect us.

So isn’t it time we celebrated what a fantastic organ it really is and gave it some TLC?

The exhibition aims to increase visitors’ understanding of the skin and covers various topics, such as society’s obsession with eternal youth, make up, tattoos, right through to revealing why the skin is so difficult to repair and heal following traumas such as burns.

Facial skin is particularly important, as it will forever be the part of the body that people see first. Looking after and maintaining your skin’s condition is vital to achieving optimum skin health, and it just so happens that good skincare equals youthful looks.

Changing your lifestyle can be the first steps to achieving good skin health – stopping smoking, cutting down on alcohol, eating healthily and exercising are all ways in which you can maintain your skin. Skin peels, using quality moisturisers and non-surgical cosmetic treatments can also re-inject some life into the skin and re-train it to produce the collagen and elasticity that is lost with age.

Acne treatment update from Top Model award winner

Aspiring model and Miss England Cheshire finalist Naomi Heap gives an update on how the SkinGenesis acne treatment programme has helped her achieve her career ambitions.

Through a personalised programme of microdermabrasion, IPL, skin peels and effective adult acne home products, Naomi’s skin is looking clearer, smoother and more radiant than ever before.

Got acne? Book your complimentary expert skin analysis now in Leeds, Manchester or Chester.

Gentle chemical peels for radiant skin

Now is the perfect time to have a gentle chemical skin peel to get rid of dead skin cells, resurface the face and step into summer looking more radiant than the sun itself.

The term ‘chemical peel’ can sound quite daunting, but they have had a bit of bad press. There are varying strengths of peels and speaking from experience, the more gentle varieties can be quick, very refreshing and make you feel like a new person.

It’s always advised that chemical peels are carried out by a fully trained professional under clinic conditions. The skin is a delicate organ and needs to be treated with care.

For those with good skin who just want a quick boost, peels can be enjoyed as single-session treatments. For more problematic skin, such as acne, a programme of treatments is advised. As with all skin treatment programmes, patience is a virtue. Treatments are usually delivered over a period of weeks, sometimes months to achieve the best results.

Results on acne following a series of salicylic acid peels

Agera medical peels are the latest development in non-ablative peels (this means there is no visible shedding of the surface skin) and are suitable for almost all skin types except dark Afro-Caribbean. They combine salicylic, lactic and citric acids which penetrate deep into the dermis and require little or not downtime.

The Skin Therapy Pumpkin Enzyme Peel combines enzymes with lactic acid that penetrate all layers of the skin providing high levels of skin smoothing as well as stimulating the rejuvenating process – bye bye fine lines and wrinkles!

Stronger Skin Peels: TCA peels are the ultimate in single session rejuvenation treatments. They are extremely exfoliating and will require between 5 to 7 days recovery time during which period the skin will flake and feel quite irritated.

We would always advise an expert skin analysis before you undergo a peel to assess your suitability and have that all important patch test.

Your skin will be sensitive in the days following a peel and should be adequately protected from the sun’s UV rays using SPF 30 to avoid sunburn and skin damage.

Wrinkle treatment for Gorilla-face

‘Gorilla-face’ – what’s this? I hear you ask.

The first time I heard this phrase was from a reporter for Times Online, Sarah Vine (<– read her article here). Gorilla-face is a problem that affects women over 40 and is a classic case of going to bed looking ‘normal’ and waking up ‘looking like an extra from Planet of the Apes’, (Vine’s word’s not mine).

You may have lines on your forehead, chin and chest and these last until around breakfast time apparently. Usually ‘gorilla-face’ is short-lived (thank goodness!). However many women over the age of 40 have persistent lines and wrinkles and if you’re in this bracket, you have probably tried all the magic lotions and potions available on the high street, only to find that they’ve not made much of a difference.

To combat and control lines and wrinkles on the face, it may be necessary to give your skin a work out, just as you would your body down at the gym. Anti-ageing treatments that combine a range of skin rejuvenating methods will always provide great results and help your skin to produce collagen and regain some of its youthful plumpness.

Non-surgical face lifts, peptide peels, and SkinGym are all examples of gentle anti-wrinkle treatments that are available. If you’ve tried everything else, why not give these a whirl? Anything that prevents ‘gorilla-face’ is worth it in my book!

Put your neck into it for a plumper pout (anti-ageing)

According to the Aesthetics Surgery Centre in Florida, more and more women are opting to ditch the collagen fillers in favour of a more natural pout-plumper – the muscle in their neck.

It’s the latest procedure to take the cosmetic surgery world by storm, and this group of surgeons say they’ve so far had great results in about 25 patients who wish to look more youthful.

It’s no secret that a plumper pout can take you back a few years, because everyone knows that the lips thin with age. But a lip graft by extracting some muscle in your neck? It certainly makes us go all queasy!

There are so many anti-ageing options out there at the moment, and people are finally ‘getting it’ that surgery is not the only option.

Muscle relaxants, like Botox, and non-permanent injectable dermal fillers far outweigh surgical options and remain the best anti-wrinkle treatment. Gentle peptide peels can also work wonders on fine lines and to get smoother skin texture.

Even LuLu is with us on this one – we heard her on the radio and on saw her on the Alan Titchmarch show this week plugging her new book and spreading the word about non-surgical anti-ageing treatment options. And you have to admit, LuLu looks amazing for her age!

Top model Naomi’s acne treatment mission

Friday 12th February 2010

Ready for the catwalk

Model Naomi Heap is preparing for what could be her big break in the fashion industry, Top Model UK

With her long dark hair, distinct features and a dream to hit the catwalks, there was just one thing that stood in her way – acne – and the need for an effective acne treatment.

After sailing through her audition on the premise that she ‘sorted out her skin’, Naomi made it her mission to sort out her stubborn spots and blemishes once and for all, before the final of this prestigious national competition.

Naomi said: “As you can imagine, in such a competitive industry, it’s vital that you have great skin. After searching on the internet for an affordable skin specialist, I approached SkinGenesis as they offered exactly what I was looking for – effective adult acne treatments. The medication I was on helped, but it didn’t achieve half as much as I wanted it to, and progress was slow, so I booked in for a consultation with Deborah, the clinic manager in Chester.

“She put together a bespoke skin treatment package that would treat both my remaining active acne, as well as the existing scars caused from previous blemishes. We started off with an Expert Skin Analysis, which determined my skin type, moisture content, sun damage and pH, which have helped me choose the right products for my skin. I have since undergone several courses of Microdermabrasion to get rid of all the dead skin cells and avoid further breakouts, as well as one IPL treatment.

“I have also received a gentle vitamin C skin peel, which has benefitted my skin dramatically. I was a bit of a tan-fan in my younger years and used the sunbeds quite a lot!

“All in all I am very happy with the progress we’ve made. By the time the competition comes around, I’m very confident that my skin will be as perfect as it possibly could be.”

Read Naomi’s full blog entry on her adult acne treatment here.

Naomi's acne before treatment

Naomi's skin after treatment

Celebrity anti-ageing secrets!

Thursday 21st January 2010

With celebrities being constantly in the public eye, it’s imperative that they look good. Every other week we see articles about how good someone famous looks for their age, what is their secret?

Many would say Botox or cosmetic surgery, however there are many celebrities who swear they have never gone near any sharp implements.

British beauty and TV chef Nigella Lawson showed what good home-cooked food can do for the skin after looking enviably youthful on her 50th birthday.

And it’s not just the ladies who stay forever young. Johnny Depp doesn’t look a day over 30 with his flawless skin and chiselled looks.

Here’s the secret: non-surgical cosmetic treatments. That’s right, you need not pay the earth for going under the knife, only for your face to sag and wrinkle again within a few years. Instead you spread out the cost over the years and maintain your skin by having regular upkeep skin treatments.

IPL, skin peels and microdermabrasion are the favourites – and the most effective… according to our clients anyway, and we’d definitely agree!

Grow your own facelift by having fat reduction treatment

Wednesday 23rd December 2009

It all sounds a bit too good to be true, just as the Daily Mail said, however doctors have found a way to grow, yes grow, your own facelift while losing excess fat and weight from your problem areas.

The procedure, which costs around £7,500, uses the body’s own stem cells and the patient literally grows their own facelift in the six to eighteen months after having the procedure.

This is a great advancement in the medical world as it extracts the stem cells present in our fat stores from elsewhere in the body, then under local anaesthetic, they are injected into the face for a complete facial rejuvenation that progresses naturally over time AND without any invasive surgery. Just a bit of discomfort and temporary bruising.

Great, if you’ve got this kind of money just lying around. And then you have to find that money again several years later when the effects wear off. But you have to admit it’s a fantastic breakthrough.

There are non-surgical alternatives too to this expensive anti-aging treatment, which don’t involve any ‘down time’ afterwards. Mesotherapy offers a fantastic fat reduction technique, which again is temporary, but costs much less than the ‘grow-your-own’ treatment. Fat reduction starts from around £75 per treatment when booked as a series of 7 treatments (this is about the number of treatments you will need to get an impressive result on that tummy and those hips).

For the face, IPL, microdermabrasion and skin peels are all very effective at rejuvenating the skin naturally and non-surgically. SkinGym promises younger, wrinkle-free skin in 40 days, with continued treatments if you don’t see an improvement. SkinGym costs from £1,250 – £1,500 – still quite expensive, but again cheaper than the grow-your-own.

Style tips – and skin treatments – for single girls

Monday 14th December 2009

Trinny and Susannah have been on the prowl again, telling nearly 100 single girls What Not to Wear if you’re looking for love.

While those two fashion gurus may be best placed to tell you how you should be filling your wardrobe, there’s no better people than us at SkinGenesis to tell you how to achieve perfect skin in a bid to bag ‘the one’ this Christmas!

Take a look at all our expert skin treatments we can provide at our website, http://www.skingenesis.co.uk.

If adult acne is holding you back, microdermabrasion, skin peels or IPL might be in order. If you’re worried about wrinkles and fine lines you might want to consider SkinGym. Or just feeling a bit dull and want to be refreshed? Try SkinSpa!

Meanwhile, watch the gladrags duo give 93 Bridget Jones’s a grilling at the link below!

http://player.uk.msn.com/entertainment/what-not-to-wear/default.aspx?GT1=66752