Drink more water, it’s something that has been repeated over and over again, but to really achieve hydrated skin it has to come from within. No amount of topical products will benefit the skin as much as water. Ideally 8 glasses a day, more if you drink caffeinated or alcoholic drinks, as these dehydrate your system.

Keep clean; it’s like a starter before the main course. A good cleanser prepares the skin for the next stage (exfoliation, hydration) making it more effective. A good cleanse doesn’t strip the skin of natural oils but removes any barrier so the next product can really get to work.

Don’t dry out, your skin absorbs things easier when wet so apply your hydration while the skin is still damp to get the most from the ingredients.

Skin-amins, Vitamins will do wonders for your skin, your skin is an organ and needs these to function properly. A balanced diet is the best source with lots of fruits and vegetables; if you struggle with this a good multivitamin will nourish the skin from within.

Sun smart, protect your skin all year round, with UV exposure increasing you run the risk of age spots, dry dehydrated skin, loss of firmness and premature aging. Prevention is a more effective anti-aging products then any cream on the market.

Don’t skimp, although some skin care ranges appear pricey, maintenance is defiantly cheaper than trying to reverse damage. A good skin care range will invest lots of time and money into researching the best ingredient combination for your skin. Finding the right one for you is always the hardest, speak to someone that deals with skin on a regular basis and don’t be afraid to ask for a sample. Facials are always a good way to get to trial lots of products and speak to someone who knows what they are talking about.

For more information on how to look after your skin visit skin hertfordshire

Please feel free to read our latest newsletter here.

An article appeared in the Sun last week regarding the use of botox and how it can reduce migraines.

read the full article here – http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/woman/health/health/3091476/How-Botox-can-help-cure-migraines.html

Does “moisturising” come as second-nature to you?

Is this habit a good or bad one?

The media and advertising geniuses have certainly done a good job at convincing us that moisturizing is a good habit. Catchy marketing slogans like “botanical hydration,” “firming and wrinkle defying” and “rich and creamy,” have appealed to the vast majority of us as we run to buy the latest over-the counter miracle cream. Unfortunately, the majority of these creams cannot live up to their claims. The truth is package and marketing is most of what your money goes towards rather than the correct ingredients.

Why do we religiously apply moisture cream?

If you suffer from dry and sensitive skin, the answer is tri-fold. First the continual use of moisturizers has left your skin dependent and addicted to emollients. Next the ingredients contained in your moisturizers are more often than not causing mild irritation and disrupting the lip barrier of the skin. All of this combined with an improper diet and environmental factors, has a detrimental impact on your skin. It can no longer produce enough sebum oil and is devoid of the necessary components for repair. Applying a moisturizer can elevate the feeling of dry and sensitive skin but you are not treating the root cause of dry and sensitive skin – the moisturiser itself!

Here comes the science bit…

The rate at which normal skin produces new cells ranges anywhere from a 30-40 day cell turnover cycle. When the lipid barrier is functioning normally your skin is resilient and well hydrated. However, when skin is continually covered by an occlusive or emollient this cycle can take twice as long, leaving the skin compromised and unable to carry out normal functions like exfoliation and lipid production.

This has three main effects on the skin;

1. Natural Barrier Function shuts down.
2. Increase dryness and sensitivity.
3. Premature Aging Skin.

We cannot remember what our skin felt like before the use of moisturizers. We forget that dry skin and sensitive skin is DAMAGED SKIN. If you continue to use moisturizers you are treating damaged skin with the exact product that is causing dryness and sensitivity in the first place.

Manufacturers have furthered to wreck havoc on our delicate skin by way of the ingredients used in their “miracle” creams. Nearly every moisturizer on the market contains some form of irritating or comedogenic ingredient.

Check your moisturizer against the list of known irritants and comedogenics.

Propylene glycol, Glycolic acid, Mineral oil, Petrolatum Talc, Lanolin, Parabens and Sulfites are just to name a few.

Each of the above  ingredients will either clog the skin’s pore or brings about  inflammation.

Other factors to consider?

Harsh weather conditions and the sun, can certainly have their way with our skin if we are not careful. The sun is amongst one of our most harsh and unforgiving skin harming culprits. Next in line is our daily lifestyle. Smoking, alcohol, stress and improper diet lacking in whole fruits and vegetables, promotes free-radical damage and eventual pre-mature aging. Not even the mightiest of moisture creams could reverse that.

How can I protect and prevent inflammation and damage to my skin?

The first step is to discontinue the use of our precious moisturizers. Allow your skin to return to equilibrium. This means the function of your natural skin barrier will return and your skin can exfoliate and shed properly again. This is achieved by using active and simulating ingredients, like L-retinol, that will communicate at the molecular level of the skin for repair and rejuvenation.

Most importantly do not forget to protect the skin from sun.

for more information either visit skin herts or ring 07849 279588

Everyone loves a holiday in the sun or nice day sun bathing in the park. It feels good and is in fact necessary in order to receive proper amounts of Vitamin D. However, there is a safe way to achieve a little sun without over burdening the body with excess free-radical damage and Ultra Violet (UV) radiation. UVA has been found to cause premature ageing and are present all the time, even when cloudy. UVB causes burning and is present on sunny days. The following explains the best way to protect yourself from the avoidable sun damage that each of us receives on a daily basis as well as the safest way to obtain some rays.

First, what exactly does Sun Protection Factor (S.P.F.) mean? S.P.F. refers to a sunscreens ability to absorb UV rays or a sun blocks ability to reflect them. They are measured by timing how long covered with a sunscreen or block it will take for the skin to burn compared to a skin not protected. For example, SPF 15 means it will take 15 times longer to burn with it than without it.

The S.P.F. can range from 2 to 60, but in reality an SPF of 30 only protects the skin 4% more than an SPF 15. This is because an SPF 15 absorbs 93% of the UV rays, while an SPF of 30 absorbs 97%. The Department of Health’s sun safe advice, recommends that people use a broad spectrum sunscreen SPF 15 or higher in conjunction with other methods.

Additionally, the protection intended from an SPF of any sort is dependent on factors like the amount used and how it is applied, when it is used and how often it is reapplied, and what level of SPF is used and whether it is a screen or a block.

Applying sun protection and general guidance

• For starters, the amount of product needed to actually receive the amount of SPF intended by the manufacturer is 30 to 60 mls or ½ tsp for each appendage, and about half of that for the face.
• Application should be much like that of painting a wall. Two coats are always better than one.
• When going out into direct sun light, always apply sunscreens at least 30 minutes beforehand.
• And remember, the rays of which cause the most damage to our DNA and cause pre-mature aging are the UVA rays. These are present even when it is cloudy and raining outside. So, always apply SPF to your face on a daily basis.
• Reapplication should be done every two hours if in direct sun and at least once a day for daily maintenance. This can be established by either using a mineral base make-up or a spray sun block.
• Stay in the shade between 11am and 3pm and don’t rely on sunscreen alone.
• Wear clothes that cover your arms and legs, and a wide-brimmed hat.
• Wear sunglasses that block UV light to protect your eyes. 
• Never burn, as sunburn causes permanent damage.

Lastly, and most importantly, what is better, a screen or a block?

There seems to be a lot of confusion around this topic; however it becomes quite simple when we come from a stand point of chemicals versus non-chemical and absorbing UV rays rather than reflecting them.  A sunscreen uses chemicals as a way of absorbing the UVB rays. These are responsible for our skins ability to tan (a tan, by the way, is a sign of injury that the skin creates to protect skin cells for DNA damage). Furthermore, if the sunscreen says “broad spectrum”, than it also absorbs UVA rays.

So, if you can’t trust sunscreen, can you trust a sun block? Because a sun block reflects the UV rays up and off the skin, allowing for a very little penetration, as well as avoids the use of synthetic chemicals, the answer is easy. Ingredients like, Micronized Titanium Dioxide, Micronized Zinc Oxide and Zirconium Oxide are all natural minerals that are non-irritating and block out both UVA and UVB. Additionally, because they are not chemicals dependent on a time frame, it is only when they are washed off the face either by sweat or water that they become ineffective. Hence, they provide even longer protection than a sun screen can! And if texture and thickness is a problem, new formulations using mineral blocks have been developed that are light weight and do not give off a whitish appearance to the skin.

With all that said, the facts are apparent. To establish proper SPF protection use a sun block, e.g. Cosmedix – serious protection.

For more information call us on 07849 279588 or visit skin hertfordshire

Dear Dr Singh,

I’m just writing to let you know how happy I am with the treatment I received at you practice.

I have had Botox administered several times in the past-mostly at clinics outside the UK- and I can honestly say that the results have never been as good as they are now.

I was particularly impressed that you took so many “before” and “after” photos for comparison and in my follow up appointment your concern and care that I was satisfied with the results was exemplary.

I would have no hesitation whatsoever in recommending you and indeed have already done so to several work colleagues.

I look forward to seeing you at my next appointment. I only wish I had enough money for a complete overhaul.

Regards,

AD

Sun                                                    

Premature skin ageing caused by damage to collagen occurs from inadequate protection from UV rays. See section on sun protection on how to prevent this damage.

Stress                    

Adrenalin is released when we are stressed, this restricts blood flow to the skin, slowing cell turnover and resulting in a dull complexion. Antioxidant rich foods such as berries and tomatoes will reduce this problem. It is also essential to take out time to relax

Hormones

When we have an excess of oestrogen (Post Menstrual Syndrome) we get excess oil production. When we have depleted oestrogen (menopause) we get a decrease in oil production. We can prevent this by regular exercise which will increase the blood flow to the skin.

Diet

As the largest organ in the body, your skin is directly affected by your diet.  Poor diet will lead to acid by products that deposit in the tissues of the body, including the skin. An acidic environment promotes more inflammation. See section on skinutrition for further information.

Lack of sleep                     

While we are sleeping the body and skin has time to repair and rejuvenate.

Smoking

Nicotine narrows the blood vessels and prevents blood from circulating to the upper layer of the skin. This destroys collagen and so smokers’ skin has more lines and wrinkles.

Alcohol

This dehydrates the skin, leaving it dry and irritated. Excess alcohol can cause swollen blood vessels, resulting in tiny red veins to appear on the skin’s surface and make the face look flushed.

Pollution and environment

Dirt from this source can coat the skin’s surface, this in turn blocks pores.

For more information visit skin care at aesthetics or telephone us on 07849 279588.

As time passes our skin succumbs to a perfectly natural ageing process. The effects of  pollution, stress, fatigue and toxins leave their mark and the skin loses its suppleness and elasticity. Nothing reflects our age more than the state of our skin.

The key to growing old gracefully is through good living and awareness of your environment. While many of the changes that come with skin can’t be avoided, some can definitely be minimized. First, it helps to have a basic understanding what happens to the skin as it goes through the aging process.

Intrinsic Aging

The skin ages in two key ways: intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic aging is genetically predetermined—you can’t avoid it. Eventually, skin gets thinner, drier and less elastic. This happens because we produce less collagen over time. This drop in collagen production also causes skin to sag and is unable to bounce back with weight loss or gain.

The reason skin gets dryer and thinner over time is because the dermis (deep layers of the skin) loses its ability to hold or attract water.   On top of this, age causes a marked decrease in the sweat glands and the oil producing sebaceous glands. Oils, water and sweat are the elements of moist, plump skin.

Although the extent of these changes varies from person to person, skin ageing usually first becomes apparent in our 30s.

Extrinsic Aging

Extrinsic aging is directly related to exposure to toxins and environmental elements. As you know, the sun is one of the biggest culprits behind extrinsic aging. It basically intensifies the intrinsic aging process, causing us to look older that our true age. Sun-related aging, called “photo aging” causes fine lines, wrinkles, age spots (due to pigment changes), enlarged pores, broken capillaries and rough, uneven skin tone and texture.

Our lifestyle is another factor in extrinsic aging.   For example, cigarette smoking not only speeds up the breakdown of collagen and elastin, it causes the formation of skin-killing free radicals (A chemically active atom). Further, it makes it harder for the skin to repair itself. Poor eating habits will also have an effect. A colorful, well-balanced diet is rich in the antioxidants and anti-inflammatories vital for a healthy complexion.

for more information visit skin or call us on 07849 279588.