Good Habits for Great Skin

By MiNDFOOD

Good Habits for Great Skin
Prevention is always better than correction when it comes to looking after your skin, say the experts at Skin Institute.

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The Building Blocks

Good skin starts with nourishing your skin cells, and ensuring your skin gets its essential vitamins is the perfect place to start, says Emma Lindley from the Skin Institute. “Everyone should ideally be working up to using a vitamin A, which corrects cells and enhances cell turnover, and vitamin B, which can prevent pigment from forming,”
she says. Too much time spent in the sun can rapidly accelerate our skin’s ageing, which is why it’s important
to wear a zinc-based sunscreen on a daily basis.
With all the newfangled beauty products hitting the market it can be easy to overlook the basics, but Lindley explains that adequate hydration via a good moisturiser is still essential for great skin. “If our skin is dry we get an impaired skin barrier and that can affect the functions of the skin. Learning how to recognise and understand your skin, and switching up your moisturiser to suit your skin’s changing needs is important too.”

Through The Ages

Despite everyone’s skin ageing in a unique manner, Lindley explains the biological changes that occur 
do follow a timeline. Skin Institute offers free consultations to plan out tailored treatments and skin care with you.

In Your 20s

As your skin emerges from the hormonal phase, there should be a reduction in oil flow and you might start to notice some dryness. As you reach your late 20s, those with a strong genetic tendency to frown might start to notice frown lines appearing.
Plan of attack: Start a good skincare regimen if
you haven’t already, including a zinc-based sunscreen, says Lindley. Consider commencing regular microdermabrasion or peels; while Botox® can effectively reduce frown lines whilst improving brow positioning. Dermal fillers
are becoming more popular in this age group, often for subtly increasing lip size – this is different to how dermal fillers are used in older age groups. Additionally, dermal needling can address acne scarring.

In Your 30s

In your mid to late 30s, sun damage may start appearing. Looking tired is a common complaint due to volume loss beginning, skin can feel less supple, pore size may increase, and lines can become visible. Your natural production of collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid
begins to slow down and skin might become drier.

Plan of attack: Vitamin A and vitamin C to help combat pigmentation are key ingredients. If your skin is dry, introduce hyaluronic acid to boost hydration. Treatment-wise, Lindley suggests IPL treatment for pigmentation, red veins and redness; Botox® for frown lines, crow’s feet and forehead lines and consider dermal fillers to improve overall facial contour and address those first signs of ageing.

In Your 40s

Stores and production of collagen and elastin continue 
to decrease. You’ll start to notice more crepiness, sagging and larger expression lines.

Plan of attack: Start incorporating skincare products that target and address specific concerns. Continuing
with Botox®. Dermal fillers can be used to subtly target bone reabsorption, fat loss and to restore facial shape, contour, proportions and improve sagging. Dermal needling, in conjunction with PRP (platelet rich plasma) can improve overall skin texture, tone, reduce large pores and fine lines; treating areas such as face, neck and hands.

In Your 50s AND BEYOND

Structural changes might become more noticeable as 
bone reabsorbs and recesses, fat pads deflate and fall, and muscles can become stretched. Lifestyle factors such as smoking and excess sun exposure continue to show, and hormonal changes can accelerate the ageing process.

Plan of attack: Choose a plan customised to your skin, lifestyle and budget, it’s never too late to start. Lindley
says this can include a combination of Botox® and dermal fillers, corrective skin treatments and skin care including growth factors or higher strength vitamins. Fractional
laser can address generalised skin ageing and a multitude of skin concerns. It’s more powerful than IPL, making it more suitable for this age group. If you haven’t already, start having your skin checked annually by a skin cancer specialist to monitor any changes to moles and lesions
on your body.

Back to basics

No matter your age, great skin starts with the basics, including a healthy lifestyle and good skincare. According to Emma Lindley, National Appearance Medicine Training Manager at Skin Institute, New Zealand’s leading multi-disciplinary skin health clinic, there are a handful of essentials we should all have in
our beauty regimens
if we want healthy looking, resilient skin.

To arrange a free 30-minute consultation with an experienced appearance medicine nurse, call 0800 SKIN DR or visit www.skininstitute.co.nz.

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