Hi everyone,
I am delighted to officially be starting my brand new weekly column with Goss.ie. Where I will be answering all of your questions on skin care, cosmetic treatments and so much more.
Just to introduce myself, I run The Laser And Skin Clinic – located in Dublin, Athlone and Mullingar. We are recognised as one of Ireland’s most reputable and innovative aesthetic skin clinic groups offering the most innovative, safe and highly effective treatments, alongside a five-star service.
When I’m not treating my clients at The Laser and Skin Clinic you’re sure to find me at SkinShop.ie; Ireland’s most advanced online one-stop- shop for cosmeceutical skincare created by myself.
I look forward to answering your questions every week, and make sure to mail [email protected].
Anna
Q: Hi Anna,
In the last few years I’ve found that I have a very uneven skin tone. I try to mask it with different foundations and different concealers but it’s hard work, and I feel even during the day if makeup wears off it’s noticeable. Are there procedures or products I could use to help this?
Uneven skin tone and pigmentation is a common beauty bugbear that I consult for every day at my clinics. Usually presenting itself as freckles, sun spots to Melasma (larger patches of pigment) on the skin pigmentation can be both difficult to conceal and to treat depending on the type of pigmentation you have. The usual culprits for unevenness can be trauma to the skin, acne, sun damage and hormonal changes.
While skincare targeted at lightening areas of pigmentation certainly isn’t new, the amount of products and skin treatments all promising to fix the problem can be overwhelming so it’s very important to get the correct advice before investing into a new regime.
Pigmentation can be superficial and located in epidermal layers, or deeper in the skin, which is trickier to treat. At your consultation we can confirm what level your pigmentation is at so that we can advise you on the best course of treatments and/or skincare program for your concerns.
For superficial pigmentation a course of superficial skin lightening peels or chemical peels may be recommended to Active FX Laser Resurfacing treatment for deeper and more stubborn areas of pigment. If you prefer to treat at home using a skincare regime we highly recommend using an Obagi Skincare System which can provide excellent results but over a longer period of time if you are not combining with treatments.
It’s also important to note whatever kind of pigmentation you have it’s always exacerbated by the sun. To prevent further unevenness and damage to your skin I advise using a high quality SPF. Even in the winter months it’s essential to wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen to protect against the longer wave UVA rays, as well as the UVB rays. A key ingredient to look for in your sunscreen is Zinc Oxide, which protects against both UVA and UVB rays. I recommend the new Obagi Sun Shield Range (cool & warm tints). They also contain state of the art infrared defence and have the recommendation of the skin cancer association.
Available from www.skinshop.ie:Â http://skinshop.ie/shop/obagi-sun- shield-tint- spf50-2/
Client following Active FX Laser Resurfacing treatment at The Laser and Skin Clinic
Q: Hi Anna,
I’m in my early 30s and I’m starting to panic about wrinkles. I’m starting to notice more permanent wrinkles around my frown lines and under my eyes. I really think I’d like to try Botox but I would love to try non-surgical treatments first, what would you suggest?
As the skin ages, it loses elasticity and collagen breaks down, so constant muscle and skin
contractions can create more permanent creases that you are beginning to notice. Botox is a popular non-surgical option to treat frown and forehead lines and also for lines around the eye area commonly referred to as ‘crow’s feet’.
Designed to relax various muscles that cause wrinkles to appear on the upper face, this simple treatment offers a two-part solution for prevention and treatment at the same time. They will smooth the wrinkles by halting the physical movement (like squinting), therefore preventing them from forming in the first place. This is the reason why many women are opting to start injectables in their 30s – as starting early is the best preventative.
While Anti-Wrinkle Injections is the treatment of choice to halt forehead, frown lines and crow’s feet it’s not the only option available. At The Laser and Skin Clinic we also recommend Mesotherapy, Platelet Rich Plasma treatments (also known as the Vampire Facelift) and Laser treatment to soften the appearance of lines and wrinkles and indeed improve the overall appearance and texture of the skin but it’s important to note that alternative treatments to anti- wrinkle injections will not prevent movement in the area that originally causes these lines to appear.
If you are concerned with fine lines and wrinkles including dark circles on the under eye area I would highly recommend either Mesotherapy or Vampire Facelift treatment as they are more suitable in treating the delicate skin around this area.
To assess your skin properly I would advise that you Book a Skin Consultation at The Laser and Skin Clinic.
Visit www.laserandskin.ie
For next week’s Ask Anna, get your questions in to: [email protected].
Complete an indepth consultation with me http://skinshop.ie/ask-the- expert/
The Laser and Skin Clinic www.laserandskin.ie
