Skin FAQs

In our market - broadly speaking - there are three reasons for the appearance of puffy bags under your eyes – including water retention, fat pads, and skin laxity:

Water retention:

Blood flow to the eye is generally a little better than the lymph drainage and the blood flow away from your eyes. This is why in part it’s not uncommon to wake up with puffy eyes in the morning. In most cases, however, by midmorning, they should have settled down and returned to normal. But in some cases, when drainage away from the eyes is very poor, the bags become more permanent; only resolving ever so slightly during the course of the morning. This is more commonly associated with people who have water retention problems. Fortunately, there are ingredients in products that can assist in improving lymph drainage. Your skincare therapist should also perform a pressure point technique during your facial that can encourage lymph drainage.

Fat pads:

In some cases, small bags of subcutaneous fat form under the eye, and in this case, it’s advisable to book a consultation with an aesthetic professional [doctor or nurse] to assess your case. They will quickly and painlessly diagnose if it’s water retention or a fat pad that’s causing the problem. In such cases, there are two currently available treatment options to consider: The fat pad can be removed surgically by a plastic surgeon. Alternatively, a Lipolytic solution (that breaks down fat) can be injected into the area. Every case is different and your doctor will discuss the best option for you. Both approaches are very successful but must be performed by a trained specialist.

Skin Laxity:

With age, the loss of collagen and elastin can also cause the skin around the eye to become baggy. Here prevention is better than cure. Using a good quality eye cream from a young age will protect the collagen and assist your body in producing more. In this way, the elasticity of the skin is preserved and bags are prevented. Where it’s too late to prevent this sagging - there are many treatments that work incredibly well and help improve the bags under your eyes. Options on the table include factional laser treatments, plasma treatments, the use of skin-tightening radiofrequency, and of course traditional eye surgery (blepharoplasty). Whatever route you opt for – it’s still important to combine any of these treatments with a good quality eye cream to enhance and maintain your results.

This is very dependent on the type of exfoliator you are using. I am not a big believer in scrubs, even though they feel so good. In my experience, they generally give an uneven exfoliation and might irritate and even injure the skin. If you can’t live without your exfoliator find one that’s safe and effective and always ask for the product’s proven clinical results. You want a product that will remove excess dry skin and also stimulate the production of a new healthy epidermis. Some exfoliators are used daily and others only two to three times per week.

If you are undergoing a course of peels – exfoliation becomes less necessary and you might be given an exfoliator just to help maintain the result of the peels.

Your skin is your largest organ and it’s also the biggest organ exposed to the environment – particularly those areas of your skin that are not covered with clothing. More than just removing your makeup - you need to wash your skin to remove the contaminants that are left on it from this exposure. This might include big particles like dust and pollution but also includes smaller particles like free radicals, sweat, bacteria, and viruses. When left on your skin they can block your pores and increase the rate of aging.

Contaminants left on the skin will also cause the skin to look dirty and unhealthy; the skin may even appear dull and lifeless. They will also prevent the penetration of the active ingredients in your skincare products. Cleansing is the first step to healthy and vibrant skin.

In my opinion, and while it may seem simplistic, the best measure is to look at your friends and family members who are the same age as you and compare your skin to theirs. My best reference of success was when a client of mine went to her 30th school reunion and could with confidence say that she looked 10 years younger than her peers. We all want to look good for our age and not necessarily very much younger, so bear in mind that lifestyle, sun exposure, and of course genes all contribute to how well we age.

Gone are the days when botulinum toxin injections were reserved for older women. Today, many sin care practices use botulinum toxin to prevent the signs of aging. These injections are used to prevent and soften the lines and wrinkles in the upper part of the face – caused by excessive facial expression. Used in this way since the seventies – botulinum toxin is not a new fad and has been proven safe and effective. A word of caution though – I would not suggest botulinum toxin injections before you are in your late twenties. (Unless you already have severe frown lines for example.)

Botulinum toxin might also be an option if you have static lines around your eyes and on your forehead. Static lines are lines that don’t disappear when your face is in a resting state. So if you smile you will have lines around your eyes and maybe you even crinkle your nose a little. If they stay there when you stop smiling they are classified as static lines. The same goes for frowning. In this instance, botulinum toxin is used to allow the muscle to relax completely when you are not using it and in this way, the lines will eventually disappear. When treating with botulinum toxin the tendency is used just enough to allow the muscle to relax properly - and not to leave you with a face that is void of any expression.

You need an SPF 30 at least for your daily sunscreen. This should be applied during your standard skincare routine and is intended to protect you when you get in and out of the car and in your office etc. However, if you are spending time in the sun your SPF must be 50 and up. Always choose a sunscreen with both UVA and UVB protectors – this is referred to as a broad-spectrum sunscreen. Sunscreens should also contain anti-oxidants; an essential ingredient included because of their ability to de-activate the free radicals that are formed when you are in the sun.

If you are in the market for something more - look out for sunscreens that offer protection from the effects of the full spectrum of sunlight, not only UVA and UVB. These products are designed to prevent aging and hyperpigmentation, as well as correct DNA damage. They contain ingredients that lower enzyme levels, quench free radical action, and have anti-inflammatory properties too. A good example is Helase 50.

That would mean you need to completely stay out of the sun – and of course with every birthday so the passage of time begins to reveal itself. It’s inevitable and unavoidable but the progression of wrinkles can be managed. Generally, wrinkles are more visible in lighter skin that contains less natural sun-protecting melanin. So your first step to ageing gracefully is to protect your skin from the sun – even if you have darker skin. The best way to do this is to stay out of the sun and definitely not sunbed tanning. Use your sunscreen daily on areas that are sun-exposed. Even in your car and in a building with windows and lights - there is exposure to light frequencies that will speed up ageing.

Potent anti-oxidants are another critical element to staying younger. The anti-oxidant supplements we take orally might not be enough to help combat ageing as the skin is the last organ to be supplied. Good quality anti-ageing products should always contain potent anti-oxidants in the formulation. Applying them directly onto your skin is the most effective and fastest way to benefit from the protection they provide from free radical action. Also, look out for products that contain enzymes that can correct DNA damage caused by free radicals.

Now that is a big ask. There are so many ranges that do so many things for your skin. I would suggest that you see a skincare professional at a reputable skincare outlet. Allow her to assess your skin and suggest the best product for the challenges that you are facing with your own skin and make sure you can afford to use it and have in-salon treatments to augment your progress.

I love the use of Vitamin A and specifically Lamelle’s retinoic acid products when faced with the challenge of eradicating blackheads. If you are struggling with skin that is constantly presenting with blackheads means that the cells are not forming and shedding properly. In many cases, this is caused by your skin being sensitive to hormone level fluctuations. To scrub, wash, exfoliate and extract in these cases will only provide temporary results. To fix the turnover you need to change the cell’s ability to form properly and shed easily. This is best achieved by using Vitamin A-containing products. The challenge is that many of them cause sensitivity, dryness, and irritation. Lamelle however has found an active form of Vitamin A that changes the skin turnover and shedding but does not cause any dryness or sensitivity.

My second choice for the treatment of blackheads would be the use of skin-specific enzymatic exfoliation or products containing salicylic acid. Both these ingredients will cause shedding of the full skin even into the pores. Salicylic acid is also comedolytic; it’s able to remove the fatty plug in the pore that forms the blackhead and will lower sebum levels on your skin.

In cases where you are attempting to achieve drastic changes in your skin, it’s imperative to go for monthly treatments at a minimum. With severe acne, symptoms of aging, and pigmentation, the in-office or in-salon treatments will give you the best results, while your home care regime will support and maintain them.

If you have normal, healthy, problem-free skin you could see a therapist occasionally so as to achieve a little more than you can on your own at home. In that case, the treatments are less critical and a daily routine that includes protection with sunscreens, antioxidants, and well-balanced moisturizers will be more important.