Q: I am a forty three year old woman and apart from the premature wrinkles I have sun damage and pigmentation. Are there any creams or treatments you can recommend?
A: Anyone who exposes their face to the sun over long periods of time without the use of an S.P.F is at risk of premature ageing, slack muscle tone, pigmentation and worst of all, skin cancer.
Everyone should wear an S.P.F of at least 15 every day, rain or shine. It should be applied 20 mins before sun exposure for maximum effect. Even if you have already damaged your skin, it’s not too late to start with an S.P.F to avoid further damage.
I would recommend you use a regime which contains a.h.a’s, such as glycolic acid, salicylic acid and lactic acid. These exfoliate the top layers of your skin, and will also produce new skin growth from deep down in your skin. This new skin will eventually push its way to the surface, while pushing out any imperfections such as wrinkles, pigmentation and blemishes. These home use products do however take time, so if you are looking for a more immediate result, there are skin peels or microdermabrasion.
There are two types of skin peel. The first is a light to medium peel, using a high concentration of a.h.a’s, left on the skin for about 15 mins. These peels work on the uppermost layers of the skin, and usually a course of 6 over a period of a few months is required. After this treatment, your skin will look plumper and pigmentation marks will drastically be reduced.
The second type of peel is done using a chemical called phenol. It goes much deeper than the first type of peel, and your skin will be left pink and slightly inflamed for a few days afterwards. But, the result is fantastic. It completely takes away all the damaged and dead skin and replaces it with new, plumper, non pigmented, non wrinkled skin. A lot of aftercare and gentle homecare is required – it’s not for the faint hearted.
For more in depth information and advice, I would pop in to your local skin care clinic or dermatologist. Going forward wear an S.P.F. daily.
Ask the Expert was answered today by our skin care therapist Thomasina.
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