STAY SAFE, STAY BEAUTIFUL

We all know that face masks help prevent the spread of coronavirus, but they can also cause skin to react adversely. Here’s how to continue protecting yourself   (and others) while also preventing skin irritation and the dreaded maskne.   

Use the right products 

Think gentle and fragrance-free cleansers, gels and moisturisers that do not upset your skin’s pH balance and provide a proper protective barrier between your skin and your mask. Check out our range of SkinCeuticals cleansers, moisturisers and sunscreens, all of which do a stellar job. Be sure to cleanse and moisturise your face before and after wearing a mask. Hand-washing your mask after each use is also a good habit to foster. 

Take a makeup break

Most people aren’t seeing you with your mask off anyway, so give your skin more of a chance to breathe by opting out of makeup when you can—especially since most foundations rub off on the mask and mix with sweat, which is not ideal. If you must wear makeup, choose light, non-comedogenic formulas like SkinCeuticals Dermablend, which offer good coverage without clogging pores. 

Don’t overdo 

Just as too much hand sanitisation can cause cases of eczema, too much cleansing (more than twice a day), can strip your skin of the oils it needs to maintain its healthy biosphere. 

Choose the right material 

All masks are not created equal, so select those that give you and your skin the best chance of staying healthy. Avoid synthetic fabrics; instead, opt for masks made with breathable cotton—just make sure you’ve got at least two layers of protection. N95 and KN95 are the masks being recommended for optimum protection against the Omicron variant, so you can always double-mask, choosing to wear the cotton mask closer to your skin. 

Got more questions? We’ve got answers—just give us a call!

RESOLUTION REVOLUTION

As we welcome 2022, here’s a revolutionary idea—let’s ditch the grand resolutions and instead, resolve to commit to several small but important habits that will make your skin glow throughout the year.

H2O’s the way to go 

In the same way that a plant withers and wrinkles up when it’s deprived of water, so does your skin. Dehydration can take a tremendous toll on our organs, of which the skin is the largest—and no matter how many hydrating topical products you use, it’ll take a lot longer for you to see results if you’re not drinking water, which works much faster and more holistically, hydrating your entire system from the inside. So get yourself a water bottle or glass that you enjoy drinking out of and sip your way to eight ounces, eight times a day—your skin will thank you for it! 

The other eight that cannot wait 

You guessed it—sleep! Eight hours of quality rest are a critical component of good health, including radiant skin, as it aids cell repair, dispels toxins from the body and reduces inflammation. This is especially critical: inflammation causes collagen and hyaluronic acid—which are responsible for our skin looking firm and rosy—to break down, causing skin to look sallow and ageing us prematurely.   

Cleanse—it’s your friend

It’s like brushing your teeth: you’ve got to do it at least twice a day, morning and evening, no exceptions. Why? To get rid of environmental pollutants, dirt and dead skin cells that compromise the look, feel and health of our skin. We’ve got a range of trusted and effective SkinCeuticals cleansers to choose from, that are great for all skin types. Cleaning is a skincare routine staple that yields amazing benefits, but you also need to…

Mix it up!  

New years are always full of possibilities and fresh opportunities, so why shouldn’t this extend to skin care? Shake up your skin care regimen by introducing something novel to your regular routine. Depending on the results you want, these can include anything from exfoliating scrubs to antioxidants, serums to sheer sunscreens. Just one little tweak can often make all the difference! 

Need help designing your ideal skin care regimen for the coming year? Just make an appointment with us. 

OUR AMAZING E-EVENT GOES LIVE, DECEMBER 2!

Here’s how we spell Christmas…

Be sure to join us on Instagram Live!

CARING FOR YOUR SKIN AT CHRISTMAS

Whether you’re spending your holiday break in winter climes or tropical temperatures, here’s how to ensure your skin has that rosy Christmas glow.

Warm climates tend to have high humidity, which means that there’s a lot of water vapour in the air. Because the skin’s natural cooling system—sweat—doesn’t evaporate as easily in humid conditions, our pores expand and get clogged more easily. Colder climates, on the other hand, tend to dry out skin, stripping it of the hydration it needs to stay healthy. You can combat moisture loss caused by the combined effects of low humidity and indoor heating by fortifying your skin’s natural barrier. Interestingly, how you care for your skin in both extremes is remarkably similar…

Caribbean Christmas

CLEANSE: Morning and evening, clean your skin with products that cater to your particular skin type. Skinceuticals has some wonderful choices that help control irritating skin conditions like acne and eczema, which thrive in humidity. 

MOISTURISE: Just because the atmosphere has a lot of moisture in it doesn’t mean you can skip moisturising your skin. Hydrated skin is healthy skin; just opt for more lightweight moisturisers in tropical heat. 

USE SUNSCREEN: You knew this was coming, right? Sun damage is one of the biggest culprits when it comes to ageing skin and skin cancers, so never leave home without it, and be sure to choose reliable sunscreens, with SPF 30 or higher.

Winter Wonderland

CLEANSE: Instead of harsh soaps, opt for moisturising gels and cleansers that nurture and replenish your skin. You can check out some of our fabulous SkinCeuticals products here.

MOISTURISE: Choose products that seal in the moisture to avoid having itchy, flaky, or cracked skin. Emollients like Vaseline are effective at healing a dry epidermis and forming a protective barrier against the effects of a harsh winter. Another great brand is CeraVe, which offers excellent hydration properties. 

USE SUNSCREEN: The effects of UV rays in temperate climes can be intense, especially because the glare of the sun off fallen snow. (For this reason, you should also wear polarised sunglasses.)

To find out more about superlative skin care, you can check out past issues of our newsletter, or make an appointment if you need to consult with us. 

TREATING CARIBBEAN SKIN RIGHT

Most of us who live in the Caribbean are people of colour, yet there are still far too many misconceptions floating around about skin of colour. The result? Inaccurate skincare advice that can sometimes have damaging consequences. We’ll set the record straight…

Misconception: Caribbean skin doesn’t need sunscreen. 

Reality: Yes, it does. 

Sure, additional melanin offers people of colour more protection from the effects of harmful UV rays than those who have lighter skin, but everybody needs to wear sunscreen. We’ve been singing that song for years. It’s even more important for us in Trinidad and Tobago, being so close to the equator (particularly with the impacts of climate change), because sunburn and skin cancer can—and have—struck people of every hue. 

Misconception: Caribbean skin ages well, regardless. 

Reality: Ageing well requires effort. 

The fact is that living in the tropics, with heat, humidity and sun exposure, can have just as much of a visible impact on darker skin as the harsh effect of temperate climates does on lighter skin. Ageing gracefully requires to key components: first, a proper and consistent skincare routine, using quality products that are suited to your particular skin type. Our SkinCeuticals products are some of the most trusted and scientifically robust lines available, and we’d be happy to recommend a skincare ritual for you. Bear in mind that skin of colour often ages differently from white skin, meaning that you might start to notice things like discolouration, hyperpigmentation and age spots rather than wrinkles or crow’s feet. Secondly, we’ve found that inner beauty always shines through, and that people who are grateful, kind and young at heart always seem to age well. 

Misconception: Caribbean skin isn’t suited to modern skin treatments.

Reality: Everything is relative. 

The technology we use at Serpentine Dermatology is amazingly advanced and, under our professional guidance, able to successfully treat all types of skin. In fact, medical board-approved dermatologists should be the only people you trust with procedures like peels, lasers and the like. We’ve seen far too many cases of spa treatments gone awry, patients being given inaccurate advice for complicated skin conditions, or even worse, using over the counter products that make the problem worse.

We’re here to help keep your Caribbean skin healthy and beautiful, and are just a phone call away if you want to schedule a consultation.