SWITCH YOUR SKIN INTO GEAR WITH SKIN CYCLING

How can switching up your skin care routine help the health and appearance of your skin? The TikTok trend of skin cycling took off after New York-based dermatologist and IG user Dr. Whitney Bowe wrote a blog post about the potential benefits of “cycling through your nightly skin-care products to drive the best results”. By creating space in your routine to allow the skin barrier to recover, she found, skin can both feel and look healthier.

This is something dermatologists have long advocated through the rotation of skin care products, but Dr. Bowe gave it a name — and a really easy-to-follow process. Many of her clients, she found, “were taking a kitchen sink approach to their skin care, mixing and matching ingredients that simply don’t play well together”. She also noticed a focus on “ingredient-specific products […] with a ‘more is better’ obsession”.  

When it comes to skin care, sometimes keeping it simple is best, so Dr. Bowe’s skin cycling is built around a four-night cycle, which you need to repeat. The whole process, therefore, take eight days.

Night 1 — Exfoliation  

Go for chemical exfoliants like serums as opposed to rough physical scrubs, which can feel harsher on the skin.  

Night 2 — Retinoids 

This might be a tricky step for some. Many retinoids, which are chemical derivatives of Vitamin A, are over the counter formulations (La Roche-Posay Effaclar Adapalene Gel is a good one.) There are also stronger ones that dermatologists may prescribe to deal with skin conditions like acne. Not everyone’s skin tolerates retinoids well, however, and if used in conjunction with other ingredients it’s not ideally suited for, redness and irritation can result.  

Our suggestion if you can’t handle the retinoids? SkinCeuticals’ Phyto A+ Brightening Treatment allows you to achieve the same clear, even-looking skin that acids and retinoids typically achieve. And don’t get us wrong — retinoids are super-effective, but for those with more sensitive skin, such vigorous treatments can actually throw off the skin’s delicate pH balance, causing inflammation, breakouts or even discolouration, particularly in skin of colour. Pairing Phyto A+ with a good daily use moisturiser can achieve similarly visible results, but without the side effects.

Nights 3 and 4 — Recovery 

This is the part where you allow your skin to rest so that its barrier has the time and space to repair itself. This requires using products that moisturise and hydrate.

In our tropical climate, especially given the challenges with Sahara dust and recent extremes of temperature — either very hot and dry or very rainy and humid — hydrating skin is really important. Skinceuticals offers a wide range of effective moisturising products. Its Hydrating B5 Gel also works wonders when it comes to hydrating skin. 

Results 

After you’ve stuck to Dr. Bowe’s routine for two cycles, you skin should retain more of a natural glow, and feel a lot more healthy, radiant and properly hydrated. If you continue to intermittently work skin cycling into your routine, she’s found that it can even have an impact on reducing the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and hyperpigmentation, and lessening the occurrence of breakouts. Dr. Bowe says it works really well for sensitive skin too, though we’d be conservative about the retinoid night depending on what you skin can tolerate.  

Takeaways 

Here are a few key things to remember: 

• Don’t overuse skin care products; less is often more

• Your skin will respond in its own unique way to skin cycling — or any skin care routine, for that matter — so don’t compare, and don’t be afraid to adjust the process to suit your needs

• Sometimes, you’ve got to rock the boat to bring about positive change

• Have fun with it — we’re sure the results will be worth it

MANAGING MENOPAUSE

As if menopause doesn’t come with enough unwelcome changes — from hot flashes to vaginal dryness — many women also find themselves having to deal with the visibly embarrassing effects of hyperhidrosis. Researchers suspect that hormonal fluctuations during menopause may cause the condition to take hold, as many women complain that hot flashes bring on their hyperhidrosis. 

So what to do when you feel trapped between the two extremes of hot flashes and excessive sweating? We’ve got you covered…

1. Go for the Botox

Thanks to its overuse as a cosmetic treatment, Botox has garnered a bit of a negative reputation, but it is actually a useful, safe, and effective medical tool. It is also affordable and generally requires little to no downtime — and when it comes to hyperhidrosis, it can be a lifesaver. 

Prior to Botox, patients could only get long-term relief via a type of surgery called a sympathectomy, in which the nerves that control sweating are removed — quite a drastic measure. Simply injecting Botox into the areas that produce most hyperhidrosis symptoms can offer as much as a 90% reduction in sweating, simply by blocking the transmission of nerve impulses to the sweat glands. That’s life changing! 

In terms of what to expect, we do the treatments in our office, with no patient downtime. After taking your medical history, finding out about any medication you are on, and determining whether you are a good candidate for the procedure, we inject the areas you’re having the most difficulty with when it comes to excessive sweating — generally, the armpits, palms, soles of the feet, and in some cases, the forehead, scalp or groin. The process only takes a few minutes and you can use a numbing agent on the area prior to receiving the injection, though most people find it painless or report only mild discomfort. Some patients do experience slight swelling or redness at the injection site, but this is temporary and usually dissipates quickly. 

2. Get to the CO2RE

Our CO2RE laser comes with an amazing extension — the CO2RE Intima — which is single-handedly transforming women’s vaginal wellness, improving debilitating conditions like incontinence, dryness, postpartum issues and changes related to menopause. 

\With its full fractional resurfacing, this super-laser treats multiple skin layers, enhancing firmness and encouraging the production of collagen in simple, 10-minute treatments. While carbon dioxide (CO2) technology has long been used in gynaecology, the CO2RE is customisable and minimally invasive, working wonders with vaginal dryness, soft and scar tissue resurfacing, and being used diagnostically for certain pre-cancerous cervical abnormalities. 

There is also little to no downtime involved in these treatments, which means menopausal women no longer have to suffer through painful or uncomfortable intercourse as a result of vaginal dryness. This gentle laser treatment rejuvenates women’s intimate areas and restores control of their sexual health. The peace of mind that comes from no longer having to deal with issues such as itching, irritation and oversensitivity, incontinence, and increased instances of urinary tract infections, is nothing short of liberating.

To find out more if either of these treatments can improve your quality of life post-menopause, give us a call or come in for a consultation. 

“NO SWEAT” WAYS TO DEAL WITH HYPERHIDROSIS

Most people sweat when their body is overheated and needs to cool down — but those with hyperhidrosis find themselves sweating excessively for no apparent reason. People who suffer from this condition perspire even in cool spaces, or when they are not exerting themselves. 

It can be debilitating when the body’s nervous system directs the sweat glands to produce more sweat than is actually necessary — especially when other people notice. This, in turn, can cause social anxiety, which exacerbates the effects. 

Many people with hyperhidrosis have sweaty palms and feet

Telltale signs 

You could be suffering from primary hyperhidrosis if: 

• Your clothes are regularly stained with sweat (typically in the armpit area)

• There is a film of perspiration on your skin, especially on your face and neck, hands and feet

• Excessive sweating leads to itching, skin irritation and body odour

• The appearance and/or texture of your skin begins to change

There is a generalised type of hyperhidrosis that could signal a more serious medical condition like diabetes or heart disease, so it’s really important to consult your doctor or dermatologist.  

Treatment options 

Antiperspirants 

Available in both over-the-counter and prescription varieties, these seal the sweat glands in order to stem perspiration, and are different from deodorants, which simply mask odour. 

Medication 

Beta blockers, as well as drugs that help to calm the nervous system, can sometimes be effective in managing the condition.  

Botox 

For eligible patients, injecting Botox into areas where the most excessive sweating happens, such as the armpits or palms, helps reduce the overactivity of the nerves. A protein called OnabotulinumtoxinA basically blocks the release of sweat and offers more long-term relief. Botox is FDA-approved, and we have had excellent results with this treatment in auxiliary areas like under the arms, hands and feet. 

Changes to routine 

Many people find additional relief by changing their everyday habits. This includes keeping a journal so that they can identify what foods or locations trigger their hyperhidrosis, increasing the number of cool showers they take per day, or choosing clothes made with breathable fabrics like cotton. 

If you have noticed an increase in excessive sweating to the point where it even happens during sleep, affects your quality of life, or compromises personal and professional relationships, come in and see us. 

FORTY-SOMETHING SKIN CARE

With age comes more wisdom and sadly, less collagen — the structural protein that gives skin its elasticity, helps keep it hydrated nourished and oxygenated, protects it from damage and even promotes new, healthy cell growth. As we get older, our bodies produce less of it, causing visible signs of ageing — and you start noticing the changes from 40 onwards.  

What can you do? Plenty! But to properly address the changes you’re going through, your skincare routine has to change too. The good news is, it’s as easy as 1-2-3…

1. Rev up the retinol  

Derived from Vitamin A, topically applied retinol is super-effective when it comes to slowing the outward signs of ageing. It helps increase collagen production, minimising the appearance of any fine lines or wrinkles and making skin look and feel firmer. We have a variety of retinols of different strengths, and can recommend the one that’s right for you. 

2. Be a hydration station 

Dry skin automatically looks and feels older; skin needs to be properly hydrated in order to thrive. Make sure whatever moisturiser you use in your 40+ skincare ritual contains ceramides (lipids that hold moisture and help the skin barrier to function optimally) and emollients (which make skin soft and supple) — SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2 is an excellent choice. It’s also a good idea to add hyaluronic acid into your routine, as it seals moisture into the skin very effectively, with amazing results.  

3. Don’t wait…exfoliate

Even though your skin may have started to look a little dull on account of not naturally shedding as often as when you were younger, this is not to say that you should go crazy with exfoliation — twice a week should be sufficient enough to help the cell renewal process along and recapture that natural glow. 

Microdermabrasion and chemical peels can also help with skin resurfacing, as can our amazing Oxygeneo facials, which give you similar results, but with deeply rejuvenating oxygenation effects that replenish and hydrate skin from the inside out. 

With the right combo of products and treatments, moving forward from 40 can be absolutely fabulous!  

TEENAGE DREAM SKIN

The Number One teen complaint we see is acne — and that’s to be expected with such major hormonal changes — but there are so many products targeted at teens that things can get confusing. The best skin care routine, however, is the one you follow, so we like to keep it simple…

Step 1. Cleanse 

Between hormones, school-related stress, sweat, environmental toxins, and the occasional junk food binge, teen skin can get dirty, oily and clogged. Cleaning it is the logical solution, but steer clear of harsh, exfoliating scrubs. Instead, make sure your cleanser of choice is gentle — which means chemical and fragrance-free. SkinCeuticals Gentle Cleanser is a trusted product with which to start off the teen skin care routine. If your skin tends to be on the oily side, a product like CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser, which contains 4% benzoyl peroxide, can also help. 

Step 2. Target

If breakouts are active, target them with spot treatments. You can try products that contain benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, or retinoids, but because these ingredients can be harsh on skin, you only need to apply a tiny amount on the affected area. La Roche-Posay Effaclar Adapalene Gel is a good option for an over-the-counter, topical retinoid. 

Step 3. Moisturise 

Because acne-zapping ingredients can strip and dry out skin, moisturising is a fundamental part of any teen skin care routine. Again, we recommend gentle options, like the lightweight SkinCeuticals Daily Moisturiser or CeraVe Facial Moisturizing Lotion. Both contain hydrating ceramides, which improve skin barrier function.   

Step 4. Protect

A teen skin care routine without sunscreen is like a car without seat belts. Creating good skin protection habits from an early age pays off down the line in the form of fewer wrinkles, reduced signs of hyperpigmentation and premature ageing, and less occurrence of skin cancers. Teens should, however, opt for mineral sunscreens that do not clog pores the way chemical SPFs can. 

Step 5. Consult 

While solid skin care routines can make a huge difference to teen skin health, acne can be complex to treat, particularly more chronic types like cystic acne. If there is not enough of an improvement within two months, it’s worth coming in to see us to custom-design an alternative approach, which can include a range of options, from prescription medication to chemical peels or laser treatment. 

Step 6. At-home help 

While acne can often feel beyond your control, there are things you can do to give your teen skin care routine the best chance of success: 

• Stick to a healthy, balanced diet, avoiding oily, sugary foods

• Drink enough water

• Get enough sleep (8-10 hours a night)

• Counteract the effects of stress through outlets like exercise, enjoyable hobbies, spirituality and meditation, connecting with nature and with friends, and carving out some you time!

If you need help getting your acne under control, give us a call and we’ll help determine an approach that works for you.