Dedicating a little time every day to look after your skin can in fact save you a lot of time in the long run.
Prevention is one of the best tips. Before and beyond any treatments, there are so many things a person can do to help the skin through the harsh winter months.
Although these winter days are short and one may feel like they’re not even getting Vitamin D let alone the sun possibly causing problems, in fact any sun exposure at all requires some protection. Skin exposed to the Sun is a massive cause of premature ageing. For those patients who regularly use sun beds, to help your skin, cutting down on usage as much as possible or preferably stop using them altogether is advisable.
Women unfortunately have thinner skin than males so need to work harder to protect their skin. Applying an SPF sun cream every day is advisable.
Overheating the skin can cause it to lose the natural oils that are essential to maintaining its health and cause it to dry out too much, damaging rather than helping. Try to turn down the temperature of showers a small amount, central heating can also really dry out your skin.
Your hands are one of the most exposed parts of the body. Take care to moisturise regularly. We lose fat and skin elasticity as we age so it’s always good to start early when it comes to looking after your hands.
It’s important to maintain a balanced diet, snacking on fruits instead of fatty or artificial foods can really help the skin. A lot of patients have enjoyed the Christmas and New Year celebrations by indulging in less healthy food and drink. Make it a New Year Resolution to make sure to consume at least 5 a day fruit and vegetables.
Whilst it’s always ideal to have a balanced diet that includes all the necessary vitamins and minerals, sometimes busy lives make it hard. Supplements can be a great way to top up diets. Avoiding germs in the winter can be hard so it’s best to build up defences and keep everything in working order.
Taking care with alcohol and including as much water as possible when drinking can help. Drinking a glass of water in-between alcoholic drinks will prevent the toll alcohol takes on the skin and save on hangover woes. Big nights out and alcohol can particularly show on the skin around your eyes.
Dr Ayham Al-Ayoubi: Drinking plenty of water to ensure you remain hydrated throughout the day is important for your general health, but also is very good for your skin. There’s no strict minimum and fruit and vegetables contain water but it’s a good idea to consciously try to drink more than one may be used to as the majority of people don’t drink enough.
Healthy Skin can also be boosted by keeping the basics in order. Cleansing the face and body twice daily followed by moisturising as soon as you have patted (not rubbed) yourself dry is important. Removing makeup before sleeping and keeping lips moist should be part of the daily routine.
London Medical and Aesthetic Clinic offer a range of non-invasive and minimally invasive cosmetic treatments that can boost the appearance of the skin.