A moment on your lips – an outbreak of zits? Chocolate has long been stigmatized as a skin enemy, causing spotty, oily skin. The role of diet in acne remains highly controversial – numerous scientific studies have failed to demonstrate that chocolate aggravates acne, yet many sufferers claim there’s a clear link. Clearly, this is an area that needs even …
Honoured to be named one of UK’s best cosmetic doctors
I’ve finally escaped Volcano chaos and arrived back in the UK to some fabulous news. In their current issue, Tatler magazine has named me as one of Britain’s best cosmetic doctors. It goes without saying, I’m thrilled to be honoured. Thank you Tatler!
A distressing spot of bother?
The other week I read in a major newspaper that we, as patients, are wasting billions of pounds on the NHS because we see our GPs with only ‘minor’ ailments. One of these ailments the article quoted was acne. As a dermatologist, I was shocked and outraged. Just because acne is so common – not only among teenagers but increasingly …
Pigment – The good, the bad and the ugly
Still hankering after that golden glow? Sorry to tell you, but all tans are not created equal. Human skin has two main types of pigment – eumelanin and pheomelanin. Under the sun, fair skin generates more pheomelanin – a reddish, yellow-brown tone, while dark skin makes mainly eumelanin, a black-brown melanin – the best quality for natural UV-protection. Pheomelanin is …
Self tanners – really harmless?
How safe is it to fake it? Self tanners have traditionally been seen as an easy way of getting a sunkissed look without risking UV-damage. And although I agree that they’re much less harmful for your skin than baking on a beach or – heaven forbid – a sunbed, I do have my reservations. And that’s apart from the ‘burnt …