I am sometimes asked whether vitamin A such as retinol and/or hydroxy acids such as glycolic acid thin the skin. The answer is – these ingredients actually THICKEN the (living!) skin, not thinning it. It’s a common misconception that these ingredients are thinning the skin, but they actually only thin the dead layer of horn cells (corneocytes) on the skin …
I just can’t understand the increasing popularity of facial oils! Personally, I do not recommend the use of facial oils. I think they are greatly overrated and, in many instances, the actual cause of many, many skin problems we see in clinic. In fact, we often get patients coming to clinic who used facial oils at home, that triggered acne …
There seems to be a trend to over-use rich, deeply hydrating skincare, including the ever so popular facial oils. As a cosmetic dermatologist, I’m against overloading the skin with heavy and occlusive textures, because for one they will clog up your pores. However, did you know that this habit will also slow down the skin’s vital, natural surface renewal? There …
Men’s and women’s skin differs in certain aspects such as hair growth, sweat rate, oil production, pH and other factors. Until the age of 50 years, men’s ‘transepidermal water loss’ (invisible water evaporation via the skin) for example is significantly lower than that of women of the same age. That means the skin’s barrier function is better in men, which …
In my opinion, ‘ageing gracefully’ is one of the most misconstrued phrases in our time; when I hear it, I invariably feel worried. Often, what people mean by ‘ageing gracefully’ involves a prejudice against procedures such as BTX (‘botox’) and fillers. The assumption is that should you ‘cave in’ and accept the help of aesthetic procedures, you will inevitably end …
