Are you ready to go make-up free this summer?

Dr Kim Prescott discusses treatments that can help you achieve a flawless complexion in time for the warmer weather

Foundation used on the skin to cover up redness, dark spots and scarring can feel oppressive on hot and humid days, and for many people, it can lead to blackheads and breakouts. If this is true for you, and you are considering what you can do to help re-surface, smooth and plump your skin, you need to think about doing these treatments long in advance of the warmer weather.

Many skin technologies have a role to play in helping to restore your youthful glow. Your skin practitioner will conduct a thorough skin and health analysis in order to recommend a course of treatments with the highest likelihood of being both safe and effective for your particular skin concerns.

When prejuvenation is your priority

For younger skin, a course of chemical peels can help with uneven skin tone and acne. If you have enlarged pores or have been researching ways to achieve the classic ‘mirror-glass’ skin, then you will already be aware of the social media buzz around the Aquagold® or WOW Fusion facials. These treatments use a cleverly designed device that delivers a bespoke mesotherapy cocktail that could consist of vitamins, enzymes, botanicals, growth factors and hyaluronic acid into your skin via a series of gold-plated needles. This has the effect of stimulating collagen and elastin, as well as hydrating and plumping the skin.

These so-called Fusion Facials are excellent prejuvenation treatments – a combination of hydrating and reviving ingredients, personalised for your skin concerns – along with a collagen-boosting component to slow down the onset of aging in the skin.

When your laugh lines are starting to hang around in your serious selfies

The body’s own collagen production starts to decline in our mid-20s, so as you head towards your late 30s and 40s, you may be looking to add skin tightening to your skin care programme. The current trend for more advanced skin rejuvenation is to enhance results with combined treatment modalities, working on multiple pathways in the skin. Lasers, IPL, ultrasound, microneedling and radiofrequency (RF) are all popular technologies that are used in combination rejuvenation protocols.

A treatment that often trends on social media is the celebrity favourite, the Pyramid FaceLift. This non-surgical treatment consists of radiofrequency skin tightening and facial muscle toning (LipoFirm FaceLift), microneedling (VoluDerm) and micro-ablative skin resurfacing (TriFractional), delivered in a single session. Its popularity lies in the fact that it works on all layers of the skin, and has been clinically proven to help improve skin texture, tone and volume – very good news for those who prefer to avoid injectable dermal fillers.

Additional components may be added to treatments as part of a customised programme for particular skin concerns. The Pyramid MD Programme could include the addition of LED phototherapy, mesotherapy or platelet-rich plasma (PRP).

When you’re most concerned about scarring or pigmentation

TriFractional skin resurfacing is used to help manage uneven skin tone and fine lines, and has also been shown to help with acne or chicken-pox scarring following a course of a minimum of 3 treatments. Microneedling is another well-established treatment for improvement of scarring and re-surfacing the skin. It is often used as part of a treatment course to manage pigmentation. Some skins may be suitable for IPL photofacials or laser treatments for more persistent pigmentation. It is important to ensure that your skin practitioner assesses the nature and cause of your pigmentation accurately as there are treatments that can make certain kinds of pigmentation worse.

Noticeable skin improvements take time, and a course of treatments conducted over a few months is more likely to lead to ongoing improvements. Don’t forget that sun exposure should be avoided after many of the energy based treatments, so try and complete these sooner rather than later. Whatever skin programme you decide to embark on, it’s a good idea to start the process now.

LipoFirm FaceLift for Men Before and After

Figure 1 Improvements in skin quality after a course of microneedling
(images courtesy of Dermapen)

LipoFirm Facelift for Women Before and After

Figure 2 Long term results after 3 treatments. Volumizing effect of left and right naso labial area. (with permission, Levenberg et al, Pollogen 2012)

Figure 3 Collagen density has increased 10 days after VoluDerm HE (Eur J Dermatol 2014; 24(1): 46-52 with permission from Pollogen Ltd)

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