It still boggles my mind that fine line and wrinkle treatment, using botulinum toxin, can be so effective! More so, it amazes me that over the decades that I have been offering this treatment, more uses keep emerging. From helping depression to boosting skin health, the treatment options available to my patients keeps on growing!
However, the downside can be having to return multiple times a year, which isn’t great if you don’t like needles! So here are some top tips to help you extend the time between your visits…
Making sure your doctor/dentist/nurse practitioner is experienced will go a long way to ensuring you get the right areas treated appropriately. Some patients are regularly recalled by their injector to get ‘top ups’ but, in my opinion, this shouldn’t be necessary, unless it’s the first time you have been treated by the person.
Of course, your body isn’t always predictable, so occasionally you may require adjustments to your fine line and wrinkle treatment after a few weeks. Having regular ‘top ups’ will make Botox® less effective for you, so it’s important to avoid them if you can.
Consider not using face scrubs, masks or toners one week before your treatment. These can alter the chemistry of your skin by causing inflammation, which may result in your fine line and wrinkle treatment being less effective.
Ask your injector about other brands that might work for you. After many decades, new botulinum brands have now been developed, each with their own characteristics and benefits. This means that, if your regular treatment with the Botox® brand isn’t working as well as you’d like, your injector now has other brands they can try to see if they give you better fine line and wrinkle treatment results that last longer.
Any experienced doctor/dentist /nurse will be able to discuss the alternative brands that are available and give their advice on whether they may be helpful to you.
In a study by Koshy JC et al. (Journal of Drugs and Dermatol 2012 Apr;11(4):507-12), researchers found that zinc and/or phytase supplementation boosted the effects of botulinum treatments by 30% on average.
‘Surprisingly, the results showed that in over ninety percent of the patients studied, the zinc/phytase combination resulted in a remarkable improved responsiveness to treatment of blepharospasm using the same amount of botulinum toxin as previously used’, said Soparkar, M.D., Ph.D., an oculoplastic surgeon. ‘The toxins seemed to have a greater effect and last longer. Potentially, this could mean using less toxin, offering patients financial savings, greater safety, and more consistent results.’
Remember that this requires some planning, as studies have shown that you have to start zinc supplements 4 days prior to treatment for them to have any effect!
Now you know my top tips to get the best results from your fine line and wrinkle treatment, it’s time for you to get yourself booked in! You can do so quickly and easily on our website. You can also find all of our contact details on this page in case there are any questions that you would like to ask.
Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more beauty tips and tricks!
Is your skin looking dull, blotchy or dehydrated? Do you wish your mirror came with a filter just like your phone? Not to worry! My five tips for healthy, glowing skin will have you feeling like your best self in no time!
Your skin cells are practically self-cleaning, so they don't need harsh ingredients or double-cleansing. This is because every 21 days or so, your cells renew themselves, which means cleaning your skin within an inch of its life won’t do it any favours! Cleansing too frequently will disrupt the renewal process and break the skin’s natural defences, allowing moisture to escape and pollutants and bacteria to get in, which isn’t exactly healthy and won’t result in glowing skin!
When you’re stressed, your body releases a hormone called cortisol. Cortisol is good for you if you're experiencing a ONE-OFF stress event, like being chased by a lion! However, persistent, chronic stress and the resultant high cortisol levels can wreak havoc on ALL the organs of your body… the biggest being the skin.
We can’t eliminate stress in our lives, but we can learn strategies to deal with it. I find that practising good sleep hygiene, cutting back on my alcohol consumption, meditating and doing some restorative exercises like Hatha Yoga works for me and leads to glowing skin. I also encourage myself to be kind - to myself and others, even if that might mean saying ‘no’ to someone. You might not feel good doing this, but your stress levels will benefit from it and so will your skin. I am always available for a chat and to point you in the right direction to help manage your stress. If you’re in for your regular treatment or a consultation, please ask for help!
The skin is a complex organ and so are the processes that keep the cells working well. I won’t go into biochemistry and bore you with science, but without the right nutrients, your skin cells simply won’t be able to do their job properly.
Avoiding processed foods and eating your leafy greens will go a long way. However, our modern lifestyles don’t make this easy. The food we eat may not contain the nutrients we need or our bodies might not be able to absorb them efficiently. This is why Su, our skin expert, can give diet and nutrition advice to help you achieve healthier, glowing skin, either by adding foods to your diet or recommending an appropriate supplement. You can book a full skin consultation with Su to learn how to manage your diet to boost skin health. What’s even better is that her consultations come with a skin scan and a sample treatment of our lovely Hydrafacial!
Avoid overusing products or using inappropriate ones on your face. Overuse is more common than you think, especially products that are heavy and don’t allow your skin to breathe. This can cause acne, perioral dermatitis and clogged pores - which results in small white bumps called milia.
Using inappropriate impulse buys can also be harmful to your skin. These products may contain chemicals and essential oils of unknown origin. Essential oils are known allergens and not, in my opinion, to be included in skincare! If you want to know what products are best for you, why not come in and speak to Gael for advice? Or if you are looking for a major overhaul to your skincare regime, why not book in with Su for her famous glowing skin consultation? Don’t forget, I’ve put together a collection of my favourite products in our online store too!
UV rays can inflame and damage the skin, causing uneven tone, texture, and sunspots. Furthermore, we live in a sea of chemical pollutants, all of which can settle on your skin and damage it. Our skincare range has been sourced with this in mind and it has special patented formulas to protect your complexion from both the sun and pollution. Want to know more about these products? Contact Gael and she will talk you through them from start to finish.
If you follow these five tips and tricks, I’m sure that you will notice improvements! However, a lot of us need a little extra help on our journey to glowing skin, if this is the case, simply contact us online!
We hope that this has helped! Make sure you’re following us on Facebook and Instagram for more tips and tricks, as well as to learn more about the clinic, keep up with our news and get exclusive offers!
There’s no doubt that injectables like fillers and Botox® are the most effective line-reducing treatments available. Others might help to some extent but they will never achieve what injectables can. Furthermore, these treatments, in the right hands, are very safe and almost painless. The proof is in the sheer number of people who have been treated worldwide! Allergan reports that, as a brand leader in the field of dermal fillers, they recently achieved a major milestone for their key brand Juvéderm with ‘100 million syringes of their product delivered globally’. Isn’t that incredible?
Some of you might be reluctant to try injectables for various reasons. You might feel scared about ‘losing’ your expressions or you’re worried that you won’t look natural and that others will know you’ve visited a clinic… or are you just scared in general?
Rest assured, safety is my top priority when treating my patients. I like to see myself and my team as ‘gatekeepers’.
Gatekeepers, like us, keep you safe and won't recommend a treatment that's not in your best interest, so there’s no danger of you looking ‘overdone’. If a treatment isn’t right for you, we’ll say so! It’s not just about the look though, we also make sure that you’re in the right headspace. The only reason to undergo any of our procedures is because you want to. Don’t ever forget that! Accountable to our registered bodies (the GDC and HIS), we have to act within clear clinical and safety guidelines or risk getting struck off.
In order to be a gatekeeper, you must be properly trained. I have a Level 7 postgraduate OFQUAL qualification in injectables and I’ve been a dentist for years! What’s more, at No. 4, we have fantastic knowledge and experience - Su and I have over 60 years of clinical experience combined (we know, we don’t look old enough)!
The most important thing when choosing your clinic is to make sure the practitioners are fully qualified. The experience never hurts too though!
You should always expect the best!
Good gatekeepers will always give you all your options and give you time to make your decision as to whether to have treatment or not. We’re not saleswomen, we’re beauty practitioners! We will always conduct a thorough consultation and get to know you first. If injectables don’t suit your medical profile, lifestyle or expectations, we will let you know. After all, we don’t just deal with treatments, we deal with people.
It’s also important that you know you will receive good aftercare. You shouldn’t have your treatment and get kicked straight out of the door! You need to know how to best maintain your results. We’re always on hand to offer advice on which products will suit your skin and my team always want to ensure that you’re happy with your results. In short, you won’t get away from us that quickly…
If you want to get rid of lines and wrinkles, injectables are the best way to do so, but only when you're being treated by experienced, caring professionals.
The first thing to do is book in for your consultation, you can do this easily online. If you’re not quite ready for that, it may be helpful to get to know our clinic better, you can learn more about us on our website or by following us on Facebook and Instagram.
‘Good skin doesn’t happen by chance, it happens by appointment.’ I’m not sure who came up with this phrase but I can honestly say that it’s true! I have found that many of my clients who seek injectables to fix their fine lines and wrinkles don’t recognise that their skin is in crisis! Read on to discover whether your skin is in need of my help.
Early intervention is critical if you're going to avoid premature ageing. Although some might say that premature ageing is inevitable, I believe this isn’t necessarily true. Recent findings show that the environment plays a huge role in how our skin ages. Epigenetics - the study of how our genes react with our environment - means that, if you look after your skin, you might not look like you’re long in the tooth when you’re over 50!
So how do you know if your skin is in trouble and showing the early signs of damage and disease? Here are five signs to help you recognise that you’re in trouble.
Sun damage can cause some cells in the skin to go rogue. Melanocytes are the cells that colour your skin and are easily damaged by UVA, UVB and visible light. When they ‘go rogue’, excessive pigment is released into the skin, causing dark spots and uneven skin tone.
So if you’re starting to see dark spots, BEWARE - you may have caused damage and it’s starting to show!
Using harsh, damaging detergents or double cleansing will dry the skin and make it susceptible to pollution. Stripping it of its protective layer is not what you want to do if you want healthy skin. The surface is covered by a fatty layer, called the lipid barrier. This layer functions to protect your skin from environmental onslaughts, like pollution, whilst simultaneously preventing moisture from being sapped by dry air. If you disrupt this barrier, you will experience skin problems, like dehydration and premature ageing, and your cells won't function normally, leaving you vulnerable to skin damage.
Fine lines and wrinkles are a sign that your skin is losing elasticity. Elasticity is the ability of the skin to rebound after a mechanical force is applied to it. A good test to do on yourself is to lightly pinch the skin under the eye and see how quickly it returns to shape. This is commonly known as the ‘snap test’ by us clinicians. If the skin doesn’t rebound within a few seconds, it means you’re already losing elastic properties.
These usually first appear around the nose and cheeks, and are a sure sign that your skin is deficient in elastin, the fibre that keeps our skin in shape. As mentioned before, elasticity gives our skin the ability to rebound. It’s the same with our blood vessels - if they lose elasticity, they can’t return to shape and become dilated and visible on the surface of the skin. This means that, if you’re seeing broken vessels on your face, then you need to take action if you don’t want to look like a beet in your old age!
Large, open pores are more common than you think. Many women ignore them and plaster over the top with makeup. However, enlarged pores are a warning sign that the skin is suffering. Excess sebum and bacteria irritate the pores and cause inflammation, which damages the surrounding area, depleting elastin and collagen, allowing the opening of the pore to dilate. Makeup further inflames the situation, so simply covering pores isn’t a good option. What you need to do is pay attention to what your skin is telling you and come to its rescue!
So, now you know the signs, what can you do? My recommendation is to see someone like myself or Su to give you good, honest advice on how to manage it. Yes, you’re going to see changes happening to the skin as the years pass by, but some can be avoided, or at least minimised! Our wide range of treatments at No4 Clinic can help you to age positively and look your best!
If you’re ready to take the first step towards beautiful skin, simply book your online consultation! For more tips, tricks and advice, make sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. My live streams on Facebook are not to be missed!
The question of whether or not fillers for wrinkles are safe has been one that people have asked since dermal fillers first became a well-known feature in the world of aesthetics. I have no doubt that it ranks very highly on Google searches too!
When it comes to answering this question in the simplest terms, the answer is a resounding yes! There’s a lot of evidence to show that dermal fillers for wrinkles (and several other purposes) are a safe and effective treatment option. However, there’s much more to this question than you might think at first glance. Even the safest treatment can become problematic in the wrong hands.
It is my belief that the wrong practitioner performing any kind of injectable treatment, such as dermal fillers for wrinkles, cannot be trusted. When it comes to choosing a clinic and practitioner you can trust, you may have to do some snooping. Based on a clinic’s Instagram or website, you should be able to quickly ascertain what qualifications they hold. Sadly, when it comes to some places, even Sherlock Holmes would be at a loss. However, if you can find what you’re looking for, you should soon be able to look a practitioner up on a professional database. Anyone with qualifications, whether they’re a doctor, nurse or dentist, should be on a professional register, as this holds them accountable for the treatment they provide.
The next step is to dig a little deeper. In order for someone to be able to provide fillers for wrinkles safely, they should have a Level 7 qualification, or an equivalent Master’s degree. This level of practical training ensures that an individual has the knowledge they need in order to perform dermal fillers for wrinkles safely. These qualifications take years to obtain, but they provide practitioners with invaluable knowledge.
The last thing to check is the premises in which you’ll be treated. Anyone who claims to be a practitioner, but continues to operate from a location that is primarily meant for another purpose is unlikely to be legitimate. In my professional opinion, these places will not meet your treatment needs. Aesthetic procedures, whether we’re discussing fillers for wrinkles or chemical face peels, need to be performed in safe and clean conditions. Many locations simply don’t meet the standards necessary, which other practices pride themselves on.
If you’re based in Scotland, you can check the Healthcare Improvement Scotland website (HIS) prior to booking an appointment. HIS’ standards are incredibly high and all registered clinics have to undergo a thorough, independent inspection process before they can become part of their register. If you’re wondering whether or not my own clinic is registered, I’m pleased to say that it is! Click here to read the details of our inspection. See, I’ve made it a little bit easier for you to become an aesthetic detective too! After all, it’s only fair that I practice what I preach!
My staff and I value nothing more than safe, reliable treatments that are guaranteed to give our patients the results they deserve. When you’re considering dermal fillers for wrinkles, fine lines or simply to enhance your natural features, I invite you to visit me and my wonderful team.
When you choose my clinic, you can be sure that my staff and I have the qualifications, skills and knowledge necessary to ensure you feel happier and more confident in your skin. My true passion is helping my patients and you could be one of them!
You can contact me, or a member of my team, by filling out a form on our website, calling us on 07595221484 or emailing [email protected] today.
To keep in touch with us, don’t forget to follow our Instagram and Facebook accounts.
See you soon!
Ageing doesn’t just occur on the surface of the skin. It happens to the rest of the body too, right down to our bones. If you have found yourself wondering how to prevent to prevent ageing, frantically searching to little avail, there are some things that can help. The trouble is, most of us are so focused on our fine lines and wrinkles that we forget to consider other changes that might be taking place. This is why my multi-layer approach is so important. There are things a magnifying mirror can’t show you, and taking a close-up look at your skin can really make you feel rotten. Fine lines and wrinkles will always look worse when magnified, worse than they are in fact. The truth is, the odd line is often unnoticeable and can add significant character to the face.
I believe that a few lines here or there can look very natural, especially for people over a certain age. Of course, when too many appear, it can make a person feel unhappy with their appearance. This is where wrinkle-relaxing treatments that use Botulinum toxin can help you. These treatments work to prevent the skin muscles from creasing and forming wrinkles. This is most effective on the upper third of the face, but what’s happening below the surface? That’s what the multi-layer approach seeks to address.
It may shock you to know, but your facial bones shrink considerably with age and they lose density too! In fact, it’s said that the ‘bone sets the tone’. In other words, if there isn’t enough support from the bones in your face, gravity will cause your skin to sag, making you look much older than you are. You may have a relatively line-free visage, but this sadly won’t stop gravity from affecting your skin.
Surgery is always an option, but what if that’s not something you want to consider? There are many reasons as to why you may not want to go under the knife. This is always a personal choice, which should be respected. Luckily, thanks to the world of modern aesthetics, there are always other routes to consider. Unsurprisingly, as non-surgical methods of facial rejuvenation have improved, many practitioners now recommend trying less invasive techniques first when it comes to repositioning sagging skin. These include dermal fillers and thread lifts. Such treatments offer support and structure, allowing you to achieve a youthful look without surgery.
When answering the question, "how to prevent ageing?", every single layer of the skin matters. That’s why specialists, like myself, recommend working on refining skin texture and building collagen in the superficial layers of the skin to see the best results. I find that if skin health is addressed prior to a procedure, whether through targeted skincare or a collagen boosting treatment, then other treatment results are more impressive too. If a person’s skin isn’t healthy to start with, they could be line-free, with no noticeable sagging, but they might still have a dull, lacklustre complexion.
That’s why I follow the multi-layer approach. I like to focus on improving skin health, minimising fine lines by relaxing muscles, and replacing lost support with dermal fillers, threads, or both. I find that patients who are willing to try this approach maintain a youthful appearance as the years go by. Many of my patients have been with me for several years and would say they look much younger than they did at the start of their treatment journey.
Although I am a dentist with 26 years of clinical experience, I’ve spent many of these years specialising in medical aesthetics and skincare. I have the skills and knowledge necessary to ensure you feel happier and more confident in your skin through using the multi-layer approach. My true passion is helping my patients and you could be one of them!
You can contact me, or a member of my team, by filling out a form on our website, calling us on 07595221484 or emailing [email protected] today.
To keep in touch with us, don’t forget to follow our Instagram and Facebook accounts.
See you soon!
Did you know that the Botulinum toxin molecule (BoNT) is capable of much more than wrinkle reduction? Botulinum toxin injections are often referred to as Botox®, which is actually a registered trademark of Allergan Inc., a global pharmaceutical company.
Botulinum toxin itself is a purified substance derived from bacteria that has been used for decades to block nerve signals to the affected muscles in which it is injected. The result? Softened lines and wrinkles, and much happier individuals. More recently, Botulinum toxin has also been proven to help those who suffer with hyperhidrosis too. But it doesn’t end there...
Over the years, we have been so much in awe of its muscle-relaxing properties that we seem to have ignored many of Botulinum toxin’s other useful applications. Botulinum toxin is one of the most significant advances in dermatology the world has ever seen, and believe it or not, it was simply a happy accident.
Jean Carruthers, a relatively unknown ophthalmologist from Vancouver, Canada, was injecting her patients with BoNT to control their eye spasms, but when several of these people reported a reduction in their frown lines, she started to suspect she had discovered something revolutionary. The effects were so dramatic that she decided to treat herself, and she was blown away by the results!
Needless to say, back in 1987, Jean had no idea that her accidental discovery would result in millions of people feeling happier and more confident, even in 2022! Women in particular have benefited from Botox® treatments over the years, mainly due to the fact that their faces age differently to men’s. Female faces lose volume and structure much quicker, often making their faces appear sullen or angry, which means Botox® treatments are more effective over time. This is not to say that men do not get Botox®, they just tend to find it a necessity much later on in life. You can find out more about Jean Carruthers and her discovery here - happy reading!
Many people don’t know that BoNT can attach itself to almost any cell in your body and change how that cell works. Yes, really! As a result, it can do much more than just relax the muscles. Those in the aesthetics industry don’t simply tell their customers this to entice them, it has been scientifically proven to be the case. This is incredibly important because what happens at a cellular level allows us to understand the other uses of the BoNT molecule.
Do you want to keep your skin looking plump and youthful? Then Botulinum toxin might just be what you need. The BoNT molecule has been found to prevent collagen from breaking down, but the best news is that it actually helps your body to produce more. It’s something I see a lot in my practice, the patients who have Botox® on a regular basis have a glow about them. I call it ‘the BoNT glow’, now we know why!
There’s much more to this magical molecule too. BoNT has even proven to be effective when used for non-surgical facelifts in very diluted concentrations. Low levels of Botulinum toxin can be used at several different points across the entire face, causing the skin to shrink and tighten. Although we have been aware of this effect for a while, it has only been confirmed recently that Botulinum toxin can be used in this way to deliver spectacular results.
Two other unexpected conditions that can be treated with Botulinum toxin are acne and rosacea. In those with acne, the BoNT molecule is able to attach itself to the sebaceous glands, rendering them sluggish and unable to produce as much sebum as they normally do. This leads to smaller pores and a significant reduction in acne. We’re not yet sure as to how or why the BoNT molecule is able to treat rosacea, but it reduces the severity of facial flushing, which is welcome news for rosacea sufferers who may not have responded well to other treatment methods.
Personally, I have never treated my patients by focusing on their lines and wrinkles as singular features. I consider their faces as a whole and how I can help them to look their best, which is what any good aesthetician should do. I have used Botulinum toxin to treat those who suffer from a range of concerns. My patients have told me that following their treatments, they feel happier and more confident and you could be one of them too!
My name is Dr. Nichola Maasdorp and I’m a dentist with over 26 years of clinical experience, many of which I have spent specialising in medical aesthetics and skincare. My true passion is helping my patients feel amazing and this is often possible with the use of Botulinum toxin.
You can visit me, or a member of my team, at my clinic by filling out a form on our website, calling us on 07595221484 or emailing [email protected] today.
To keep in touch with us, don’t forget to follow our Instagram and Facebook accounts.
See you soon!
No matter what you do, your skin will eventually start to look dull, lifeless and saggy. You might start to notice sun spots (also known as age spots) and more fine lines and wrinkles beginning to appear. If this scenario sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Most women around the age of 45 are likely to be searching for the answer to their woes too. It’s also likely they’re spending a small fortune on products that claim to help during the first signs of menopause.
It’s not uncommon for women nearing middle age or menopause to come into my clinic and feel as though there’s something… strange happening to their skin. Most think it’s down to ageing, but I know something else is responsible. It’s something we as women have had to contend with for most of our lives. Starting in our teens, it continues to cause havoc… the culprit is oestrogen!
We think that the symptoms of menopause start when we experience hot flushes, changes in our body composition, irregular periods, brain fog and much more. However, changes can be much more subtle and start way earlier than you might think.
Perimenopause is a word used to define the time just before we notice the signs of menopause. On average, it starts when a woman is around 45 years old. This is when oestrogen, the hormone that plays a huge part in the menstrual cycle, as well as maintaining bone health for both men and women, starts to become less prevalent in the body. Other hormone levels change during this time too, but it can be argued that oestrogen causes the most concerns.
Imagine you forget to have your regular caffeine fix one morning and as a result, you feel sluggish all day. Well, this is what your skin feels like without oestrogen, as it is dependent on this hormone. It allows it to function ‘normally’.
Lower oestrogen levels mean the cells in your body that produce and maintain collagen don’t function at their best, resulting in less dermal collagen overall. A huge amount of collagen is lost during both perimenopause and menopause itself, which impacts the way your skin looks and feels, as every structure in your skin depends on collagen to maintain its basic structure. When you lose this protein, your skin becomes thinner, more wrinkled and more susceptible to damage, including that which comes from the sun and pollutants in the air. These environmental stressors can quickly age your face and make you look not only older, but potentially more sullen and tired, too.
You don’t need to resign yourself to looking like a raisin just because you’re menopausal, there’s always a way to combat what’s happening to your skin. Boosting your collagen is the key to looking youthful. In order to do this, you must be aware of how to keep each layer of your skin in tip-top condition.
When it comes to the superficial layers of your skin, medical-grade skincare is a good place to start. I would advise using topical vitamin C, retinol (also known as vitamin A), SPF and selected peptide combinations. It’s incredibly important to only use a few products, and there’s no need to have a 15-step skincare routine both day and night, but steps must be taken to address your changing skin. The products you use during the day should protect your skin and those you use at night should stimulate cell turnover and help to refresh and renew.
If you don’t know where to start, you should consult a professional as opposed to turning to the internet. They will help you to find the products that are right for you. After all, your skin is an investment that will save you an awful lot of money in the long run!
For the deeper layers, superficial treatments just won’t cut it. You need to invest in collagen stimulation treatments that reach the deeper layers of your skin if you want to strengthen them and improve collagen production. Collagen stimulation treatments cause minor injuries to the skin in order to activate the cells that produce collagen. The good news is that these treatments are virtually pain-free, involve very little downtime and have become accessible for ordinary women like you and me in recent years!
It’s not about following the latest skincare trend! A single course of collagen stimulation treatment won’t keep your collagen levels topped up enough for you to see lasting results. You need regular treatments over a sustained period of time in order to enjoy significant improvements. You want to really fire up those cells so they break the habit of functioning at a lower level.
Everyone ages differently, because we have different bone densities, skin types, and have made various decisions over the course of our lives. However, you can combat the effects of ageing with a tailored skincare routine that suits your needs is important, which is why I have devised Nicci’s Skin Plan.
Nicci’s Skin Plan is designed to give a boost to women over 45 years who are suffering from the effects of a decline in their oestrogen levels. By subscribing to Nicci’s Skin Plan, I can help you maintain and promote skin health during this difficult time. The plan can be tailor-made for you but all plans will involve powerful collagen-boosting treatments alongside regular Botox and maintenance appointments.
Nicci’s Skin Plan is a combination of 12 treatments, administered over the course of 12 months. Both myself and Su will collaborate with you, prescribing treatments that will improve your skin and increase your collagen production so you can maintain the healthy glow of your dreams whilst reducing fine lines, wrinkles and sagging!
The following treatments feature in Nicci’s Skin Plan:
To book your very own appointment with me, or to sign up to Nicci’s Skin Plan, all you have to do is get in touch. You can do this by filling out a form on our website, or calling the clinic on 07595221484. You can even email us at [email protected].
Find out more on our website, or follow our Instagram and Facebook accounts to keep in touch!
We hope to see you soon!
Do you follow a religious skincare routine that involves using a cleanser for your skin? If you do, then you ought to know that it could be the worst thing you’ve ever done. Look at any skincare brand and you will find that they offer a variety of cleansers claiming to do all sorts. You have to ask, can using a cleanser for your skin really be that complicated? If the rest of your body is fine with soap, why should your face be any different?
Did you know that your skin is actually self-cleansing? Yep, your skin cells are constantly shedding and keeping your skin fresh and supple, but most of all, clean too. The structure of the skin consists of a base layer, above this are several layers of skin cells. As these cells die, they move to the surface, releasing a film-like substance that adds to the natural barrier to protect the skin and prevent it from being damaged by environmental stressors. This includes things such as bacteria, chemicals and UV rays, which all have the potential to damage the skin in some way.
The skin’s natural barrier is essentially the outermost layer of your skin, and is referred to as the stratum corneum. It is often described as a wall as it is notoriously hard for substances to penetrate. It consists of incredibly tough skin cells called corneocytes, which are connected by lipids.
Of course, you should clean your skin but you might want to reevaluate what touches it in the meantime. Modern life means we are surrounded by chemicals and we often come into contact with substances that need to be washed away. Take makeup, for example. Makeup can block pores and cause breakouts if it’s not removed properly. No one wants to wake up with makeup on their pillow in the morning, nor do they want to wake up to spots when they look in the mirror! I hate to say it, but if it’s so bad for your skin that you need to remove it at night, then why would you have it on all day?
Deep cleansing and scrubbing your face can have a negative impact on your skin’s natural defence system, its natural barrier, which is not to be confused with the microbiome. Your microbiome refers to the bacteria that live on the skin, whereas your natural barrier helps to keep potential irritants at bay. Stripping the skin of this protective layer can not only lead to dryness, but conditions such as eczema and rosacea will appear or flare up as a result of this aggravation.
For those who have sensitive or acne-prone skin, a compromised barrier can be an absolute nightmare. If you suffer from one of these conditions, you’ll know that even the smallest change in your diet, environment, or your skincare routine can cause huge problems. Why does this happen? Well, it’s because your skin has become over-sensitised and inflammation has set in. Should this happen to you, it’s incredibly difficult to get it under control again.
Ask any good dermatologist and they will say less is more. Most would prefer you to scale your skincare back, and this advice extends to ingredients too. Introducing too many new ingredients to your skin at one time might cause it to, you guessed it, become dry and irritated! This could lead you to try even more new ingredients or continue to cleanse even more… so the cycle will simply continue forever!
A dermatologist recently told me the same advice she gives her patients - you don’t need to use soap on your entire body in the shower or bath in order to clean yourself. Instead, focus on the areas where you sweat, and if possible, use cream soaps that are approved by dermatologists. It’s pretty radical advice, considering we’re constantly told the opposite by companies who are trying to sell us their products!
So, what if you want to catch the sun? Please, think again! Opt for a tinted sunscreen or a sunscreen and a foundation that’s kind to the skin, like Oxygenetix. It has been specifically designed for those with skin concerns, which means that if you really have to wear makeup, you can, just as long as you remove it with a gentle cleanser.
Remember, you don’t need to double cleanse! Instead, consider investing in advice from a professional, whose job it is to help you with your skin concerns.
Nowadays, there are a plethora of aesthetic doctors, nurses and skin therapists who really know their stuff. They can prescribe a medical skincare regime with the ability to transform your skin. You should avoid any individual who pushes one specific brand. Chances are, they probably have a lot to gain from this. Instead, look for someone who will give you generic advice. By generic, I mean that they should tell you what to look for in skincare and recommend a few basic active ingredients (also known as actives) to start you on your skin journey.
There are two words to watch out for - free consultation. As tempting as it is, this is a BIG red flag! You should expect to pay a consultation fee of anything from £50-£100 from a reputable practice, which ultimately isn’t expensive when you consider all the factors at play. Anyone who performs a thorough skin consultation has to take the time to find out what products you’re using before they look at the ingredients in them and what they are doing to your skin. Then, they will analyse your skin and medical history to determine if any of this information is relevant to your current concerns. They might even take a scan and then spend some time talking you through the next steps of your journey.
Of course, they can make recommendations but that’s a huge part of their job! You need to make sure that any professional you visit incorporates the products you’re using into their new recommendations, unless your current line-up is doing more harm than good.
If I have done my job properly, you might be feeling a bit unnerved about your current skincare routine, but I hope I’ve left you questioning the status quo! Whether you decide to agree with me or not, I hope that you will consider what I have said before you blindly reach for your purse and fork out a fortune for that so-called miracle cleanser for skin.
My name is Dr. Nichola Maasdorp and I’m a dentist with over 26 years of clinical experience, many of which I have spent specialising in medical aesthetics and skincare. My true passion is helping my patients feel amazing and confident by helping them solve their skin problems, especially those that go hand in hand with the inevitable ageing process.
You can visit me, or a member of my team, at my clinic by filling out a form on our website, calling us on 07595221484 or emailing [email protected] today.
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See you soon!
