Seems madness, right?
But this topic generated such great discussion at my Skincare Club, that I felt compelled to do a video on the topic. 60% of women in the UK and probably at least 30% of men suffer from blocked pores or blemish-prone, oily combination skin. Yet 75% of the market offerings for these concerns are targeted at teens.
In my practice, the commonest reasons for seeking a consultation BY FAR are concerns involving acne, clogged pores and post-inflammatory pigmentation from blemishes.
But guess what; almost everyone, teens aside, is concerned with prevention and treatment of the signs of ageing. And in fact, attempting to tackle these issues with poorly formulated products, is often a major trigger for deterioration in acne.
So how to manage this seemingly paradoxical situation?
First, sort your Basics. This means:
1) Non-comedogenic (non-clogging)
2) Unperfumed
3) Supportive
4) Flexible
So gather a non-foaming cleanser, a lighter moisturiser for oily days and a richer one for dry nights; and a well-formulated sunscreen that has excellent UVA protection with ingredients such as zinc oxide.
Then, sort your Actives. Key ingredients to look for to satisfy the Overlap situation (in order of importance, in my opinion) are 1) Retinoids 2) Niacinamide and 3) Azelaic Acid.
Complete the picture with strategic lifestyle measures; choose carbs carefully, boost your intake of Omega 3 fatty acids and moderate dairy.
Seek out nutrient-dense foodstuffs, and focus on a varied plant-based diet with good quality protein and you won’t go far wrong.
The psychological benefits of putting a sound plan in motion are immeasurable. But it’s interesting - I find it often takes a long time for people to adjust to good skin; longer, often, than the corrective treatment programme itself. Often there’s almost a 100% turnaround over 6-12 months – but if you’ve suffered for years or decades, that can be hard to fathom.
There’s a huge change in self-perception. No-make-up days become a reality.
Skin compliments come as a genuine surprise – it can be hard to grasp that others might actually envy their skin. Now, isn’t that a good reason to put an action plan in motion today?
