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BASICS OF SKINCARE

Dr Douglas Grose
Australian Skin Clinics
Gold Coast. Queensland

When asked “how do you look after your skin” most people say one of two things. They either give the name of the brand they use or more typically they will say they cleanse, tone and then moisturise. Not one of these actions makes a long term difference to your skin.

If the moisturiser you use does not contain a sunscreen then you are omitting probably the single most important thing you can do for your skin. If you do not use an anti-oxidant, either as a Vitamin supplement by mouth or applied directly to your skin then you are also leaving out an essential ingredient to better looking, healthier skin.

But there is another aspect of skin care which few people do effectively and that is exfoliation – the process of removing the dead skin cells from the surface of the skin. Women especially have

known for centuries to use a cloth to wash the face. The main benefit of cleansing this way was that it also exfoliated, albeit a little harshly.

It is said that ancient Roman women used lemon directly on their skin. Lemons contain citric acid which helps remove dead skin cells and ascorbic acid which reduces pigmentation. Cleopatra is said to have bathed in milk which contains another exfoliator – Lactic acid.

To understand why regular exfoliation helps your skin it is important to understand what makes your skin look good. How smooth your skin looks is dependant on the deep layer of the skin called the dermis which is a thick, incredibly strong but none the less very elastic structure made up of collagen, elastin and other substances. Wrinkles, scars, raised lumps typically are associated with this layer.

If you want smooth skin then you need a reasonably thick dermis. As we age the dermis naturally thins but this effect can be reduced by techniques which stimulate the upper, most active layer of the dermis to produce more collagen, collagen which is correctly aligned to support the skin. Thicker skin generally wrinkles less than thin skin. That is why the skin of the eyelids is typically the first to develop wrinkles and lines.

The clarity, uniformity of colour and the degree of translucency of the skin is determined by the outer layer called the epidermis. This is like a brick wall except that there is a brick factory at the bottom of the wall which makes a new layer of bricks every day. As each new cell is formed the old dead cell on the surface of the skin should fall off. As we age this process of losing the dead skin cells slows down and we develop a thick dead outer layer of skin called the stratum corneum – the horny, cornified outer layer of the skin.

The reason a child has such beautiful skin is that they have virtually no stratum corneum. This makes their skin more translucent and gives it that healthy glow. Reducing the thickness of your stratum corneum will make your skin look more youthful also. Exfoliation is the way to remove those dead skin cells but the good news is that exfoliating also seems to stimulate the upper layer of the dermis to become more active, producing more new collagen. So, removing your dead skin cells doesn’t make your skin thinner, but the exact opposite is true – it makes the deep dermal layer of the skin thicker and therefore less likely to develop those aging lines and wrinkles.

The secret to exfoliation is to do it very gently but also do it frequently as men do every day when they shave. For most skin types we recommend daily exfoliation using a combination of a very gentle scrub containing fruit acids such as the ASAP daily facial scrub. It is far better to use small round particles which do not tend to scratch the skin as some scrubs do and a chemical exfoliator to assist by loosening the dead skin cells. This way we can achieve a gentle but effective exfoliation.

Daily exfoliation reduces poor blockage problems such as white heads, black heads and acne, stimulates collagen regrowth for a smoother skin and removes some of the dead skin that makes your skin look dull and lifeless. Combined with daily sun protection using a broad spectrum sun protector such as micronised zinc and an antioxidant such as green tea or vitamin C you have all the ingredients of a simple, effective skin care program.

Cleanse the skin twice a day, sun protect every day, exfoliate gently every day and use an anti-oxidant cream at night to counteract the damage done to your skin by the environment every day. If you like to wear makeup, ensure that it also acts as a sunscreen. Do these simple things and you will be amazed at the difference in the look and feel of your skin.