4 Things You Need to Do for Your Skin
Austin Clinic is a science-based clinic. We understand how different treatments and products work and why they are effective. Our knowledge and experience allow us to match each of our clients with a bespoke treatment plan ideally suited to their needs. Through the years, we’ve identified key factors that can help or hurt your skin. Let’s start with the helpers:
Use the right sunscreen every day, rain, hail, or shine – UV rays can harm your skin even on cloudy days. Whether you are an outdoors type or someone who prefers sitting inside with a book, you need to apply sunscreen regularly throughout the day on any part of your body that is exposed to the sun. This includes your face, legs, arms, hands, and back. One study found that “UV exposure may account for up to 80% of visible signs of ageing in the skin including dry appearance, wrinkling and impaired pigmentation, and photo-ageing.” There is also a strong connection between UV exposure and the scourge of Australia: skin cancer.
The solution is sunscreen. While some moisturisers contain sunscreen, it is often insufficient to provide good protection. We recommend Austin Skin Ultra Protect with an SPF rating of 50+. This skin-nourishing lotion is water-resistant and long-lasting (4 hours). It also contains aloe vera and Vitamin E for extra hydration.
Make time to moisturise – Sunscreen gets the top spot in skincare for health reasons. Moisturiser comes a close second and is all too often overlooked. This is especially true in the morning when, in the rush to get the day started, it’s easy to skimp on your skincare routine. Don’t do it! Your skin is under attack throughout the day from dirt, sebum, makeup, and even bacteria from holding your mobile phone to your face. “All of this wears at your skin cells and your skin’s collagen,” reports Glamour Magazine. They recommend you, “Cleanse and moisturise properly every morning with products that will protect your skin from these harmful external factors.” We agree.
If supple skin is your goal, we recommend Aspect Dr’s Skin Excellence Kit. It contains both a complete cleanser and a moisturiser.
Eat your fruit and vegies, and this too – Eating well is an excellent defence against skin ageing. As you likely already know, we lose collagen as we age. What you may not realise is that this loss causes the elastin fibres in your skin to weaken. This results in sagging skin. At the same time, free radicals are scavenging your skin and weakening it. Antioxidants are the answer.
Skin-saving antioxidants are abundant in many foods. Tomatoes have carotenoids to promote skin regeneration. Blueberries are a superfood with an abundance of antioxidants that can reduce darkness around the eyes. Just a single cup of spinach contains approximately 4,000 beta-carotenes, which have been shown to stimulate fibroblasts, as well as soften deep wrinkles and crow’s feet around the eyes.
Say yes to lemon water, not lemonade – Vitamin C levels in the body drop naturally as we age, which affects skin health. This vitamin promotes healing, boosts collagen, and even helps with pigmentation problems. Enjoy all your favourite citrus fruits but be sure to stay away from sugary drinks. A high-sugar content will counteract all the benefits of the Vitamin C.
If you prefer to apply, rather than consume your Vitamin C, Aspect Dr Active C is a good choice for you. As soon as you apply it, you will feel a gentle tightening sensation as Active C gets down to business.
STOP DOING THIS!!!
Sometimes what you don’t do is just as important as what you do. This is especially true when it comes to skincare. To enjoy longer-lasting skin health and beauty using the tips above, don’t do this:
Too much of a good thing – Two, four, six, eight, do you love to exfoliate? That’s wonderful … as long as you don’t overdo it. For most skin types, exfoliating once or twice a week is sufficient. It’s also important that the exfoliant you use is gentle on your skin. Aspect’s Exfoliating Clay Mask is formulated with gentle kaolin and bentonite clay to deep-clean the skin while simultaneously removing dead skin to improve skin tone and texture.
Don’t forget the make-up – After a long day of work or fun, it’s easy to want to just fall into bed without worrying about your make-up. This is a huge mistake. In addition to your make-up, your face is probably covered in debris from the outside world. There are also dead skin cells that clog pores. Austin Clinic recommends that you make a night-time beauty regimen part of your evening routine, not your pre-bedtime routine. “Setting a time to take care of your skin early in the evening means you’re more likely to do it,” says Dr Austin. “Make it a priority rather than an after-thought.”
Don’t skimp on the shut-eye – The term beauty sleep didn’t develop by accident. While you’re dreaming, your body is hard at work regenerating skin cells, improving skin volume and elasticity, producing collagen, and improving blood flow to skin cells. The journal of Clinical and Experimental Dermatology found people who sleep between 7 and 9 hours nightly had “skin that was better moisturised and could protect and heal itself better after being exposed to UV light compared to those who slept five hours or less.“
Your Can-Do Destination
The bottom line when it comes to skincare is this: your daily regimen should reflect the products and practices that are best suited to your particular skin concerns. The medical skin experts at Austin Clinic have the medical training, the knowledge, and the experience, to know the best options. We invite you to contact us with any questions and to share your vision of a more beautiful you.
