Looking younger without going under the knife. Love the skin you're in.

By Jennifer Bingemann

Keeping up with Mary who had surgery to get rid of the bags under her eyes or Emma who had a mini face lift and looks fabulous or Susan with her newly lasered face can pose a challenge - is it time for you to pick up the pace and join the 'anti-ageing' race? Should you try the $950 lunch-time face lift? What about a peel? For those of you that want to avoid the knife and still look young and fresh you need to know "what are your options?"

Beauty and Spa Therapists are always striving to provide the answers to ageing skin concerns. Many aim to provide a one stop shop for all your beauty needs. A sanctuary where you receive a combination of beauty salon techniques with medical based technologies and the luxury of lymphatically energising spa treatments.

One of my most important roles at Escape Day Spas in Western Australia, is 'Research and Development'. After 19 years of 'playing, enquiring and experimenting' I have found many varied answers to the big question: Can technologies and good skincare really make me look younger? It is a challenge I take very seriously as my personal goal is to never have to go under a cosmetic surgeon's knife. Yes, I want to age gracefully but I also want to look good for my biological age.

Many products and techniques claim that they will have you looking younger, brighter, cleaner and clearer but it all comes down to seeing results. Looking and feeling fabulous when you're over 40 and experiencing diminishing levels of hormones is very difficult but let's try. First you need to understand how your skin functions. Then you will know what options will actually work for your skin type and the average costs. You can then make an educated decision for your youthful plan of attack!

Healthy skin looks dewy with a natural, rosy glow. Healthy skin is void of sun damage, broken capillaries, rosacea, dryness and pimples. Luckily in today's beauty world these problems can be corrected. The ageing process can be slowed and the remedies can be manipulated to suit nearly all budgets, lifestyles and skins. Of course genealogy plays a role in your skin's performance, but your Mum and Gran did not have the technology that is available today to assist in preventing or slowing the ageing process.

Basic Routine

Skin starts to age at around 24 years and at this point you should have started a good skin care regime that involves cleansing, toning and moisturising.

Cleansing is used to remove make-up, dead skin cells, oil, dirt and other types of pollutants from the skin. Using a cleanser formulated specifically for your skin type, rather than a bar of soap is very important because soap can break down the skins natural pH levels changing the balance. This can lead to an overgrowth of some types of bacteria, exacerbating acne. Soaps can also remove the natural oils from the skin that form a barrier against water loss. This can cause the sebaceous glands to overproduce oils leading to clogged pores. Conversely a milky cleanser will often contain moisturisers to prevent dryness and keep the skin nourished. Always rinse with tepid water and immediately hydrate with a toner as it is imperative not to leave the skin de-hydrated for too long.

A toner not only hydrates but also helps close the pores. They can also add humectants to help moisturise the upper layers of the epidermis by preventing evaporation. Alcohol in a toner can be very drying and will often cause an over production of oil in the skin, creating adverse effects.

Moisturises are complex mixtures designed specifically to make the external layers of the skin (epidermis) softer and more pliable. They increase hydration (water content), build barriers against water loss, repair damaged or dry skins, protect and help postpone the aging effects on the skin.

Cleanse, tone and moisturise twice a day, once at night and once in the morning. Starting as young as possible is an advantage in that it encourages good habits.

Hydroxy Acids

Hydroxy Acids are active ingredients like glycolic, lactic, hyaluronic and salicylic acids and retinol. Found in skincare they work to slow the skins aging process. Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA's) are use in the cosmetic industry to reduce wrinkles and the signs of aging plus improve the overall look and feel of the skin. Their effectiveness is documented and the most widely used is glycolic acid. Manufactured from sugar cane and the smallest in molecular size glycolic acid penetrates easily into the skin dissolving the glue like substance which binds the dead skin cells to the surface. This action helps your skin look, feel and actually function in a younger manner.

Lactic acid, primarily derived from milk is considered milder than glycolic acid and is often used in combination with glycolic acid for surface exfoliation. Its origins can be traced back to Cleopatra, who purportedly bathed in milk and used sour milk on her skin. Latic acid is a very good hydrator for the skin. Hyaluronic acid is a liquid substance present in every tissue of the body including the umbilical cord and the skin. Hyaluronic acid can retain 1,000 times its weight in water so is regarded as a wonderful hydrator. Hyaluronic acid is usually derived from rooster combs and assists in supporting the structural integrity of the collagen and elastin fibres.

Salicylic acid is a Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA) which work on the surface of the skin, sloughing away the skins layers. It is very drying and should be used in very small percentages.

Retinol is the most effective form of vitamin A you can acquire without a prescription and the unsightly side effects. Retinol increases cellular turnover, evening out the tone and texture of the skin helping it to function better.

All these ingredients need to be sold by professional Therapists as they really do have the abilities to change the way your skin can look and feel but used incorrectly can have side effects. They should not be used during pregnancy. These ingredients can cause your skin to become more sensitive to the sun so always use a sun block or a mineral foundation with a sun block. We recommend Jane Iredale mineral makeup which is available in our Burswood and Claremont spas and soon to be in Dunsborough and Bunbury. Why Jane iredale? It protects the skin from sundamage and environmental pollutants with UVB and UVA sunscreens. Jane does not use parabens to preserve her products. The products contain anti-inflammatory properties which assist in acne and rosacea proned skins. Jane iredale mineral makeup allows the skin to breathe and function normally. Laboratory tests have shown that it is non-comedogenic and also helps control oily skins while discouraging dehydration. Jane Iredale makeup is now part of our solution to a healthy skin.

Face Peels

Courses of peeling treatments with once or twice yearly course updates are also very important if you want your skin to look youthful without surgery. Why? Because the skins ageing process occurs when the cellular turnover slows. This is when the cells come to the surface, die and slough off. As this process degenerates, not only do the cells become less active in their rise to the surface but the surface build up increases producing dryness, wrinkling, dull and tired looking skins. Facial peels will slough-off the buildup of dead, dry surface cells and help promote a consistently healthier turnover. There are a variety of peeling systems available and when starting your anti-aging routine it is best to use a product for home use containing 8% to 12 % glycolic acid or combined AHA's of up to 15%. Let your skin get use to the active ingredients and then two weeks to one month later start your first course of salon/spa peels of either 15% to 40% Glycolic, Lactic or combined AHA's with maybe 2% Salicylic Acid depending on your skin type. You may want to go even deeper with a Green Peel, Jessner or TCA treatments but make sure you investigate all your options and the operator first. Sun blocks should be used and completely avoid the sun while your skin is in the 'shedding' process. I always explain to my clients that we can give a fresh, new, younger looking skin and how you care for it is up to you. Exposure to the sun will start the aging process all over again but this doesn't mean you have to spend your days indoors to look good just be sensible.

Cell Health

When we hit the middle thirties the cells themselves start to look uneven and unhealthy so they need to be fed with antioxidants, hydrators and moisturisers.

Antioxidants work like the old fashion pac-man games. In a way antioxidants 'gobble' up the damaged cells (free radicals) before they have the opportunity to react with our healthy cells. A radical cell can start a chain reaction and to prevent this the body forms its own defense mechanism of antioxidants. Antioxidants are molecules which can safely interact with free radicals and terminate the chain reaction before vital molecular cell structures are damaged. The principle micronutrients antioxidants are vitamin E, beta-carotene (converted by the body into vitamin A) and vitamin C. The body cannot manufacture these micronutrients so they must be supplied through your diet, supplements and skin-care. Antioxidants are dynamic and science has only just started to unveil the mysteries surrounding them but we do know they make a difference so try to include them in your daily skin-care routine.

The greatest hydrator we know is water and in the cosmetic industry the second greatest is hyaluronic acid. A hydrator is great for the combination and oily skins as their 'moisturiser' or can be added under a moisturiser for the dryer more mature skins.

A moisturiser nourishes and protects the skin and will contain emollients to soften the stratum corneum by lubricating and smoothing. They can be either water in oil solutions, oil in water solutions or the latest is water in oil in water solutions giving a very light consistency but still providing the nourishment the skin needs.

Smokers Beware

If you are a smoker then you will need twice as much help. I remember a young lady about 26 years old who came to my salon with clogged pores. I was at a loss as to why this was happening to her skin. As I looked at her I thought "Your skin should be perfect." She had never had any skin problems. We chatted about her regime and lifestyle and it was then I discovered she smoked, fairly regularly. I knew if she gave up smoking her skin would improve dramatically. I explained that as she dragged on each and every cigarette, taking the smoke down into her lungs and blew the residue out it was blocking her pores and causing blackheads. Every two weeks we were doing a glycolic peel under the steam and then extractions, unblocking the pores. When she left it was pretty clean and clear but two weeks later she was back and we had to start all over again. Her lifestyle was healthy when it came to exercise and food but lack of sleep, stress and smoking were really taking their toll on her skin. I asked her to blow out her cigarette smoke into a white tissue next time she was enjoying smoking with friends hoping she would get a greater understanding of what was happening to her skin when she smoked. For two years we controlled her skin with products and treatments and then we lost contact for about six months. When she came for an appointment her skin was amazing. She was not visiting nightclubs every weekend, she had given up smoking and was more in control of her life and guess what? Her skin was perfect.

Sun and smoking are the two most aging activities we can do.

Intense Pulse Light (IPL)

IPL (Intense Pulse Light) Therapy is widely used for permanent hair reduction and also for getting rid of capillaries, rosacea, red necks, pigmentation, décolletage sun damage, collagen stimulation and pimples.

Pulsed-light systems work by emitting pulses of intense lamp-light into the hair follicles. The light is absorbed by the pigment in the follicles and converted to heat. The heat loosens the hair and disables the cell responsible for growing new hair. None of the heat generated transfers to the surrounding skin because it is a concentrated light that is attracted to the pigment in the hair. When treating the pigmented areas, rosacea, sun damage or stimulating collagen levels in the skin using IPL, a different filter, depth and setting is used each time directing the light to the different skin problems. Laser light oftens scatters the energy that is used to treat the hair follicles causing the surrounding areas to heat and feel uncomfortable. IPL is now the preferred method used by Doctors as it is regarded as the 'laser-upgrade' specifically for the above treatments. Laser can be used successfully for total skin resurfacing. It literally burns off the top layers of skin removing deep wrinkles, scars and harsh sun damage. This procedure can only be preformed by Doctors and can take up to six months for the skin to fully recover.
There are thousands of IPL machines on the market and the results are totally reliant upon the operator as well as other factors so it is advised that you shop around.

An IPL treatment firstly involves a skin consultation and your therapist will advise you on the results you can achieve, how many treatments will be needed and the cost. You will also have a test patch.

Costs for IPL treatments are approximately from $165 per treatment for a basic bikini and from $300 per treatment for full face procedures.

Light Emitting Diode (LED)

LED (Light Emitting Diode) Treatments are used for healing, firming and strengthening the skin. LED was initially developed by NASA to improve wound healing and tissue growth in space. It also assisted with the tried and fatigued astronauts upon their return. This technology employs lights of specific wavelengths and intensities generated by the light emitting diode system to target certain cells and bio-molecules within the skin's matrix. LED machines use four to seven spectrums of coloured light to treat many different problems including stimulating the collagen and elastin fibers, healing, tightening, firming and acne. LED increases cellular activity and promotes intercellular communications acting like anti-free radical scavenger, an anti-antioxidant. There are no side effects and no down time.

Age and skin condition will determine the number of treatments required to achieve optimal results but usually six to twelve treatments, once or twice weekly are recommended. Maintance is monthly or bi-monthly. (Treatments from $90 each; course prices are available.)

Does skincare really make a difference?

The answer is a very big yes! There a few fabulous age preventing ingredients that should be included in your daily routine, especially if you have surface build up. The best of these are glycolic, salicylic, hyaluronic and latic acids plus vitamin C as the strongest anti-oxidant and retinol as the cell activator.

To really look youthful, consistency in all areas of beauty therapy is very important. Home care is used twice daily, facials should be every three to six weeks depending on what you want to achieve, IPL collagen stimulation after your course of six needs to be kept up every one to three months, LED monthly, Green peels yearly and very importantly sun block daily. A good sun block is regarded as a preventative. I strongly recommend a mineral based make-up with an SPF of 12 be used everyday as it doesn't interfere with the balance of your skin. Make sure you get the colour of your foundation right. It is an integral part of your look. A foundation is so named because it is the foundation on which you build your look. If your foundation is wrong then your whole make-up will be wrong. Beauty salons and spas sometimes offer quick make-overs so next time, take advantage. Wear it for a day. Look at yourself in lots of different lights and then decide if it reflects the right colour for you.

I know we can't get it right every time or make all skins perfect but from my experiences we can make a difference. Therapists have no control over your hormones, stress, lifestyle and environment and these can be a huge factor in the condition of your skin but we can guide, advise and teach you beauty knowledge that will make a difference. Lymphatically draining your skin when cleansing, whether to use a cream or gel around the eye area, to peel, to nourish, IPL or LED? These things we know and the outcomes we can often predict.