| Beauty secrets of the world's top dermatologists |
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| Health | |
| Written by Danny Penman | |
Dr Sam Bunting - avoid the hype.
Dermatologists know this better than anyone. So what do they, with all their years of scientific training and knowledge, slap on their skin to pep it up? We asked the country’s top dermatologists for the secret formula for young-looking skin – and more importantly - how to reverse the ravages of time. Dr Nick Lowe, consultant dermatologist at the Cranleigh Clinic in London, and Professor of dermatology at the University of California Los Angeles, has some surprisingly unsophisticated tips. First, he says, you need to focus on cleaning the skin without sapping away its natural moisture. “I prefer hydrating cleansers,” he says. “They’re kinder to the skin and don’t strip away it’s natural moisture. I have quite dry skin, especially during the winter, so I avoid soap and detergent-based cleansers. “I have used the line called Simple. It’s very affordable and it’s great for dry or sensitive skin. I shower with a moisturising gel called Dermol 500. Aqueous creams and E45 are always staples in my bathroom cabinet.” “Many people wash far too much,” he says. “If you have dry skin then you shouldn’t wash more than twice a week unless you’re visibly dirty or smelly. “If you have normal or oily skin you can get away with washing more often, especially if you cleanse with an aqueous cream moisturiser. Aqueous creams are great and completely over-looked by most people. You can buy huge tubs of the stuff for £2. The unbranded versions are just as good as the ones in the fancy packaging.” After cleansing, our dermatologists are unanimous in recommending and using moisturisers. These reinforce the skin’s naturally protective oily layer and lock in moisture. Without it, the skin rapidly becomes dry, wrinkly and flaky. Once again, cheap brands are just as good as the more expensive ones. “I don’t spend much on moisturiser,” says Dr Levell. “A good basic moisturiser such as an aqueous cream is as good as anything. If you want to spend a little more money then Oilatum cream, Epaderm emollient, Hydromol Ointment and Cetraben cream are used or recommended by most dermatologists.” Even Dr Nick Lowe, who sells his own line of cosmetics through Boots, is happy to endorse cheaper brands. “Before I had my own line I used Nivea as a moisturiser. I have also used the Vaseline and Olay brands. They both have great science behind their research. L’Oréal are quite reliable as well. Obviously I prefer my own formulations that are sold through Boots. They have built-in sun protection up to the latest European Union standards. And that’s important, even in the UK.” Dr Samantha Bunting, a dermatologist at the Whittington Hospital in north London and the Botonics Clinic in Harley Street, swears by a few stand-by moisturisers and ‘quick fix’ creams to perk up her skin. She uses a variety of products at different times throughout the day. “I’m addicted to the Chanel Precision products like Sublimage. I use it as a day cream. It is light, which is important because it doesn’t cause break-outs. Dermatologists just hate acne. It’s a perfect base for make-up too. “I’m also a great lover of Clarins Flash Balm and Guerlain’s Midnight Secret. Midnight Secret is a moisturiser that makes you look as if you’ve had eight hours sleep when you’ve only had four. I use it when I am sleep-deprived or when I need to look pinker and fresher than normal.” If your skin is looking particularly dull and lifeless then a face scrub can be a useful quick fix. There are hundreds of brands to choose from but it pays to remember that a higher price is no guarantee of a better product. Look for high levels of fruit acids, proteolytic enzymes and glycolic acid. These chemically strip away the lifeless top layers of skin to reveal the fresher pinker ones beneath. But the results will fade away after a few days, particularly if you don’t protect and moisturise the newer softer skin as it emerges. If you suffer from problem skin then choose gentle products that are fragrance free. It goes without saying that a healthy lifestyle focused around lots of fruit, vegetables and nuts can only improve your looks. As you’d expect, exercise is great for improving skin tone whereas smoking is just about the the worst thing possible. At this time of year, it seems almost perverse to recommend a sunblock, but dermatologists are unanimous in endorsing them. Even in our dismal climate, the winter sun can occasionally be strong enough to damage pale skin. But this advice is questioned by other doctors who say that vitamin D (produced by the skin when exposed to sunlight) is vital for overall health and wellbeing. They point out that low levels of the vitamin are linked to breast, bowel and prostate cancer. The vitamin also helps ward off heart disease and possibly Alzheimer’s. But Dr Bav Shergill, consultant dermatologist at Brighton General Hospital, says: “You shouldn’t worry about missing out on vitamin D by avoiding the sun. “Any dermatologist will tell you that the most important thing you can do for your skin is to wear a sunblock. It must be at least factor 15 and must also be efficient at screening out UVA rays. I don’t use anything fancy. Neutrogena, Sunsense, Nivea and Boots own brand are all good and perform well.” Protecting your skin from the ravages of time is one thing, but might it also be possible to reverse the clock? If you listened to the cosmetics’ industry you’d be forgiven for thinking that all you needed to do was buy the latest anti-ageing serum. But which one? The cosmetics companies use “confusion marketing” to shift their products. Their heady cocktail of pseudo-science and impenetrable jargon is deliberately designed to confuse. This ensures that most people will simply grab a cream whose marketing strategy chimes with their own emotional make-up. And it’s very effective. Last year the cosmetics industry shifted £1 billion worth of ant-wrinkle creams and other skincare products. Even the experts are not immune. “I have spent £150 on a pot of cream and noticed absolutely no effect whatsoever,” muses Dr Bunting. If Dr Bunting can be tricked, what hope is there for the rest of us? Well, help is at hand. There is a product that works and it’s a dermatologists best kept secret. And best of all, its available on prescription for only £7.10p . A single tube should last for months. Tretinoin was originally developed as a treatment for acne but it wasn’t long before doctors started noticing an unusual side-effect: patients began to look younger. It turned out that Tretinoin boosted collagen production in the skin. This plumped it up, reduced fine lines, sun damage and discolouration. Doctors quickly started using it on themselves. Dr Sue Mayou, consultant dermatologist at the Cadogan Clinic in London and spokeswoman for the British Skin Foundation, says: “I use it twice a week. “It’s very drying so you have to moisturise well. The rest of the time, I use a not especially expensive moisturiser that contains retinol. RoC Retin-Ox is as good as any. Retinol – a form of vitamin A – may also have an anti-ageing effect. Unfortunately it is only about one tenth as effective as Tretinoin so, at best, it may have only a marginal impact. The same may – or may not - hold true for the other anti-wrinkle ingredients touted by the cosmetics industry. “It’s possible that they do work,” says Dr Mayou. “But if the companies prove it categorically then their products would have to be licensed as medicines. This means it would only be available on prescription, which in marketing terms, would be madness.” So are there any cosmetics available over the counter that might make you look younger? Dr Bunting thinks not: “Many of the products on sale in the high street are designed not to work. They are formulated to cause as little trouble as possible. They are designed to sit on the surface of the skin – not penetrate it – so they don’t work. It’s as simple as that.” Ancient herbal remedy beats hayfever Acupuncture relieves side effects of cancer chemotherapy Read more health stories 
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