What are the most common skin concerns?
Skin Concerns are both a physical and internal issue, one that affects your skins health as well as your confidence. These conditions can be managed with the right diet and skin care regimen. By understanding common concerns and implementing some simple changes to your routine, you can achieve healthier, more radiant skin.
To make the beginnings of your journey a little easier, here are few of the most common skin concerns and how to address them:
Acne
Acne affects people of all ages and is caused by excess sebum production, diet, hormonal changes, face and hair products and gut health. These factors all contribute to acne and blackhead by clogging pore and leaving bacteria and product build up on the skin. It is imperative that you have the correct skin care routine in place that not only repairs and maintains the skin barrier but also addresses your acne concerns. Using products that are non- comedogenic and consist of a non foaming cleanser, regular exfoliation, targeted serums to help soothe and hydrate the skin followed by a non comedogenic moisturizer to protect and hydrate. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, managing stress and having regular salon treatments will ensure your acne is maintained.
Dryness and Dehydration
Dehydrated skin is lacking hydration on the skin's surface and not limited to one skin type. It can appear in dry skin but also oily skin types too. The dehydration leads to dull sensitive skin with the appearance of fine dehydration lines causing the skin to appear aged. Typically the skin will become dehydrated from incorrect products or a poor skin care regimen. Drinking more water, using gentle gel or milk cleansers, serums such as hyaluronic acid and nourishing moisturizers will help to repair the skin barrier while reducing dehydration and in turn often assisting in improving other skin concerns.
Hyperpigmentation
Pigmentation and Malasma are darkened areas of the skin most commonly found on the forehead, cheeks and around the mouth caused by sun damage, acne scars, incorrect use of harsh skin care products or hormonal changes. Pigment from sun damage is often deeper and harder to remove than pigment caused from other factors. Treatment for this condition will vary from person to person however it is imperative that you see a professional therapist and do not attempt to treat this with harsh products that can be purchased online. These are often used incorrectly due to lack of knowledge and being too strong, this will usually cause more damage to skin and as a result make the pigmentation worse. Making sure you wear sunscreen everyday and reapplying when you are outside for a prolonged period, avoiding excessive sun exposure without appropriate protection, and considering treatments like chemical peels or topical brightening agents which should always be discussed with a professional therapist to create a plan suitable for your skin. Being patient and consistent with treatment is important to see results as pigmentation can be very stubborn.
Sensitivity and Redness
Sensitive skin can be caused by many different factors and is not skin type specific. Many skin conditions will also have sensitivity including but not limited to acne, roseacre and dehydration. Sensitive skin is prone to redness, itching, burning, tingling also pain and discomfort when touched or incorrect products are applied. The key to treating sensitive skin is addressing and repairing the skins barrier. Using milk, cream or oil based cleansers that are gentle and fragrance-free also non foaming. Following up with nourishing serums and moisturisers will help repair skin, less is more is usually key when treating sensitive skin. Using products that incorporate soothing ingredients like aloe vera, chamomile, as well as colloidal oatmeal are all great choices.
Aging
As we age the amount of collagen and elastin we produce begins to slow down so does our sebum production. These factors all result in fine lines and wrinkles also causing the skin to appear dull and lifeless due to loss of firmness. There are 3 types of wrinkles that can appear on the skin and using different techniques and products will help in reducing them.
Premature aging these types of wrinkles can be treated with products to help maintain the skin barrier, wrinkle that come with age caused by the breakdown of collagen and elastin can be treated using products like AHA’s and retinols. And expression lines and wrinkles are treated using different methods. Maintaining a balanced diet, exercising regularly, protecting your skin from the sun using sunscreen, and adding antioxidant rich creams into your regimen will help your skin ease into its new season of life.