Sun, stress and injury have caused many a photoaged skin. Hence, I would like to share with you some skincare pearls, to ensure you be the light of the party this Xmas. Be bold and beautiful!
Essentially, skincare can be divided into S.E.A. For a more indepth discussion, please watch my youtube channel, drdanielchang.
Sunprotection – which can be further divided into T.C.S.
Exfoliation – with glycolics being the foundation
Antioxidant – So drink your green tea!
Others – Of which retinoids and whitening agents play a role.
Today I will share with you about retinoids, the quinessential antiageing formulation.
Retinoids
1) What are the indications?
– Acne, Ageing, Skin rejuvenation
2) How do you use them?
– Herein lies the key. Retinoids can be irritating to the skin, so the principle is start slow, start low, and work your way up.
3) How long do I wait for effects to occur?
– Generally give it 12 weeks.
4) When am I considered unsuitable for retinoids?
– If you find that using the lowest concentration and starting at once every 3 days causes you to have prolonged stinging, redness and peeling for days, then you need to consult your dermatologist about the usage.
5) How can I soften the reaction to retinoids?
– A good practice is to apply it 20min after a wash, to allow your skin to recover.
– Using of mositurizer either before or after the retinoid helps to reduce the irritation.
– Short contact treatment is another modality, but applies to a particular type.
6) What can I expect?
I generally divide it into subjective and objective.
Subjective is what you can feel, and namely, itch, warmth, stinging, burning.
Objective is what everyone can see, and namely, redness, peeling…
Generally, you will feel before you see, so I always tell my patients to control it before it manifests.
7) What are the benefits?
– Skin lightens and brightens
– Skin thickens
– Wrinkles and fine lines go away, hence it’s antiageing properties
– Normalises skin renewal, and reduces oil production.
I hope this has been useful. So be bold and beautiful!
