A few of you have been keen to know more about improving skin texture and I think it’s a good time to cover this now because it incorporates many of the topics we have already discussed! Therefore, we can use our new knowledge and apply it to understanding which treatments are best at re-texturising the skin.
Sun damage, hormonal changes (menopause), age (increased dead skin cells clog the pores) or a skin condition (dermatitis, keratosis, psoriasis, etc….) can be key causes of poor skin texture.
Everyone’s skin type and needs are slightly different but here is a little overview of the main ways to smooth the skin:
- Good sun protection – I know we have talked a lot about this already!
- High vitamin C products – antioxidant effect + ability to smooth dry and rough skin
- There are 3 main types:
- Physical, meaning little micro-beads which physically remove dead skin cells (either via a daily product or an exfoliating mask used a few times a week). Steer clear of highly abrasive exfoliants as these can cause micro-tears in the skin which would NOT represent a “controlled injury” and therefore NOT beneficial skin injury
- Chemical exfoliation. Unlike scrubs, chemical exfoliators use ingredients with a low pH to help loosen dead skin cells. Alpha Hydroxy Acids are common ingredients to achieve this (you will also find them in home and superficial in-clinic chemical peels). One Alpha Hydroxy Acid you may be familiar with is Glycolic acid – often considered the gold standard in exfoliation and improving skin texture. Chemical exfoliation can be more gentle than physical exfoliants for people with more sensitive skin or those very prone to drying out.
- Retinol – refer to my presentation on this for full details but in summary, an increased cell turnover will shed the superficial dull skin cells and stop the pores clogging.
Additional in-clinic procedures can be considered alongside the home regime to further improve skin texture and quality. They all follow the same principles of either physical or chemical exfoliation but just at a much deeper level than home skincare products can achieve. Microdermabrasion, micro-needling (creating a controlled injury) and chemical peels all improve skin texture.