4 minute read
Ask the Experts
Myth-Buster Masterclass
//INSERT IMAGE OF ALICE// Alice Henshaw, nurse prescriber, Harley Street Injectables, London IG: @harley_st_injectables Three expert practitioners debunk some of the most common misconceptions in aesthetics
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//INSERT IMAGE OF STEVEN// Dr Steven Land, aesthetic practitioner, Novellus Aesthetics, Newcastle IG: @doctor_ land
//INSERT Scawn, at Holland Park, London & IG: @ IMAGE OF RICHARD// Mr Richard consultant ophthalmologist, The Clinic 84 Harley Street, The Chiltern Hospital, Buckinghamshire richardscawn
Alice Henshaw, nurse prescriber, Harley Street Injectables, London IG: @harley_st_ injectables
Dr Steven Land, aesthetic practitioner, Novellus Aesthetics, Newcastle IG: @novellus_ncl
Mr Richard Scawn, consultant ophthalmologist, The Clinic at Holland Park, London, IG: @richardscawn
DR LAND SAYS: Putting toothpaste onto a spot has been an at-home remedy for too long! The idea that it can dry out your spot and kill off the bacteria has led to its continued popularity, but it could be doing more harm than good. Toothpaste tends to contain some harsh ingredients – great for scrubbing food and plaque from your teeth, however, not so good for your skin health. Calcium carbonate (chalk), glycerine, fluoride and zinc are not great ingredients for your skin. Dry your skin out with these and it’s going to produce more oils to protect itself which exacerbates the problem. Some toothpastes contain antibacterial components that have been shown to reduce the number of bacteria in the mouth, but there is no evidence it will work on skin so stick to the products specifically made for helping spots!
NURSE HENSHAW SAYS: You must not apply makeup straight after injectable procedures like dermal fillers or anti-wrinkle toxin treatments to prevent bacteria from getting into the place of infection. The heavy consistency of makeup such as foundation and concealer can also clog the injection site, leading to small pimples post-treatment. It is best to wait 24 hours after the procedure, to ensure that the skin has fully healed. Pure mineral makeup can be applied after an injectable treatment, however it is still best to wait approximately four to six hours. Care should be taken to ensure that your hands and utensils being used to apply the makeup are clean prior to usage – dirty makeup brushes have a lot of bacteria on them and can also cause infection when applied to healing skin.
Dr Steven Land
“Dermaplaning will give me a beard”
DR LAND SAYS: Dermaplaning uses a surgical scalpel blade to thoroughly exfoliate the skin and remove the fine, vellus hair that covers your face. Persistent rumours believe that this will cause the hair to grow back thicker or darker, causing the appearance of a beard – but this is entirely false! The treatment can give the appearance that your hair has changed though. Natural hair grows with a finely tapered point and feels soft to the touch, however, when the hair has been sliced straight across it can grow back feeling sharper and rougher and gives the impression of being thicker. Each individual hair is the same diameter as it was previously, it’s just easier to feel. If you do have areas of darker, coarser hair then you can look at other treatments such as laser, IPL hair reduction or electrolysis.
MR SCAWN SAYS: People often think that upper eyelid surgery is solely a cosmetic procedure, but it can actually help you see better! As they age, many people become aware that the heaviness, puffiness and drooping of their upper eyelids negatively impacts upon their vision. Sometimes this heaviness can even cause slight pain or aching due to the forehead muscles working overtime to lift the eyelids. Upper eyelid surgery includes the well-known blepharoplasty surgery to remove excess skin and fat, but also ptosis surgery to tighten the muscles internally within the eyelid. So, while successful upper eyelid surgery should refresh one’s external appearance, it can also brighten vision.
“I only need to apply SPF once a day”
NURSE HENSHAW SAYS: To really fight against the sun’s harmful rays and prevent ageing and skin cancers, you need to apply sun protection all year round. When it comes to your face, you should apply in the morning after cleansing and before other skincare products. For an SPF to be most effective, continue to reapply it every two hours throughout the day as it will break down due to sweat, sebum (oily and waxy substance found on the skin) and daily activities. I know this can be inconvenient and will also mean continuous cleansing and wastage of other skincare products and makeup, so to get around this you can use a loose makeup that has a SPF of 30 or higher. This can be dusted over the face every two hours throughout the day with a brush and will not require you to cleanse first and will not cause your skin to feel heavy with product build-up. You can also purchase a setting spray with SPF which can sprayed over your makeup too!
