Beauty Clinic: Thirtysomething acne
Q. At 30 something I still get some spots and blemishes, probably worse when my period is due. I live and work in an urban environment. Can you suggest how I can help prevent the problem in the first place and when I do get the beastly things how I can diminish the redness and subsequent scarring?
A. Oh dear, it is such a common problem and we do sympathise. Here are our thoughts in a kind of pick ‘n mix, so you can take what suits!
Eat a wholesome diet. Include a rainbow of different coloured vegetables, which contain important antioxidant vitamins that can help calm the inflammation and fight the effects of pollution. Anything that’s orange-coloured contains vitamin A, which is great for damaged skin, so carrots, squash and sweet potatoes can help.
Fruit-wise, look at berries, oranges, papaya, kiwi and guava, which are rich in vitamin C.
Don't miss out on oily fish, nuts and seeds – and always olive oil.
Do reduce your intake of sugar and sugary foods of all kinds, including honey, maple syrup etc. And remember all refined carbs are effectively the same as sugar by the time they get into your system; so give bread, pasta, white rice a wide berth. Swop to whole grain products if you like carbs.
Avoid sugar-sweetened drinks of all kinds.
The effects of eating dairy products, particularly cow’s milk, seem to vary widely with individuals. Some say cutting out dairy reduces their problem, others that it makes no difference. Research is equivocal. You could try eliminating or swopping cows milk products for non-dairy alternatives and see if it helps. Natural live yogurt seems fine for most people.
Try a supplement such as Viridian Clear Skin Complex/£22.95 for 60 capsules (dose two daily) from victoriahealth.com. This contains a range of probiotics – good bacteria that help reduce inflammation – plus zinc, selenium and helpful herbs. It is highly recommended by Shabir Daya, the in-house pharmacist at Victoria Health.
Reduce stress. Anxiety of any kind can trigger a cascade of reactions in our bodies, including skin, which is our biggest organ. And your hormonal cycle is likely to be adding to the situation. Dr Lowe, in common with many experts we have talked to over the years, recommends taking up calming activities from yoga and tai chi to walking and meditation. Slowing your breathing is key. We also suggest considering apps like Headspace and Calm, both of which come highly recommended.
Use targeted skincare. Try Dr. Nick Lowe’s acclenz™ Blemish Solutions range, which includes acclenz™ Purify & Renew Foaming Cleanser/£20.83 for 100 ml, and Deep Action Blemish Serum/£40.83 for 50ml, and Cleansing Mask/£25 for 50ml, as well as an Oil Control Day Cream/£35 for 50ml.
We highly recommend Dr Lowe’s book Perfectly Clear: The Perfect Guide to Clear Skin/£12.49, which he wrote with his daughter Dr Philippa Lowe.
For a more budget range, try Salcura Antiac , available at victoriahealth.com. Antiac Daily Face Wash is £11.99 for 150ml, Activ Gel Serum/£9.99 for 15ml.
To help scarring: research from Science of Skin, an impressive doctor range that contains a bunch of botanicals, shows that the best way to improve your scar outcome is to tackle it as soon as the spot is inactive and starting to heal. ‘The longer you leave the skin untreated, the more likely you are to have longer term scarring issues,’ says CEO Emma Blackman.
She recommends Science of Skin Rescue No. One/£18.99 for 30ml, which has a green tea extract proven to reduce scarring and redness with magnolia bark to calm inflammation.
The product penetrates the skin, according to Emma, and works at a cellular level to help improve the appearance of the skin and diminish redness. Use it in place of your normal moisturiser.
Choose mineral make up. Covering your face in foundation and/or concealer with lots of synthetic chemicals probably doesn't help. Your skin needs to breathe so look at mineral make up ranges such as bareMinerals. The stores that stock the products often include consultants who can give you lots of tips about how to apply – if you haven’t used it before, it’s worth practising as it’s a bit different to other formulations.
