Ask Dr Judy: What are the best treatments to overhaul my skin this winter?
We speak to one of Scotland’s longest-practising aesthetic doctors, and NHS hospital consultant, Dr Judy Todd of Synergy, to answer your urgent skincare and beauty questions…
Q: Since the weather turned, my skin’s condition has gone downhill virtually overnight. What treatments can I do in winter to rejuvenate my complexion?
A: The dark nights and harsh weather of winter means that you’ll likely be spending a lot of your time indoors. Many expert skincare treatments require you to avoid harsh light and sun exposure, so the hunkering down you’ll likely be doing for the next few weeks ahead of party season provides the ideal opportunity to consider treatments that need more “downtime” to settle. Depending on your specific skincare woes, there’s a variety of options at your disposal, but one of the treatments I think most effective for bestowing a glow is a chemical peel.
Peels might sound scary, but in reality, a peel will work its magic in a few short days. A little time indoors is required, but the results will be worth it. Peels work by causing damage to the skin (not as painful as it sounds!) in order to stimulate it to heal, resurface and essentially reorganise itself, giving you a fresher glow and a smoother complexion overall. The amount of damage induced is often proportional to the level of result that can be expected, and how aggressively a treatment is applied can be controlled, so we can predict the amount of downtime you may need.
At Synergy, we offer a variety of chemical peels that resurface and rejuvenate your skin, to give it a radiance and polish that belies the amount of time you’ve been spending at home. My particular favourite is the ZO Medical Three-Step Peel (from £350), which provides long-lasting benefits to improve the signs of acne, scarring, pigmentation, sun damage, fine lines, rough texture, large pores, and lacklustre skin. This peel contains a mixture of salicylic, trichloroacetic and lactic acids, as well as a high dose of retinol, to transform your skin. It’s perfect for reclaiming your glow during the dull winter months.
As the name suggests, it’s a three-step peel, which we complete in-clinic and at home. It encourages active peeling of the skin, so you will need to stay home during this time, but it’s the ideal excuse to keep cosy indoors for a few days. Have it on a Thursday evening, take the day off on Friday; the worst of the peeling and flakiness should be over by Monday morning.
Another treatment option that’s great for the winter months are energy-based treatments, such as the Fractora™ radiofrequency treatment (from £950). Fractora™ tackles lines and wrinkles, textural problems, pigmentation, scarring and redness. The treatment works by delivering radiofrequency directly to the skin via pins, producing a gentle heat and micro-lesion dots, promoting a boost in collagen to rejuvenate the skin. The strength of this treatment can be altered to limit the downtime required, and it offers low downtime in comparison to laser resurfacing; you should expect three days of dryness and scabbing, but makeup can be applied the day after the treatment, so it’s easy to cover up if necessary.
If you want to dip your toe with something gentler to start, medical-grade skincare is a good way to begin your medical skincare journey. It’s an ideal time to introduce prescription-grade retinol into your skincare regime, as your skin will take time to acclimatise to it and you may experience redness and flakiness, but it’s yet another good reason to snuggle up indoors for a few days. These symptoms settle if you persevere, after which the results will become obvious: brighter, smoother, clearer skin you’ll love showing off at all of your festive parties.
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