A medical skincare program prescribed to suit your skin can fade pigmentation, smooth your skin and give it a dewy, radiant glow.

Medical skin care has a higher concentration of active ingredients than skincare you buy at a pharmacy or beauty counter, and this gives it the best chance of success.

I only prescribe skincare that’s free from harmful ingredients and prefer ranges containing natural botanicals.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to use sunscreen?

Yes, in New Zealand, sunscreen is extremely important. Please use sunscreen as if your life depends on it!

Here in New Zealand, we are exposed to such high levels of Ultra Violet light (UV) that natural ageing changes like wrinkles, sunspots and sagging, appear up to twenty years earlier compared to women in the Northern Hemisphere.

I can advise you on the safest, most effective sunscreens to suit your skin.

What cleanser should I use?

The biggest problem I see is over-cleansing. Many people are still using a conventional cleanser that lathers up and removes natural oils. This can cause damage to your skin barrier and lead to red, dry, flaky skin.

I prefer oil-based cleansers which work naturally with your skin to dissolve the grime and do an excellent cleansing job without stripping your skin of good natural oils.

Why is my ‘skin barrier’ important?

Your skin barrier is a thin fatty layer that sits on the surface of your skin and prevents your skin from losing water. A weak skin barrier allows water out and irritants in more easily, leading to dry, flaky, skin that is prone to rashes and other reactions.

Many people have a weak skin barrier because of age, sun damage, pollution, stress, harsh cleansers or scrubs, or simply a genetic tendency.

Restoring your skin barrier is an important first step for many people, before I would prescribe active anti-ageing serums.

How can I improve my skin barrier?

Using the right cleanser is very important, as cleansers that foam tend to remove too much of the natural oil your skin needs.

Scrubs and long, hot showers can also wash away too much oil so you’re better to avoid them.

Ingredients like Vitamin B3 (niacinamide) and hyaluranon help your skin barrier by boosting ceramides, to help the surface cells stick together and providing hydration without extra oiliness.

What can Vitamin A do for my skin?

Vitamin A products for the skin are called “retinoids”. Retinoids are a miracle ingredient for your skin because they help sun damage, ageing and acne.

Retinoids are extremely well researched. They can make skin cells behave as if they are younger and actually reverse the changes of sun damage at a cellular level.

Retinoids come in different strengths including retinyl palmitate, retinol, and tretinoin, which is the strongest type, only available on prescription.

Retinoids can be irritating if they are not the right strength for your skin, or if your skin barrier has not been repaired first. Having a retinoid correctly prescribed for your skin is the foundation of your anti-ageing skin care regime.

What can Vitamin B do for my skin?

Niacinamide (B3) is especially good at repairing your skin barrier as it boosts ceramide production, which is a fatty substance that helps stick your skin cells together.

As a result of a better skin barrier, it helps redness and blotchiness, and normalises oil production. It also helps your skin’s immune function, reduces uneven brown pigmentation and acts as an antioxidant.

Can medical skin care fade my brown pigmentation?

Yes, it can. It doesn’t happen overnight, but over six months it can certainly have a visible effect.

There are many skincare ingredients that fade brown pigment and I can help choose the safest, most effective combination that works best for your skin.

Can skincare get rid of wrinkles and sagging?

I don’t believe so, no. I am frustrated by the false promises I see in advertising by big brands like L’Oreal, promising to fix wrinkles or sagging with the latest ‘miracle’ cream with a low level of active ingredients.

Whilst good skin care, especially sun protection, can probably delay these changes, it struggles to reverse them once they’ve appeared. At most, good skincare can slightly reduce wrinkles by perhaps 20%.

Treatments like Botox, lasers and dermal filler are many times more effective at reducing wrinkles and sagging.

If you’d like to discuss your skin and skincare options with me, make an appointment for a consultation.