Is Sunscreen Necessary in the Winter Months?

By: Diana Augustoni

Often I ask clients about their sun protection use in the winter and many report that they opt to not use their sunscreen.  As a therapist I am always concerned as to why clients choose to not apply in winter.  It is very important to use sunscreen year round and I want to take the time to explain the simple reasons why.

We are constantly exposed to harmful sun rays and our face and hands are especially vulnerable at this time of year. We need protection of both UVA (ultraviolet A) light and UVB (ultraviolet B) light year round.  UVB rays are commonly known as the sunburn rays.  UVA rays are responsible for photo aging in the skin and for causing skin cancers.  Although we can all see the importance for protection in the sun, why is it just as important in the winter?  In the winter months the sun is actually closer to the earth causing those rays to be just as harmful.  Even indoors you can be absorbing harmful rays through the windows.  If you drive, you will get these rays through your windshield and side window.  If you decide to take a holiday break somewhere to ski or snowboard you are even more susceptible to harmful rays.  Did you know that 80% of ultraviolet light is reflected back from the snow?  UV intensity increases by 10% for every 1,000 foot increase!  You need to be careful to hydrate your skin while outside in the snow, you’ll also need to use a sunscreen with an SPF 30 or greater.  Even just going and coming from work on a cloudy day requires a minimum of SPF 15.  Clients will comment they use sun protection that is in their tinted moisturiser or makeup.  And although that is better than not using anything, many dermatologists suggest using an additional sun protection with that.  Do you wear sunscreen when you fly?  Guess what you get harmful rays there too!  Yep can’t escape it, these harmful rays are always there.  When you fly you will be exposed to more UV exposure because you are higher in the sky.  Flying can also cause a tremendous amount of dehydration in the skin and using sun protection can help to protect your skin, so be sure to apply just before you board!

Aside from the main reasons for us to use sunscreen year round, how else might this be helpful to our skin in the winter? It’s simple really, the most effective way to prevent pigmentation, fine lines and wrinkles,  is to use a sunscreen. Why cause premature aging when we can prevent it!  Indoor heating, windy days, pollution all contribute to the skin becoming drier in the winter.  We at Fern believe using the appropriate skincare alongside a good sunscreen will keep your skin in great condition.   There are two sunscreens we would like to highlight; these are our best sellers.

Skin Ceuticals Advanced UV Defense SPF 30 provides broad spectrum protection against UVA and UVB rays.  This is an ideal sunscreen to be used daily on all skin types and is perfect for those with sensitive skin.  It  contains Mexoryl SX and XL , designed especially to protect against UVA  damage.  It will also protect the skin against cell damage caused by UV rays and normalises epidermal renewal to resurface the skin.  We find this sunscreen to be super light and very easy to wear under makeup. 

Alpha H Daily Essential Moisturiser SPF 50.  This sun protection, according to Alpha H, is a three-in-one age blocker, wrinkle saver and collagen saver.  Alpha H have formulated a product that provides you with a broad spectrum protection, is sweat resistant, water resistant and blended with antioxidant vitamin E. This product also contains the calming properties of Aloe Vera and pure Cera Alba (extracted from Honeycomb) to lock in moisture and to support the skin’s lipid barrier for long lasting hydration.  This product is super light, non-whitening on the skin and is perfect for oily to combination skin types.  It can also provide great added hydration to drier skin types.

Wear Sunscreen!  Don’t hesitate!  You’ll  thank us later, we promise!

Hairy Monkey?

By: Diana Augustoni.

Ever look at the hair on your body and think ”I’m a hairy monkey?”!  Reality is, I think we all do at some point or another.  I know so many that either have always hated their body hair, or just came to a point of accepting the hair they have been dealt.  And those who are accepting of it, what does that really mean?  Have they just found ways to keep it at bay or are they really just “letting it all hang out”?  There is evidence of issues with body hair going back to 1915, ads convincing us that a sleek underarm was far more beautiful and necessary with the ever exposed body part as the underarm.  As time went on the legs would follow....and so on.

So how do people take care of their body hair?  Do you shave?  Or wax? And do you go for the Bikini, Hollywood or the Brazilian?   Is one with wax and another with a razor? No, it’s the style of how much you want waxed!  Bloody Hell!   And how often do you need to do this?  Our need to de-fuzz can be painful and costly and never ending.  Do you ever grow tired of the constant upkeep and wish for something simpler?  I know I do!  But what? 

Light hair removal can be very effective at achieving fuzz free results for much longer compared to waxing, sugaring and shaving. This form of hair removal reduces the production of hair and with certain people can often be permanent.  I think it’s best to describe it as long term hair reduction as each person’s results will vary.  This form of hair removal will save you long term over other depilatory choices.

Fern Skin Clinic offers light hair removal.  We use the Energist VPL machine which has been clinically proven to reduce hair from all parts of the face and body.  So how does it work?  First, we can choose variable settings to distinctly tailor to the client and area being treated.  This light laser uses safe and controlled filtered light to remove unwanted hair.  The pulsed light is absorbed by the melanin, or pigment in the hair follicle.  Energist states this absorption process produces heat, which travels down the hair, affecting the follicle’s ability to regenerate.

Will it be painful? Will I be red?  What will my skin look like afterwards?  As with any hair removal process there will be some pain involved.  Light hair removal has improved greatly over the years and with those improvements they have developed ways to cover a larger area and more heat to the hair follicle virtually pain free.  This machine will not burn or scar your skin.   Your skin may appear a bit red after the treatment but this will subside very shortly after the treatment.

What do I need to do after my treatment?  And how many treatments will this take?  With any treatment, each person’s result will vary but generally the hair that has been treated will naturally fall out within one to three weeks.   If you need to have the area hair free prior to that time, you can always shave.  What’s nice is that if you do shave, your skin will feel smooth as if you had just waxed.  Nice bonus!  And you can continue to shave during your course of treatments, so it won’t be necessary to use any of your other hair removal methods.  We recommend doing a course of six treatments to start and from there you may choose a course of top-ups to continue working with stubborn hairs. 

So where do I start?  You will need to book a consultation appointment with us and we will do a patch test at that time.

All For Eve Age Delay Facial Oil

By:  Diana Augustoni

The All for Eve age delay facial oil, have you heard of it?  If  you haven’t,  that is what Fern is here for!  This facial oil is truly the saviour of oils for us Fern girls.  Now that the weather is turning...yeah what happened to summer, huh?  The weather is the weather but at least we can control other things like how we take care of our skin as the seasons change.  Often when we head into the autumn and winter months, skin becomes drier, reddened and possibly even more sensitive. 

What to do?  Firstly, get yourself this oil pronto!  What’s so great about this oil?  It’s a 100% botanical rejuvenation treatment, full of nature’s finest antioxidants, essential oils, vitamins and fatty acids.  According to Alpha H the ingredients were chosen for their ability to replenish, strengthen and regenerate your skin whilst reducing signs of stress, redness and dehydration.

So how do I use this oil?  Simple, apply a few drops to your skin before your day or night moisturiser or you can alternatively use this as a night cream or treatment.  Many of our clients choose to use this on its own. 

But will this oil work for my skin?  We bet it will!  But to be sure why not book an Alpha H facial!  We offer 60 min, 75 min or 90 min Alpha H facials.  Getting a facial with us is entirely customised and we can help you with all the Alpha H products that would be appropriate for you.  

Now something we don’t want to go amiss is that there is  “all for eve” on the bottle of Alpha H pictured, what is this?  Alpha H have partnered with All for Eve to help fund gynaecological research.   All for Eve donate 100% of their net profits to the eve appeal.  To find out more information about the eve appeal, simply visit their website: www.eveappeal.org.uk.

Dermal Roller

Why Dermal Roller?

By: Diana Augustoni

There has been a real buzz with the Dermal Roller for the past few years and just recently the buzz has absolutely exploded.  Is it just a fad? Or is it something that deserves all this attention?  Personally we here at Fern think it deserves every bit of buzz! 

So what is Dermal Roller?  According to the manufacturers brochure, it’s a hand held device that helps combat the appearance of scars, wrinkles, and uneven skin tone.  Micro skin needling encourages collagen and elastin production within the skin and helps to reduce the appearance of skin imperfections making the skin smoother, brighter, healthier and younger looking.

So how does it work?  Pinpoint punctures are made as we roll over the skin, the body’s natural defence response initiates the healing process by releasing growth factors and triggering the production of collagen and elastin in the skin.  Does this hurt?  Truth be told, a little.  We will first apply a topical anaesthetic to numb the area for 30-40 minutes and then the microneedling begins.  After the treatment we will apply soothing ingredients and a cooling mask to calm your skin down.  Will you be able to go out afterwards?   Sure if you want to, but your skin will be tomato red.  We here at Fern are not going to tell you anything other than the truth and the truth is you are going to be red!  But don’t let that scare you, the next day your skin will be slightly red but you will just look like you’ve  caught some sun and you can apply a tinted moisturiser if you like.  The down time is very little, for the next few days you will experience some redness and possibly some flakiness as the skin begins to heal itself.  Will you look like you had a chemical peel?  No way!!  After the first day of your treatment, no one will know you have done anything at all.  But in the coming weeks we guarantee your friends and family will want to know what you have done differently.  Your skin will positively glow and the tone and firmness of your skin will improve.

How many treatments do I need to do?  It’s your choice really but we recommend doing the series of 3 sessions to start.  Each session is done 5 weeks apart.   From there you can only have a session done 6 months apart.  After two years, you can then begin the series again to maintain the results achieved.  It’s simple really.  And as always, the Fern therapists will be here to guide you along the way with what suits your skin and concerns the best!

So how do I get started?  Visit us at www.fernskinclinic.com.  You will need to book a consultation first and then we will guide you the rest of the way.