One Skin Does Not Fit All - Skin Conditions

Hello everyone,

One of the last blogs was all about Skin Types - this month I will explain Skin Conditions:

A Skin Type and a Skin Condition need seperate care.  With a Skin Type we can control the 'problem', eg, with a Skin Type that is Dry, we can recreate a lipid barrier on the skin to protect it and prevent further drying by using correct products. A Skin Type can be controlled but not cured as it is something we are born with.

A Skin Condition, on the other hand, can be treated as they have been caused by external factors and some internal factors. This can include dehydration which may have been caused by central heating, or not drinking enough water.

Skin Conditions include:

Dehydration – lack of water in the skin, possibly flaky, very fine lines, loss of ‘bounce’ to the skin, tight surface, dull complexion, oilness and blockages can still be present. We would recommend some regular light exfoliation and a serum with Hyaluronic Acid to help bind water into the skin.

Sensitised – reactivity to certain products/treatments/environmental factors, tendancy to redness, inflammation, reaction to heat and friction.  We would recommend soothing and calming products such as SkinCeuticals Redness Relief to help combat the triggers of redness and irritation.

Ageing/Premature – wrinkles, loss of muscle tone, pigmentation, dull, low in oil, course skin texture. Peels containing Glycolic and Lactic Acid are fantastic for treating Ageing and Premature Ageing skin conditions. Also use of products at home that contain Vitamin C, Peptides, Hyaluronic Acid and Retinol.

Pigmentation/Sunspots – brown or white irregular patches on the skin. A course of Alma Light Therapy to diminish the brown pigmentation patches, along side regular exfoliation, use of a Vitamin C serum and of course a high factor SPF is essential!

Congestion/Breakouts – under surface congestion, comodones (blackheads), milea (whiteheads), possible pustular breakouts. Build up of skin cells can cause a build up of blackheads which in turn can lead to breakouts. Regular exfoliation is a must alongside regular facials to have your blackheads removed.

So regular facials and a good home skincare routine are essential for your skins health.  Book in for a Fern Facial and we can determine your skin type, any skin conditions and a home skin care regime.

Men are from Mars.......

The structure and composition of men's skin is very different to a women's. Men's skin tends to be more oily, making it more susceptible to acne related problems, blemishes and blackheads.  But on a more positive note, men's skin is much thicker than women's, making it less susceptible to UV damage such as pigmentation and ageing from the sun. However, skin suffers daily from air pollution, sweat and grit and dirt getting into pores.

Another big challenge a man's facial skin has to cope with (unless he is a bearded gent of course...) is having to drag a razor over the face on a regular basis.  This in turn can strip away essential moisture and break down the skins natural protective barrier, making the skin very sensitive, red and irritated.

So with all of this in mind, Fernskinclinic have designed and added a facial specifically for men to the treatment menu:  
The Men's Customized Facial Treatment.
A professional treatment with lots of good science built in. Only a trained therapist will be able to perform this and provide you with long lasting results.

This men's facial is a hard-working treatment whereby the complexion gets a welcome boost, whilst treating issues like acne, blackheads, skin redness or to just re-instate a youthful glow and relax. During the treatment the therapist will analyse your skin, decide what nourishment it needs and, using scientifically developed skin products, cleanse, exfoliate and nourish your skin.
You will have an enzyme mask combined with a steam treatment, extractions if necessary, a facial massage and a custom-made Alginate rubberising mask. Expect to leave with your skin feeling calm and clean. 


Mens Facial Treatment 60min/£80
www.fernskinclinic.com

(images via pinterest)

Get Glowing From The Inside

For this weeks blog, I have Nutritional Therapist Emma Olliff giving us some healthy eating tips and delicious smoothie recipe's to make your skin GLOW:


A healthy diet supports good health in countless ways, just as poor choices challenge us to maintain balance and wellbeing. Our skin, as our largest organ, reflects our state of health on the inside and can fluctuate just as our diets do. Increases in sugars (simple and complex), unhealthy fats, processed foods and artificial ingredients create acidity, inflammation and imbalance that effect our skin, hair, nails, and of course, the rest of our body and its “systems”. 

Are there any foods that can actually help with acne?

A balanced diet rich in vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants is your skins best friend. Eliminate processed and refined foods, and strive to eat foods that are minimally processed and come in a rainbow of colour. Switch from processed grain products to whole grains such as quinoa and brown rice. Increase your vegetable intake with extra emphasis on greens such as kale, broccoli, collard greens, watercress and sea vegetables that provide essential minerals and support nearly every bodily function. Strive to bring in non-animal sources of protein and healthy fats from legumes, nuts and seeds. Fill in with foods high in antioxidants such as berries and add some lemon or apple cider vinegar to your water to alkalinize and support overall health. The more you focus on bringing in the foods that serve you, the sooner the foods that don’t serve you will fall by the wayside, or will at least move to a healthier place in the mix. 

When it comes to aging, any foods that speed up the process? Processed foods, sugar, artificial ingredients, partially hydrogenated oils and any foods that you can’t translate in your mind you’re likely not to be able to translate in your body either. These combined with a sedentary lifestyle can wreak havoc on your skin and your health.

How about foods that slow down the ageing process? Our food choices together with lifestyle can help slow the ageing process. Antioxidant rich foods that neutralise free radicals and the damage they do to cells and membranes are a great addition, as are super foods such as blueberries, broccoli, oats, quinoa, pumpkin seed, walnuts and more. Keep your food clean – minimally processed for maximum nutrition – and eat foods that come from the green kind of a plant as opposed to a processing plant. Combine a healthy diet with vitamin D from the sun, fresh air, clean water, ample sleep and exercise, and you’re apt to be feeling and looking younger in no time. If there was one food everyone should eat to make our skin look its best, what would it be? I always recommend that people start with greens! Many consider green to be the colour of healing, and it happens also to the colour most missing in the standard British diet. Dark leafy greens like kale, collard greens, cabbages, romaine lettuce, watercress, mustard greens, dandelion greens … provide a wealth of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients that benefit everything including your liver and heart to your bones and eyes. Greens are known to reduce inflammation, and can even help reduce risk for diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

The Vitamin A Rich Green Smoothie. A collagen protector that is tasty and beautifying! Serves: 2 
Ingredients: 
2 cups spinach 
½ cucumber
1 small avocado 
½ cup mango fruit or 1 orange (+ zest – makes it really orangey!) 
1 lime 
2 cups coconut water (or water) to cover 
1 Tbsp chia seeds 
1 Tbsp flax seeds (ground)
2 Tbsp pumpkin seeds 
Method:
1. Put spinach into the blender first, followed by all the other ingredients. 
2. Note: the orange zest is really worth adding – it creates a really zingy mango-orange flavour. 
3. Blend everything for about 1-2 minutes until smooth 
4. Drink!

Greenie genie: a juice to help acne or problem skin. Alkalising green juices are especially beneficial for improving acne. Go for ingredients such as asparagus, celery, parsley and watercress, and don't overload on high-fructose fruits. Carrot juice, rich in beta-carotene, is also a useful addition, but try to keep the juices mostly green. This is a deliciously light juice with a refreshing ginger tang. The grassiness of the green ingredients is slightly sweetened by the apples. 
Makes one large glass: 
2 medium apples 
2 medium carrots 
2cm (1in) cube ginger, unpeeled 
4 small asparagus spears 
small handful parsley 
small handful freshly cut wheatgrass, or 1 level tsp of powdered greens, such as wheatgrass, chlorella or spirulina

Method:
Juice together all the ingredients, in their entirety, stirring in your chosen powdered greens (if using) just before serving.

nutrition@emmaolliff.com

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.