This seems to be among the coldest winters we have seen here in Australia for some years and we are not coping! Winter is a season characterised by lower humidity, scratchy fabrics and often, heating that leads to dry, irritated skin. So what are some winter basics to keep skin happy? Here are some basic tips to keep skin happy on a day to day basis at home that won’t break the bank, and some suggestions if you are open to in-clinic treatments. 1. Keep your skincare simple. I’m not a fan of complicated, multi-step skincare routines or switching it up too often at the best of tines, but winter is especially one time to go easy on changing your products too often! I typically pare products down to 3-4 steps, max when I see new patients for a skincare audit, and this is generally what I recommend, especially if you have sensitive skin. Year round, skincare really does not need much more than a cleanser, SPF during the day, an active or two if you can tolerate it and moisturiser. Serums and other creams are optional, but you may benefit from them, based on your skin needs, and in winter, you may need thicker and richer formulations to help keep more moisture in. 2. SPF and sun protection remains just as important as in summer We live in Australia, which means, barring very few states and areas, we get abundant sunshine and UV exposure year around, with UV index usually well above 3, which means daily sun protection will continue to be your best defence against photo damage as well as sunburn. Yes, even in winter, daily sun protection is vital.   3. Ease up on the exfoliants and scrubs It can be tempting to up the exfoliants to deal with dry, flaking and peeling skin, but this is usually a bad idea. As counterintuitive as it sounds, deal with dry, flaky skin by focusing on adding more moisturiser and if you must, use a gentle enzyme peel once a week instead of harsher products such as acids or physical scrubs, which may affect your skin barrier.   4. Moisturise, moisturise, moisturise This one cannot be emphasised enough! In winter, drier air, heating, warmer showers and winds can all lead to drier skin - on the face, lips, hands as well as extremities as our heart shunts blood away from them, leading to a multitude of problems including worsening of chronic skin conditions such as eczema, keratosis pilaris and more. So one of the good things to do, to switch up your skincare routine, is a gentler cleanser + serums that are hydrating, if you use them + moisturiser and consider adding in occlusive such as Vaseline at night to seal it all in while you sleep. 5. Go easy on the heat To combat the cold, we commonly heat our homes, our beds and in the shower, our bodies, all of which act to dry our skins out more. Add to this fabrics that can sometimes be scratchy and irritate dry skin, and it’s easy to understand why winter can often be so uncomfortable for skin. Simple solutions include not overheating the home, limiting overly hot showers, and consider a weekly warm bath with a soothing oil if you can to add moisture to dry skin. 6. Hydration is more important than ever Due to the cold, we drink less as we sweat less, and often stick to hot drinks, usually tea, coffee and yes, alcohol all of which can dehydrate in larger quantities. Watch how much you drink, especially water, and try and remain as hydrated as is possible. 7. Consider in-clinic treatments If your budget allows for it, winter is a great time to invest in your skin’s future health with skin therapies that will induce collagen and help reverse some of summer’s signs of sundamage and build collagen for the summer that is just around the corner! Minimal downtime treatments like laser genesis are great for collagen induction with no pain as well as other options, such as injectable hyaluronic acid (SkinBoosters) that add lasting moisture to skin, skin needling, RF microneedling and more. Be guided by your clinician as to what is best for you, and be sure to understand what is needed as most skin therapies need an initial series of treatments in close succession, followed by maintenance sessions 1-2 times a year. 8. Sensitive skin will need extra TLC Eczema, psoriasis, keratosis pilaris and more will all suffer more during the cooler weather and needs extra TLC, so if unsure, see your doctor to have a plan in place for the cooler weather so you don’t have to suffer unnecessarily or chase your tail once flares have begun to take place.     9. Don’t forget other body parts! Chapped dry lips, hands as well as lower extremities are all common areas that suffer from dry winter skin woes, so be sure to get on top of these too. Many of the same strategies for the face, neck and décolleté will work well for the body. Hands are especially prone to dryness and chapping, especially if you work with your hands so I often recommend applying similar skincare to your hands as to your face, and then a layer of Vaseline and then cotton gloves to sleep in at night. Tried the basics and still suffering? Consider making an appointment with a trusted doctor to problem shoot your concern!

When the COVID19 pandemic hit us and lockdowns began, we were likely expecting to be facing restrictions for much longer than we’d wanted and expected. Months, possibly. Instead, thanks in large part to frontline workers and the efforts of everyone else who has stayed at home and done the right thing, we’ve managed to flatten the curve and to avoid overwhelming the health system- for now. In the wake of this, there are plans afoot to open up certain types of surgery from next week, 27/4/2020 and to see what effect that has, if any, on cases. It’s worrying to see that some others have continued injecting and others will be resuming business from 27/4/2020. I’ve sought advice from my medical defence organisation and while it’s not illegal, their advice remains - they strongly advise against all non essential medical services in view of the risk despite all due precautions and the ongoing shortage of protective equipment for frontline workers including GPs to see actual sick people. I can’t in good conscience open at present so we will delay and wait until May 11 or so to see what the recommendation is. I’d hate to see a second wave because people take it upon themselves to open too soon after all the success we have achieved as a nation, largely due to the hardworking frontline workers who have taken the risk for all of us. We hope to open around May 11th or just after, and all being well, we will have plenty of time to focus on your skin goals this winter in a safe and ethical manner without taking away from frontline workers. Until then, please stay at home, stay safe and keep saving for your treatments. For those observing Ramadan, Ramadan Mubarak, we hope to open up bookings from Monday, May 11th if all remains well, and we look forward to welcoming you in our purpose built clinic just for skin soon. Bookings may be done here. We will post more closer to the date about how we aim to protect you and ourselves while caring for your skin, all being well. Hope to see you in clinic soon.  

Your skin is the largest organ in your body, yet for most of us, unless we have diseases affecting our skin, such as eczema (atopic dermatitis), or worse, we simply take this amazing organ for granted, and all the ways in which it protects us every single day over years of our lives.  Regardless of whether we care for this organ, it protects us from chemicals we come into contact with, it acts to hold organs inside and give us a boundary between what we understand to be “me” and the outside world. Often the first time we think of our skin, is as children, when we wear sunscreen to go to the beach, or at school prior to playing outdoors. For many of us, that is about the extent of our skincare regimen, especially if we are Caucasian, until decades later. If Asian, where beautiful and fair skinned people are highly regarded, girls grow up with strict admonitions against freckles, sunburn and protecting skin at all times. So when people comment on my skin, I can honestly say that most of it is due to genetics, diligent sun protection and a basic but effective skincare regimen that fits in with my lifestyle as a busy mum of 4. Well before I discuss injectables with a potential patient, I’m looking at, and assessing your skin quality, its hydration, its sun damage, if any. I’m looking for other signs of ageing such as wrinkles, sag, and other common and preventable conditions such as acne and more. That’s a big part of why I began Skin Essentials. The skin market is so huge, with so many people clamouring to get a foothold, it’s truly bewildering to know where to begin, much less who to trust.  While I love my other jobs as a GP and educator, Skin Essentials is intended to be a clinic where I indulge my passion for all things skin to help my patients achieve personalised goals to their best skin ever discreetly. What do we offer and how does it all work? Well, we offer everything from: basic skincare regimens personalised to you and your unique skin concerns, from teenage years through to your 60s and beyond.  Treatments that complement your skincare and help prevent (further) damage - acne, rosacea, hyperpigmentation, ageing and more by way of a treatment plan, duration and number of treatments, all packaged for you. Injectables such as anti wrinkle treatment, dermal fillers to reverse wrinkles and sag Thread lifts, especially for those who may not intend to go down the facelift path. So when is it a good time to care for this amazing organ we all have?  The best time is to begin before you think you’ve any problems, ie now, because without maintenance all skins suffer. There is no better time to begin your skincare plan than in winter, when the sun isn’t as harsh to undo some of the sun damage, especially since skin usually takes 3-6 months to respond. Are you ready to commit to your skin?