Why is collagen so important for skin health?
Collagen is the skins scaffolding. It holds the skin together and helps to support other tissues and blood vessels. Sunlight causes sun damage and attacks the orderly bundles of collagen. It disrupts them causing individual collagen fibres to weaken. When it breaks down, your skin loses some of its elasticity and firmness so that it begins to sag and wrinkle, causing premature ageing. Collagen helps to keep the skin looking firm, plump, healthy and youthful.
What causes the breakdown of collagen and loss of skin elasticity?
Some of the skin changes that accompany ageing are natural and inevitable and together make up the process called intrinsic ageing. More significant for most people are the changes arising from external causes, called extrinsic ageing, and particular the damage caused by ultraviolet radiation from the sun and sun beds, known as photo-ageing. It includes environmental influences such as sun exposure the way you care for your skin and the regular wear and tear your skin undergoes each and every day. Even factors such as your facial expressions, the side on which you sleep and your overall health can affect how much your skin shows its age. It is more pronounced if you have spent a lot of time in the sun.
What are the first signs of ageing skin?
From the time you are in your 30s your skin may already start to show signs of ageing such as fine lines, dryness and a slight loss of firmness and elasticity. Some of these changes are beyond your control, but there is a great deal that you can do to minimise the effects of premature ageing on your skin.
Are there any risk factors behind the premature ageing of skin?
To clearly see the impact extrinsic factors can have on your skin, look at the skin on your inner arm compared with that of the back of your hand or your face. The inner arm is rarely exposed to the sun and are usually smooth and firm, while the other areas are often thicker textured and mottled. The skin is may have lost some elasticity and it shows fine lines and wrinkles. These noticeable differences are due to the effects of external elements on your skin. Some of these include wrinkles and decrease in elasticity and increased signs of premature ageing such as ageing rough leathery skin and dark abnormally pigmented spots. However, with professional laser skin care treatments and a good skin care routine you can minimise the impact.
What treatment methods are advised to help stimulate collagen?
There are fast non-surgical solutions to problems such as premature ageing. These professional treatments are generally available only from a specialist, laser skin care clinic.
Which treatment method is most effective in the treating ageing skin?
In my experience skin peeling, laser treatment and wrinkle filler are most effective in treating ageing skin in addition to a good skin care routine. Regular use can make a difference to the way your skin looks and feels.
Can different treatment methods be used simultaneously?
The above different treatment methods can be used simultaneously. And a typical order would be skin peeling followed by laser treatment and then wrinkle filler. Typically frequency would be approximately a month in-between treatments. Again with with a good skin care routine, which is essential in maintaining the results.
How long does it typically take to see results following treatment?
Regarding skin peeling and laser treatment the results can vary from person to person and would depend on the skin. Full benefits may not be apparent for a few weeks, and you may need a number of sessions. Wrinkles fillers can show immediate results, however combining the different treatment methods and skin care gives the best results.
For each anti ageing treatment method, how long can patients expect results to last for?
The results can last up to one year or longer, depending on how well the skin is looked after. A good skin care routine will help the results last much longer.
What skin care products would you recommend to complement treatment results?
To compliment your treatment results and ensure you keep your skin at its optimum – it is worth spending a little more on skin care products that are natural and boast better results. Many natural skin care products work better than their conventional counterparts and without the associated risks and side-effects. So look into the latest advancements in skin care – naturally active marine and plant based skin care.
About ZAHEDA® Skincare
Founder and Skin Expert Zaheda Hafez utilized her 20 years clinic experience and collaborated with specialist cosmetic scientists to create innovative formulations that each contain an exclusive complex of marine actives, botanical actives and essential oils, that work in synergy to deliver powerful collagen boosting benefits for clear, supple and more youthful looking skin.
Zaheda Hafez
Founder & Skin Expert
from The Laser Treatment Clinic
1 Harley Street London W1
