Skin Deep

By: Peter Beard
Created on 16th February 2010

Recent reports suggest that skin tone and texture give away your age just as much as the lines on your face, but as Peter Beard, director of local clinic chain SkinGenesis reveals, this isn't news to everyone...

What is it about a person's face that makes us think 'that person looks old'? Is it really a few visible wrinkles, or could it be something else?

New research published in the Daily Telegraph last month has revealed that the tone and texture of your skin can give away your age just as much as
wrinkles can.

The scientists - Dr Bernard Fink, evolutionary psychologist at the University of Goettingham, Germany and Dr Paul Matts, research fellow at Procter and Gamble - carried out a study that concentrated on skin tone as a predictor of age and found it highly significant even when there isn't a wrinkle in sight.

According to Dr Matts: "In a young, healthy face, the only contrast is due to the features- the mouth, nose and eyes - but as you age, you acquire concentrations of haemoglobin and melanin, and shadows due to lines and wrinkles, and it is this contrast that gives a major clue to our perception of age... Like it or not, if you walk into a room full of people, your eyes will focus on the face with the most even skin coloration."

Whilst the importance of underlying skin tone is not always apparent to those seeking anti-ageing treatments, at SkinGenesis we have long understood the need to improve the quality of a client's skin before considering Botox®, dermal fillers or even surgical options such as facelifts.

Options available to treat skin tone include microdermabrasion, chemical peels, IPL (intense pulsed light) and SkinGenesis' unique SkinGym plan, which combines all of these treatments, plus home care products in one intensive programme.

We often find that these therapies alone are enough to give the client the youthful look they want, and so they never go on to have more invasive
procedures. After all, what's the problem with the odd wrinkle if your skin is vibrant and healthy?

Another issue raised by the research of Fink and Matts is that the most important part of your daily skincare routine is the use of products with inbuilt
sun protection. Of course, you should also try to limit your exposure to the sun. By doing so you will avoid the cumulative damage to the skin that always manifests itself as uneven skin tone - and save yourself a
fortune in anti-wrinkle creams!

A major part of the SkinGym programme is the initial skin analysis, which uses ultraviolet photo imaging to reveal underlying sun damage, before it is even visible on the surface. By analysing the skin in this way, the SkinGenesis practitioners can devise the best treatment course for you and can monitor
improvements as the programme progresses.

Case Study

Anita Morris, 49, an Executive Coach, trainer and university lecturer, underwent the SkinGym programme at a SkinGenesis clinic

I work with some impressive clients in the UK and in Europe, and am aware of a need to 'look the part'. In no way am I trying to recapture my youth, but I do want to look good for my age. I just want to look healthy and energised. You know the look you have when you come back from holiday and everyone says'you look well'.

A friend recommended SkinGym by SkinGenesis, and so I went along to the Chester clinic and met manager Deborah Cope. At the consultation she carried out a thorough skin analysis which included ultra violet images to reveal the
extent of any sun damage. She also issued me with the DermaQuest products and ANP nutritional supplements which are part of the programme and I used these for a few weeks before my first SkinGym treatment.

I then went to the clinic each week for six weeks to have a combination of peptide peels, microdermabrasion, intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy and
ultra-sonic skin toning. The results are great and just what I wanted. My skin tone is more even and my skin is smooth and firm. All in all value for money?
You bet, I can thoroughly recommend it.