Trying your best to clear the blemishes from your skin? If they are not going away, there is a chance that what you have been doing could be doing more harm than good. Exfoliating Too Much When we get a breakout, some of us go into a cleansing frenzy and scrub our faces more often, hoping to rid our skin of clogged pores or dead skin so that breakouts will stop. While exfoliation is important, too much of it can aggravate a breakout and increase risks of scarring. Instead of physical exfoliation or literally scrubbing your skin with an exfoliating brush or sponge, try chemical exfoliation instead, such as a daily salicylic acid serum, or a home peel once every fortnightly. Not Cleansing Your Face After A Workout Guess what? Bacteria on the skin from sweating can clog pores and cause infections, so be sure to cleanse the skin as soon as possible after your workout. If you are prone to breakouts then something as simple as a salicylic acid Continue Reading
Forget Cardio Only Workouts – Target Your Body Shape Instead
In body shaping, if you have been focusing on numbers on your bathroom scale, perhaps you have been doing it wrong. All of us come in various sizes and shapes. Some of us gain weight easily at the waist or belly, others around the buttocks and/or thighs. A smarter way of achieving your dream physique is to design exercises according to body shape. THE GIRLY STRAIGHT If you have a straight-ish figure, focus on building your shoulders, chest and hips. To target shoulders, do side raises with light dumbbells and raise your arms out to shoulder level. Pushups will help strengthen the neck and rotator cuff muscles. Squats are great for toning hips and buttocks, and this is also a great way to increase the heart rate and burn even more fat. THE PEAR-SHAPED If your shoulders are narrower than your hips, you are probably pear-shaped. Apart from working on the chest with pushups, your can build muscles in the back by grabbing a set of moderately weighted dumbbells Continue Reading
The Surgery-Free Makeover
Whether it’s the wrinkles that are asking to be smoothened, redness of skin that needs taming, or pesky pigmentation that desperately needs lightening, many are turning to laser treatments for uplifting transformations. Here are the top FDA-approved lasers. 1. INFLAMMATION AND REDNESS If your face is prone to blushing and flushing, and has tiny red pimple-like bumps, it might mean you have rosaccea. Characterised by dilatation of blood vessels and causing redness at the slightest irritation – cold, heat, alcohol, stress and even spicy food. Long suffering flushed faces may find relief from a pulsed dye laser called VBeam. This laser is the gold standard treatment for broken capillaries, redness and flushing, even some birthmarks. 2. PIGMENTATION AND DULL SKIN Laser treatments have been shown to be effective for tough pigments such as melasma, but conventional lasers have higher risk of worsening pigmentation when there is too much heat. Pico Pigment is the latest laser that minimizes this risk.. Delivering laser energy in much more rapid bursts compared to the Continue Reading
These Will Save Your Skin From Acne
Acne is like the worst kind of house guest – it shows up completely uninvited, overstays its welcome, and leaves a mess after it’s gone. And you’ve probably heard this, rather than face its scarring aftermath, it is much easier to get rid of these nasty zits fast, rather than face the chaos and complications later. In fact, the best treatment for acne scars, as many have learnt, is not to have acne at all. 1. PROFESSIONAL ACNE FACIALS Don’t underestimate what a professional acne facial can do to chase away troubled spots. When combined with proper at-home skincare, they work together to get rid of and prevent acne. This is especially important for oily, acne-prone skin. So if you are having trouble fighting problem skin with only at-home care, it’s time to seek professional help, whether its just a deep cleansing ritual to help with congestions such as the Deep Deep Clean Facial, or a clinical facial such as the Clear Blue Facial. 2. ACNE CARE AT Continue Reading
This Is Why Tranexamic Acid Will Make Your Skin Glow
You have probably heard of vitamin c, glycolic acid and retinol – skincare ingredients that help fight pigmentation, improve dull and uneven skin texture, and even reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. A rather new and still rare skincare ingredient has now surfaced, with a lot of research commending on its effectiveness for healing dark spots and reducing the appearance of unwelcome discoloration. Tranexamic acid is now slowly being infused into over-the-counter hyperpigmentation formulas such as serums, creams, and even whitening sheet masks. But tranexamic acid is not new. It is actually a drug approved for use in women experiencing menorrhagia, to reduce blood loss. However, physicians noticed that patients who took tranexamic acid also noticed an improvement in skin discolouration. Tranexamic acid is now sometimes given orally by dermatologists for melasma short-term. Environmental elements such as sun exposure, hormonal therapy such as being on the oral contraceptive pill and some treatments can trigger melasma by activating inflammatory mediators within the skin. This results in an increase Continue Reading