Maintaining Moisture

If the summer sun has left your skin feeling dry and looking dull on a daily basis, it's time to get back to hydration basics.

Why is moisture a skin health basic?

As we age, the activity of sebaceous glands decreases and this reduces the skin's ability to retain moisture and stay supple. Dry skin is also a sign of photoageing (ageing caused by the sun), so retaining moisture in the skin becomes increasingly important over time.

Treating or preventing dry skin smooths your skin's surface, reduces flaking and scaling changes, and assists with the removal of dead cells from the outer layer of the skin (called the epidermis).

What are the basics of maintaining skin moisture?

• Minimise hot showers and use an emulsifiable bath oil, body washes with 'neutral' pH or soap substitutes. This can help preserve the skin's natural moisture levels
• Apply a moisturiser immediately after showering. Moisturisers temporarily restore water content to the epidermis and provide a soothing protective film. A wide range of moisturisers are available including products that contain broad spectrum sunscreens. If you are prone to acne, moisturisers may make pimples worse so you may like to talk to your skincare professional for advice on suitable products for your skin type
• Contrary to popular belief, moisturisers don't actually induce many positive changes in the skin other than temporarily making it feel smoother and less dry. However, active skincare ingredients such as topical retinoids (derivatives of vitamin A) can induce positive long-term changes in the skin, including improved skin turnover, reduction in acne and reduction in DNA damage. Retinoids also help to retain skin moisture in the long term, rather than temporarily.
   

What other treatments will help my dry skin?

• Most skin types will respond well to a Murad Hydrating facial
   
• A course of Microdermabrasions will offer a deep exfoliation, buffing away dry, dead skin cells
   
• More mature skins will benefit from a nourishing Resurgence Renewal facial