In the winter months, we love crisp blue sky days, snuggling inside with our nearest and dearest, warming Sunday roasts, and carving up the ski slopes.
We’re not nearly as enamoured with rain, pervasive dampness, impatient winter motorists, and dry sallow skin.
At Clinic42, we may not be able to fix the weather or the motorists, but we are the experts in managing your winter skin requirements, because none of us need or want to feel as lacklustre as the weather.
Winter favourites include our custom Photofinish treatment, hydrating lip treatments, and tackling summer pigment with intense pulse light therapy (IPL).
The Photofinish is a year-round winner, but in winter its real strength is in restoring hydration and a dewy plumpness to the skin. A combination of a soft filler product with microbotox over the face, neck and décolletage is administered through an adjustable automated device. This allows the skin to be targeted at different depths on different areas of the face, for maximal effect. The longevity of this treatment will see you well through the winter, and into the spring and early summer months. There is very little down time, and it requires only 90 minutes in the clinic, for those who are pressed for time.
During the winter, most of us will spend a considerable amount of time in artificially heated environments. Whilst we warm our bones, our skin tends to dry out, especially our lips. Add in some rapid changes in temperature, with walking outside on frosty mornings, and possibly some sun and wind-burn from the ski field, and our lips can be left dry, chapped, and rather worse for wear. This is where a hydrating lip treatment comes into its own. With one of the softer filler products placed in the most superficial layers of the lip, a gorgeous natural result can be achieved, which looks after the skin of the lips over the cooler months. This is most definitely not a lip volumising treatment, with a different filler and technical approach being employed for the different end-point of hydration.
With a lower intensity of the sun over winter, and less exposure to harmful UV rays, it is an ideal time to mop up some of the ravages of summer. Even the most diligent SPF users will pick up incremental amounts of pigment or freckling over the summer months, and studies have shown this is more ageing to one’s complexion than fine lines and wrinkles. Thankfully, it is something we can improve through intense pulse light treatments. Face, neck, upper chest and hands are commonly addressed, as pigment is prominent and most ageing in these areas. With IPL, specific wave lengths of light are directed towards the skin, which target melanin, or the pigment causing component in our skin. When the wavelength of light hits the melanin, it breaks apart, resulting in a lifting out of the intensity of the discolouration in the skin. There is significant improvement after one session, however we tend to recommend three sessions in the first instance, to optimise the treatment effect.
We hope the cooler months bring you more warming Sunday roasts, and snuggling inside with your loved ones, and less sallow skin! Please call Clinic42 to arrange a 30-minute complimentary nurse consult if you are interested in any of the treatments above. Alternatively, call and book with one of our four cosmetic physicians, who will be happy to discuss your concerns, and the best treatment approach for you.
