How to age less with Lesley and Dr Aamer
WE ALL WANT TO LOOK YOUTHFUL, BUT WHY HAVE SURGERY WHEN SOFTER OPTIONS CAN BE JUST AS EFFECTIVE – AND MUCH CHEAPER? DR AAMER KHAN AND SKIN CARE SPECIALIST LESLEY REYNOLDS ARGUE IT OUT IN THE PAGES OF BEST...
From seeing off stretch marks to caring for cankles, here, husband-and-wife team Dr Aamer and Lesley talk us through surgical and high-street solutions to your beauty-related dilemmas.
DR AAMER SAYS:
Stretch marks are tears in the dermis that result when the fat or muscle underneath is growing faster than the skin itself. The earlier the marks are treated, the better the chance of reducing them. Red ones are still in the growth phase, so are ideal to work on – light-based laser treatments like Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) can reduce redness. From £80. White stretch marks are more established and harder to fix. The best treatment is Fat Enriched PRP therapy, where fat is extracted from your hips or thighs and injected into the stretch marks to put the padding back. It also improves skin texture and colour. From £4,000.
LESLEY SAYS:
Many products claim to reduce red stretch marks, but don’t expect miracles. The best way to avoid further stretch marks is to keep your skin hydrated to increase the skin’s elasticity, so it doesn’t ‘tear’ as easily. A daily application of rich emollient creams containing cocoa or shea butter and vitamin E will help, while a diet high in zinc (found in yoghurt, brown rice and shellfish) can help keep skin supple. Eat more protein (meat, fish, eggs) to aid cell regeneration. Increase exercise; anything that tones muscles and increases circulation will improve skin tone. Disguise marks with fake tan, mineral make-up or body camouflage cream. The Vichy brand Dermablend is available from chemists, from £15.
DR AAMER SAYS:
As we age, the lower legs thicken and the ankles merge with the calves, hence the name ‘cankles’. A body contouring procedure called BodyTite will slim and contour the lower calf and ankle. Here, a small incision is made under local anesthetic, then a fibre optic is placed under the skin to melt the fat, which is sucked out via a fine tube. Unlike traditional liposuction, this process is less invasive and you can go home the same day. Once the fat cells are removed, they do not grow back. Expect some bruising and swelling, and you’ll have to wear support tights for up to a month. From £3,000.
LESLEY SAYS:
Swimming and cycling are good for shaping the lower legs, as are calf raises. Balance on a step with your heels slightly off the step, then stand on tiptoes, hold for 10 seconds and release. Repeat 20 times daily. Lengthening and toning the calf muscles will help make ankles look more defined, so try yoga classes a couple of times a week. As for fashion, flat shoes, platforms and wedges all emphasise wide ankles. Avoid ankle straps, which draw attention to the area, and ankle boots, which cut off at the widest part of the ankle. Kitten-heel court shoes lengthen and slim ankles. Cropped and capri-style trousers are worst for emphasising cankles, so opt for full-length instead.
CAN YOU GET RID OF STRETCH MARKS? I’VE GOT NEW RED ONES ON THE TOPS OF MY THIGHS, AND THE BACKS OF MY KNEES ARE COVERED IN WHITE ONES. Gillian, Stockport I’M SLIM, BUT I HATE MY CHUNKY ANKLES – MY CALVES ACTUALLY MERGE INTO MY ANKLES. HOW CAN I GET MORE DEFINITION? Surinda, Glasgow
DR AAMER SAYS:
The menopause can trigger a number of skin issues, including rosacea, which often develops for the first time around this point. While the actual cause is unknown, it can be made worse by alcohol, heat, sun exposure, stress or spicy food. Many GPs and skin experts recognise that rosacea can severely impair quality of life and should be treated, especially as it gets worse over time and is harder to treat. Most existing treatments involve oral antibiotics. Laser treatments can treat broken veins by zapping redness. They work as the light travels through the skin, clotting the blood and destroying visible blood vessels. The procedure also stimulates collagen production so, as a bonus, it will also improve skin quality. You may need a course of three treatments, two weeks apart. Alternatively, a lightbased treatment called PDT can dramatically reduce skin redness. From £100 a session.
LESLEY SAYS:
Learn to recognise the triggers that cause redness and avoid them like the plague. Try to lower stress levels (gentle exercise can help), control your diet by cutting out spicy food, smoking and red wine, and avoid very hot or cold water and excessive sun exposure. This can all help limit outbreaks. Mineral make-up or green-tinted camouflage cream will cover up redness on the cheeks and around the nose. A gentle skin-care routine to nourish and protect is best; use a non-abrasive cleanser such as Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser, £8.99. Look for mild, fragrance-free moisturisers specifically developed for sensitive skin types. Pat skin dry rather than rubbing and avoid harsh facial scrubs. There are plenty of skincare ranges designed to reduce redness. Ingredients to look for are peptides, and the vasoconstrictors (to narrow blood vessels) caffeine and vitamin B3 (niacinamide). Try Avène Antirougeurs Fort Relief Concentrate For Chronic Redness, £17.25.
I’M GOING THROUGH THE MENOPAUSE AND HAVE DEVELOPED ROSACEA. MY CHEEKS OFTEN GO BRIGHT RED, AND I’M SURE PEOPLE THINK I’VE BEEN DRINKING! CAN YOU HELP? Olivia, Darlington