The big beauty questions

We all want to look youthful, but why have surgery when softer options can be just as effective – and much cheaper? Husband-and-wife team Dr Aamer Khan and skin care specialist Lesley Reynolds argue it out in the pages of best…

Q

Over the years I’ve developed lots of little fine lines across my cheeks, which I struggle to hide. What can I do about this?

Melinda, Southampton

A

DR AAMER SAYS: Forma will revitalise and rejuvenate your complexion, improving tone, filling out fine lines and boosting collagen. It suits all skin types, has no down time and is ideal for those who prefer a natural-looking approach, rather than using needles or laser. The painless procedure feels like a warm massage and uses a small hand piece emitting bipolar radio frequency energy combined with temperature sensor to monitor skin heating, so there’s no chance of burning. Skin is gently warmed up with a fine probe, and this works to produce new collagen. You may get some pinkness for an hour or so. You may need up to six sessions, once a week, for an overall skin boost. From £200 per treatment or around £999 for a course.

LESLEY SAYS: You may think that the older you get, the more make-up you need but the opposite is true, as you run the risk of emphasising wrinkles. First, use a primer to help blur the appearance of fine lines and help make-up stay put. Olay Anti-Wrinkle Firm & Lift 2in1 Moisturiser + Anti-ageing Primer, £10.49, is a lightweight glistening fluid that helps give skin a smoother appearance. When choosing a foundation, avoid the words matte and long-wearing and instead look for sheer, light-reflecting formulas. I like Nude by Nature Luminous Sheer Liquid Foundation, £25. Before applying, mix it on your hand with a drop of moisturiser, then gently press a damp make-up sponge into wrinkle-prone areas to soak up any excess. And never skip blusher. Use a creamy formula like No7 Pop & Glow Cream Blush Stick, £10, to add a dewy flush.

QThe skin around my eyes has become very sallow. How can I improve its appearance?

Janet,Crewe

ADR AAMER SAYS: Xela Rederm is the latest hi-tech injectable skin booster, ideal for skin that lacks radiance. It acts like a big drink of water, featuring succinic acid, a powerful antioxidant, and hyaluronic acid. The ingredients work together on a cellular level to stimulate collagen and elastin, boosting hydration and restoring glow. First skin is cleansed and a topical anaesthetic applied, before tiny droplets of the solution are injected just beneath the surface of the skin. For best results, a course of three treatments is recommended, one every four weeks. From £300 a treatment.

LESLEY SAYS: The number one reason for sallow skin is dead skin cells and, unless you do something to actively remove the ones that don’t fall off naturally, skin will look dull. Gently exfoliate once a week with liquid acids rather than a scrub, which can be drying. Filorga’s new Oxygen Peel, £20, contains glycolic acid and hyaluronic acid to resurface and plump the skin and can be used daily, after cleansing, to give skin a new lease of life. Use an eye cream that contains light diffusing pigments like No 7 Lift & Luminate Triple Action Eye Cream, £19. When applying make-up avoid dark eyeshadows, which can close up the eyes, and metallic finishes that can emphasise lines.

For your complexion, you can cheat a glow with one of the new radiance primers.

No 7 Airbrush Away Radiance Boosting Primer, £16.50, gets you glowing in seconds. You can also liven up your complexion with a one-minute massage every morning to boost circulation.

QMy weight has fluctuated over the years and subsequently I have a series of red stretch marks. How can I tackle these and cover these up?

Kim,Liverpool

ADR AAMER SAYS: Although you can’t get rid of stretch marks completely, you can fade their appearance. Red ones are still in the growth phase and are at an ideal stage for treatment. The EXCELIGHT IPL system (Intense Pulsed Light), can improve the look of them by triggering your skin’s natural healing process, which encourages collagen production for firmer, smoother skin. The 40-minute procedure uses a hand-held device which fires intense pulsed light at the marks to help ‘break ‘ them down. It also stimulates collagen production, so skin not only looks clearer, but smoother and tighter. It is fast, painless and safe but you may need a course of four to six treatments, two to four weeks apart for best results. From £100 per treatment.

LESLEY SAYS: Stretch marks are a little like cellulite; they plague most women and there are no perfect remedies. The best way to help prevent more is to keep your skin well hydrated to increase elasticity. You can use any moisturising cream or oil but look for ones containing cocoa or shea butter, wheatgerm oil and vitamin E. Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Original Solid Formula £3.65, absorbs deeply and leaves skin soft. Apply generous amounts every day after showering. A diet high in zinc (found in yogurt, brown rice and shellfish) can help prevent marks forming as it helps keep skin supple and elastic. Anything that works the muscles and increases circulation will help improve skin tone, so get plenty of exercise. Although there are loads of products on the high street that claim to reduce the appearance of stretch marks, don’t expect any miracles.