Ask Alice

Hi yes these are brilliant and the science is solid, they enhance the skin’s defences against UV damage. They’re not an alternative to sunscreen, I would always recommend using sunscreen and so would Heliocare, but if, say, you have someone who simply won’t (or can’t) use sunscreen but is prepared to take a tablet, they’re really useful.

If you’ve got a Dermalux, I’d stick with that. Home-use lasers tend not to be very high-powered or effective.

Hi, yes Emface works on the muscles in the cheeks and forehead to strengthen and tone them and adds a dose of radiofrequency energy to improve skin strength and quality. I’ve tried it, it’s great, though it takes time for the results to develop and I suspect I may need further treatment (expensive).

You don’t need to stop doing wrinkle-relaxing toxin but I would advise doing it after a course of Emface rather than before, as strengthening your forehead muscles will re-invigorate them. Also, as you say, you may find you don’t need it so much.

CACI is a great treatment, a full course could give similar results though I don’t think this builds muscle tone and strength as directly as EMface – and you will need to keep up the treatments regularly to maintain results.

Hi, I think it is rarely ‘too late’ to try any of these tweakments – what you need to keep in mind is that the older we get, the less response there is in our skin and muscles to the treatments that are designed to stimulate them. So what you need to ask your practitioner before you start, is whether they think, after assessing your face, that the treatment will make a difference.

Often, we need more treatment in order to show a result as we get older (I need three rounds of Profhilo in my neck, for example, before I can really see the results, whereas someone 20 years younger should get a decent result from two treatments).

I have seen a nice toning and softening in my face after four sessions of EMface – how long this will last I don’t know. In an ideal world, I’d go on having one of these treatments every month – but at current prices that would be an expensive habit to develop.

Hi, I’d find the most experienced dermatologist or other cosmetic physician on the island and ask for their advice – and also plan carefully how, if you go ahead with treatment, you are going to protect your treated skin from the sun. In the UK, it’s best to do these things in the winter; you will have to commit to buckets of SPF 50 and a hat afterwards to minimise further pigmentation developing.

Hi, that’s completely understandable to be anxious ahead of trying any tweakment. Have you discussed these particular concerns with your practitioner? If you have, I hope they would have reassured you that they have enough skill and experience to place the toxin in just the right places so that it will soften your wrinkles without wiping them out, and without making your brows drop. Also, first time, it’s good idea to ask for a really light dose, just enough to give you an idea of what the treatment can do. It won’t last as long as a regular dose, but if for any reason you don’t like the results, then you aren’t stuck with it for so long. See if the information on this section about wrinkle-relaxing toxins helps.

Hi, Skin Laundry offers some great treatments, though I haven’t tried any of them for a while. I can’t comment on its membership offers or the Ultra Duo – but I know the company uses top-quality devices and their therapists are well-trained.

Hiya, TTG editor Georgia here. Without knowing what your skin is like or any specific aesthetic concerns you have, the go-to, cosmetic-doctor-approved routine for just about anyone is: cleanse, antioxidant serum and SPF of at least 30 in the AM; cleanse, other treatment product if needed (maybe to hydrate, maybe for acne, maybe for pigmentation, etc.) and retinol in the PM.

I hate to say it, but I don’t know that there are any supplements that really stand up to medical scrutiny, but the ones that are most popular among hairdressers and friends with hair issues include Viviscal Pro and Philip Kingsley’s Density supplements. Lots of people (me included) think collagen supplements help with hair strength as well as with skin/ nails/ joints. Hormone supplementation may help too if this is something that’s appropriate for you. You also want to think about massaging the scalp to enhance blood circulation, and using a scalp scrub occasionally so the follicles don’t become blocked, and healthy lifestyle – a good diet, (lots of protein, lots of colourful vegetables), plenty of sleep, reduced stress, etc. – makes a big difference to hair because when we’re stressed, our body prioritises its main functions and organs and hair suffers from a reduced supply of nutrients.

Absolute Collagen, Revive Collagen, Ingenious Collagen and Gold Collagen are all more affordable than Totally Derma, use decent types/ sources of collagen and have reasonable data to support their efficacy, so have a look at those.

Hi, you’re absolutely right that it’s genetic and no, there’s nothing you can do to prevent it and some of us just do have that hollowing handed out by nature. A touch of sunscreen to keep the skin in best health is all you want to use, and do what you can not to fret over the issue or draw attention to it, so you don’t make your lovely child self-conscious about something that is entirely natural and just the way their face is made.

Hiya, TTG editor Georgia here. Eye cream can help hydrate the area and reduce the appearance of that crepiness some of the way, but it won’t eliminate it completely – for that, you’d need a tweakment like PRP, RF needling, or mesotherapy – something to build up collagen under the skin and smooth out its texture. Book in with a practitioner who specialises in the eye area and have a consultation to find out which is the best option for you. And you may want to try a new eye cream too – we really like both of these.

Wow, that sounds like quite the regime! Yes, Calecim is great, you could use it on nights when you are not using the prescription retinoid. I like it for skin recovery after procedures. The Neostrata neck product is fab, I’d use this after the vitamin C and before moisturiser/ sunscreen in the morning, and use it at night, too. If you’re using the retinol on your neck, you could use this either afterwards or before the retinol, and see how it works for you.

Yes, if you know that you will find the time to use it. Take a look at the videos here to show what it did for me (and I still love it just as much as I did during lockdown).

If you have sensitive skin, the key thing is to keep it hydrated (with a gentle, un-fragranced hydrating serum and a moisturiser on top of that) and protected from UV light with an (un-fragranced) sunscreen, that will help get your skin feeling more comfortable. Taking lots of omega-3 supplements can really help with skin hydration, too. These are my current favourites.