Doctor shares tips to 'lock moisture' in the skin and 'delay ageing around the eyes'

Wrinkles on the face are inevitable as one gets older, but there are ways to reduce their appearance. Express.co.uk spoke to a doctor and a dermatologist about the simple lifestyle changes one can make to delay - or reduce the signs of - the ageing process.

Skincare tutorial using the Chinese Gua Sha tool

Dr Ginni Mansberg shared the best products one can use to appear younger, while Dr Hasia Al Khubra explained the benefits of massaging one’s face. Dr Ginni is a GP and founder of ESK Skincare, while Dr Hasia is a cosmetic doctor, skin specialist, and founder of the prescription and non-prescription skincare line Doctors Dose.

Speaking to Express.co.uk, Dr Ginni said: “Sunscreen is not what most people think of in winter, but the sun’s UVA rays are constant during daylight hours throughout the year.

“And given that the sun's UVA rays are estimated to be responsible for 80 percent of premature ageing, your skin will thank you.

“Products like ESK’s Zinc Shade offer UVA and UVB protection. And if we need another reason to use board-spectrum sunscreen every day of the year, based on a study of Melanoma rates in countries which regulated UVA protection in sunscreen with those that didn’t, it seems that lower levels of protection from UVA rays in sunscreen may be associated with higher rates of Melanoma too.”

Products containing high levels of SPF can be used on the skin every day, as well as a gentle soap free cleanser, according to Dr Ginni.

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How to look younger

A doctor and dermatologist shared their top tips on how to delay ageing (Image: GETTY)

She said: “They should help cleansing without drying the skin or raising its pH. Use broad-spectrum sunscreen every day.

“The skin’s loss of elasticity through ageing will be exacerbated by sun induced skin ageing. And sunscreen is your first line of defence against premature skin ageing.”

“Use Alpha Hydroxy acids, like in ESK’s Smooth Serum,” the doctor recommended. “Low strength Alpha Hydroxy Acids have been shown to improve Ceramide production and increase skin barrier function. They will leave your skin smoother and better hydrated.

“Use a Vitamin B3 based Moisturiser, like B Quenched. As your skin gets drier, using a moisturiser will become more important. Vitamin B3 has been shown to improve the skin barrier function, meaning your skin retains more moisture.

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“And make sure to use a Vitamin A cream at night, which has been shown to thicken the skin and increase skin elasticity,” Dr Ginni added.

Dr Hasia also recommended a few helpful products to add to one’s daily skincare routine. She said: “The best moisturiser is anything with a high percentage of hyaluronic acid as it plumps, smooths, reduces the appearance of wrinkles, hydrates the skin, penetrates deep into the skin, and it gives a smooth effect particularly under makeup.

“Doctors Dose includes a prescription moisturiser with 20 percent hyaluronic acid, which is the highest strength you can get.

“I also think Vaseline is a great product for your skin as it is amazing for locking in moisture. I recommend that anyone who uses a retinol or tretinoin based product at night follows it by applying Vaseline.”

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As for face massages or workouts, Dr Hasia noted they can be “controversial” because many skin experts and dermatologists believe there’s no evidence of the benefits of them.

“Yet, over time, we know that sleeping on one side of your face means that those pressures on the skin and tissues can cause the face to sag more and it can crease or wrinkle more,” the expert said.

“With this in mind, massaging the skin and manipulating it in a way that you stretch it out, surely that will mean over time you have fewer wrinkles.

“Research into the benefits of face massages for the skin is inconclusive, however some people notice a big difference from using facial tools and having facial massages, so we can’t ignore patient experience. If they feel it’s working we have to accept it.”

Dr Hasia added: “Some people also swear by hand-held facial massage tools like gua shas and vibrating tools, as they do see a difference.

“Similarly, in certain cultures they’ve been using facial tools for thousands of years and truly believe it works. With all this in mind, I don’t think we can discount the potential benefits of facial massages.”

Another tip to look younger, according to Dr Hasia, is to concentrate on one’s lips and under the eyes. “People tend to forget that the lips age and you want to keep them plump and youthful,” she said. “So I recommend including a hydrating lip balm and some SPF into your lip care.

“For under eyes, the best product for ageing is a retinoid. It doesn’t need to be specifically formulated in an eye cream, but tretinoin will help delay ageing around the eyes and is the only FDA approved ingredient for fine lines and wrinkles.”

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