Could lockdown leave you looking better?

One bit of good news! An upside of lockdown is that you might come out of it with better looking skin.

Leading cosmetic doctor* to the stars and owner of the Graal Clinic in Marbella, Dr Elena Arias (photo is Dr Arias), says lockdown will undoubtedly benefit your skin.

Here Dr Arias gives five reasons why your skin will benefit from lockdown and her tips on how to make your cosmetic treatments last longer until beauty clinics open again for business.

1.     Less Pollution 

Staying at home and not commuting to work or being out in public open spaces especially if you live in cities or towns means your skin is less exposed to external pollutants. There is also less pollution in the air as a result of lockdown so even out in your garden or neat your house, your skin will be hugely benefiting from the cleaner air.

2.     Less UV Damage

UV damage is one of the single most damaging factors to skin and he biggest contributor to ageing skin. Being inside more means the skin is less exposed to sun damage, which brings several immediate and noticeable benefits to skin. 

3.     Fresher food and more hydration 

While we all do our best to eat healthily while on the run at work, typically we will often skin breakfasts and resort to packaged food and pre-prepared meals from take outs for due to practicalities and time constraints of work environments and routines. During lockdown we are forced to eat at home and have more time to eat meals at the right time of day and prepare fresh food. This will have a very good impact on the state of our skin. Being at home more also mean less rushing about and less need caffeine and energy drinks hits, and more time to drink teas and home prepared cold drinks which helps hydrate and purify our skin. 

4.     More Sleep

The early mornings of commuting routines mean that many of us miss out on hours of sleep. Even if working from home during lockdown, those hours we spend commuting to the office can now be spent getting a few more crucial hours sleep which contributes untold benefits to skin. Sleep is extremely important for maintaining good skin. If working from home many people may also be able to a quick day nap when they feel tired or strained, which can be incredibly reviving for tired skin and have benefits that long outlast the lockdown period.

5.     More thorough beauty routines & less cosmetics 

Evidence is clear that a regular and thorough beauty routine can help stave off the signs of ageing and help prevent skin disorders. The main obstacle to this for many people is lack of time. During lockdown, we all have more time to spend ourselves doing things that we often have to cut corners with during out normal working and social lives. Taking time to cleanse, tone, exfoliate and moisturise properly each day will bring long-lasting improvements to dry or congested skin.

Ideally, we should all give our skin regular breaks from cosmetics, but busy work and social lives rarely allow this. Lockdown is the perfect opportunity to give skin a well-earned rest from cosmetics to let it breath and recover which will strengthen weakened skin, clear congested skin and brighten dull over-burdened skin for many months to come. 

Dr Arias’s tips on prolonging your beauty treatments in lockdown; 

1.     Botox wears off quicker the more ‘active’ your facial muscles are. Less social interaction, sun exposure and screen time during lockdown means less frowning and constantly changing facial expressions. Concentrate on keeping facial muscles calm while at home to prolong the effects of your botox. 

2.     Injectable fillers are mostly made up of hyaluronic acid. Purchase a high quality pure hyaluronic acid product on line and apply it 2-3 times a day while at home and without wearing cosmetics to help preserve the effects of fillers.

3.     Many facial treatments consist of vitamin injections into the skin as so many of us don’t get enough vitamins through our diet. While at home make the most of being able to up your intake of essential skin boosting vitamins like vitamin c and e and essential fatty acids through daily smoothies packed with vitamin/nutrient powders and freshly prepared foods to help maintain and prolong your beauty vitamin boosts.

4.     Moisturisation is the key to maintaining and extending the life of beauty treatments. While at home you can moisturise more often, 3-4 times a day and do not wear cosmetics to allow for maximum effects of the moisturising products. Also try and drink more water or teas (antioxidant ones are the best such as green tea) than you usually do through the day as this is excellent for your skin’s hydration levels. Many people who are out and about for work or socialising avoid drinking as many fluids as they should due to fear of needing to visit the toilet more but at home this isn’t a problem so make the most of it and drink up for your skin’s sake

5.     Reap the skin boosting effects of more intimacy. Ageing skin is largely affected by the drop in anti-ageing hormones and many beauty treatments aim to try and replace this. Regular sex has been shown to boost depleted hormones, so lockdown is the perfect opportunity to revive flagging sex lives that have suffered due to time pressures and lack of intimacy and sleep. This will give your skin a hormone boost that will make beauty treatments last longer.

*Dr Arias has a PhD in Oncodermatology and a Masters Degree in Aesthetic Medicine. She’s director of the Graal Clinic in Puerto Banus, Marbella www.graalclinicpuertobanis.com

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