Great skin doesn’t just happen because of one topical skin cream or one session of microneedling. It requires a full 360 approach. This needs to take into consideration everything from skincare and treatments to diet, hydration, supplements and lifestyle.

This is the method I recommend to all of my patients, which is why a proper consultation is vital. This way, I’ll know all of my patients’ skin and health history, and we can work together to build a whole solution approach. But how can we ensure we’re ticking all the right boxes?

Let’s start by breaking down the elements that need to be considered to achieve naturally youthful-looking skin.

Starting from the top

The face has five layers, and ageing affects all of them. Therefore, in order to get the best results, we need to take care of every layer.

Top layer of the skin: This is the uppermost, superficial layer of skin. Different skin conditions, as well as ageing, all require different nutrients, so ensure you use medical-grade skincare to target these issues. Develop a regular skincare routine, which includes cleansers, light exfoliants, hydrators and SPF. Have both a day and night routine.

Although you’ll need medical-grade skincare with key active ingredients to tackle specific skin issues, remember that you can still save money on other parts of your skincare routine. You can buy over-the-counter SPF and cleansers and combine these with medical-grade products – just make sure they are suitable for your skin type.

Mid-depth layer of the skin:Caring for this layer requires treatment that goes a little deeper. In clinic treatments like microneedling and medium-depth chemical peels are great for this layer. They help to stimulate collagen and elastin, increase blood flow, and encourage the skin to heal and renew itself.

Deepest layer of skin: Profhilo and skin boosters are injectable treatments which penetrate to the deepest level and offer amazing results. They boost hydration as well as collagen and elastin production to keep this layer healthy and doing what it should. These treatments give your skin an underlying healthy glow.

Superficial and deep fat:This layer is what gives our faces that plump, youthful volume. To get the best results for this layer, soft tissue fillers are used to help to define your face shape and to restore some of the volume we lose as we age.

Muscle:As we get older, we develop lines and wrinkles due to muscle contraction and changes in our skin. Anti-wrinkle injections are the most effective way to reduce lines and wrinkles by relaxing these muscles.

Health from within

Taking care of the layers of the face is just one element of a 360 approach. Whole-body health also plays a big part. Fresh, youthful skin can only be properly achieved by also caring for yourself from within.

Healthy, nutritious diet: You’ve probably heard this before, but a healthy diet is a great foundation for overall health. Make sure to get lots of fruit and veg, avoiding refined sugar, fatty, greasy and “fast” foods, and try not to drink too much alcohol (although we all over-indulge sometimes!) Try to ensure you’re getting enough vitamins and minerals in your diet.

Hydration: It’s easy to forget to drink water when we’re busy, but staying hydrated has so many benefits. It helps flush out bacteria and nasty things from our system, carries nutrients to our cells, aids digestion as well as keeping joints, organs and tissue protected and healthy. Try to drink at least eight glasses a day.

Gut health: Having an unhealthy gut can cause all sorts of skin conditions, from acne and inflammation to rosacea and eczema (I’ll go into more detail about gut health in next month’s blog – so stay tuned.) Taking care of ‘good’ gut bacteria with prebiotics and probiotics will make a big difference, as well as maintaining a healthy diet.

Work it out: Regular exercise – even if it’s just taking a walk every day – helps keep both your body and mind healthy. Try to reduce stress where you can, and get plenty of sleep!

Dr Raquel 360 approach

There are quite a lot of things to consider when starting your skincare journey, which is why I developed the Dr Raquel 360 approach. It offers my patients a fully rounded skincare plan that will tackle every aspect of keeping skin healthy and preventing ageing.

It requires an in-depth consultation which will help us to develop a tailored treatment plan specific to you, including a dietary supplement and skincare routine, as well as several treatment sessions. This formula I have developed has been tried, tested and proven to be the best route to achieving and maintaining safe, natural, subtle and fresh-looking results.

To make things simple, I offer a membership to my patients which includes treatments in clinic, as well as medical-grade skincare products and supplements sent directly to you. As part of the membership, and so I can monitor your progress, I also include skin reviews and constant follow up care for any questions you have or advice you might need.

Getting youthful, healthy skin takes time, effort, and a 360 approach – but we can get there together!

To find out more about the Dr Raquel 360 approach, please get in touch for a consultation today!

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