Dr Farida Modi: Look beautiful at any age

Times Of India

By the time you’ve reached your late 20s, you’ve already settled down in life — professionally and personally —and the glow is visible on your face. But this is not enough. After the age of 25, the skin starts showing signs of ageing — dark circles, visible pores, fine lines, wrinkles, uneven skin tone and dullness. Says dermatologist Dr Farida Modi, “It is crucial to take care of your skin once you are in your mid 20s. So, follow a proper skincare routine with a well-balanced diet.”

Signs of skin-ageing
Says Dr Kalpana Sarangi, a consulting dermatologist, “In their mid 20s, women start experiencing dryness of the skin, followed by freckles, fine lines, wrinkles and puffiness around the eyes. To treat these symptoms, you need a good anti-ageing moisturising cream. This cream is specially designed to treat all the signs of ageing.” Some of the warning signs of skin-ageing are:

Dark circles
Dark circles result from stress, lack of sleep or prolonged exposure to sunlight. As you age, the skin around your eyes gets thinner, resulting in dark patches around your eyes. To avoid this, make it a point to use a good under-eye gel during bedtime.

Fine lines and wrinkles
Collagen and elastin fibres are present beneath the skin’s surface around your mouth and eyes. They begin to gradually break down as you age — this leads to fine lines and wrinkles. Use a cream with vitamin A or retinol, which helps in their reduction.

Sagging skin
As you get older, the skin starts to lose its elasticity which in turn leads to sagging. To treat sagging skin, use an age-diffusing serum for firmness.

Visible pores
Those with oily or combination skin suffer from visible pores. Use a good anti-ageing foaming cleanser and a toner daily to reduce the enlarged pores.

Uneven skin tone
Age spots or uneven skin tone can happen due to hormonal disorder, exposure to sunlight etc. Use an anti-ageing cream that corrects the skin tone and a firming serum to treat uneven skin.

Causes of skin-ageing
Says dermatologist Dr Jamuna Pai, “The skin ages due to external and internal factors. Among internal factors, decrease in elastin production, less turnover of new skin cells and the inability of the skin to retain moisture are the main reasons. The external factors include lifestyle change and environmental damage like constant exposure to sunlight, poor diet, too much stress and lack of exercise.”

In your mid 20s, your skin is in its prime. Ageing does not happen overnight, it happens over a period of time. Though you can’t evade it, you can delay it if you take good care of your skin well in advance.

How to care for mature skin
Says beauty expert, Aakriti Kochar, “Trying to hide mature skin with make-up is not the solution. The make-up will stay for only two hours or so and then your skin will come back to its normal state. To treat mature skin, you need to regularly cleanse, tone and moisturise your skin.”

– Opt for creams rich in vitamins C and E, which help counter the effect of sun exposure and reduce wrinkles.
– Wear a sunscreen with SPF 15 and above.
– Says Dr Mohan Thomas, senior cosmetic surgeon, “Use an alpha-hydroxyl cleanser or lotion on the areas of the skin that have age spots. This will help to fade them.”

Anti-ageing facials

Gold Caviar Riche face therapy
This facial is done using real gold and the goodness of caviar extracts that keep your skin looking younger, brighter and healthier. The massage creams contain Omega 3, Omega 6 fatty acids, and vitamins A & E which repair the damage done to your skin.
Duration – 90 minutes

Pumpkin peel facial
This treatment uses natural pumpkin extracts which help in the regeneration of cells. Suitable for all skin types, it prevents dryness, acne and removes dead cells. It also helps in cell renewal and treats hyper-pigmentation.
Duration – 60 minutes

Telomere facial
This treatment uses creams and serums specially designed for mature skin. The skin is massaged with a skin replenishing cream in a way that enhances absorption into the deeper layers of the skin. Specialised masks are used and a face lift is given which irons out the lines and wrinkles, making the skin firm and youthful. Later, a day cream and a serum are applied to restore firmness — making your skin tighter and compact.
Duration – 60 minutes

Homemade remedies to treat mature skin
– Massage your face with almond or coconut oil once in a week before going to bed. These oils are known to be best for ageing skin as they help improve your complexion, reduce fine lines and wrinkles.

– Says skin expert, Punit Saraogi, “The application of aloe vera juice and honey is said to visibly reduce the signs of ageing.” Apply a face pack of aloe vera juice and honey to treat wrinkles and fine lines.

– Basil and tulsi has effective anti-ageing and anti-oxidant properties. Boil fresh tulsi leaves and basil and drink the water after it cools down.

– Switch to drinking green tea. Green tea is said to have anti-inflammatory and anti-ageing properties which help in skin rejuvenation.

How to apply anti-ageing cream
– Wash your face well with an anti-ageing foaming cleanser. Rinse it off with cool water and pat dry. Make sure moisture does not remain on your skin.
– Start by applying the cream using long strokes towards your temple in soft, circular motions.
– For the delicate area around your eyes, pat the cream onto the skin till it is absorbed.

Choosing an anti-ageing cream
Says Dr Pai, “The first thing to do when choosing an anti-ageing cream is to determine its ingredients. The selection of the cream depends on your skin type. For example, as the skin ages, it tends to become drier — so a person with dry skin should opt for a cream-based solution, while those with oily or combination skin should go in for a lotion or gel-based anti-ageing beauty blend.

Retinol: Retinol is an anti-oxidant which increases skin cell production and collagen and thickens your dermis (skin layer). If you have dry skin or combination skin, it is advisable for you to choose a product with retinol.

Ubiquinone: If you have normal to dry skin, pick an anti-ageing cream with ubiquinone. It is an anti-oxidant which prevents free radicals produced due to pollution. It helps in building collagen and elastin, therefore reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles on the skin.

Vitamin C: Those with sensitive or oily skin should opt for a lotion with vitamin C. Creams rich in vitamin C helps reduce the free radical damage caused to the skin.

Isoflavones: Great for those with dry and flaky skin, isoflavones are a class of phytoestrogens — plant-derived compounds with oestrogenic activity. Creams with isoflavones claim to firm and re-densify skin, increasing collagen production and skin’s tensile strength.