Is It Possible To Have Glowing Skin after 50?

Changes in our SKIN after 50 predominantly occur due to

• The multiple effects of hormonal fluctuations
• A shrinking skeleton
• Decreased collagen production
• Accumulated sun damage over the years
• Repetitive facial expressions over the years (causing lines and wrinkles to become etched in).

Some of the typical skin changes that occur during this period of estrogen decline:-

• Dryer (and sometimes itchy) skin
• Thinning skin
• Decreased elasticity
• Sensitivity
• An increase in rosacea and other inflammatory skin conditions
• Increased  pigmentation (äge spots”)
• Lines and wrinkles & volume loss.

Fortunately, there’s lots we can do for healthy skin after 50 

Cleanse GENTLY

Cleansing is an important skin care step at every age. However, as we get older our skin becomes more delicate and drier. So we need to use a cleanser that is right for our skin. Choose either creamy formulas or cleansing masks -rather than harsh foam or gel cleansers (which can strip moisture away and compromise our delicate lipid barrier).

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate

Oestrogen stimulates the production of oils in our skin and also our skins ability to hold moisture. So when oestrogen production diminishes  – dry and sometimes itchy skin becomes a common problem.

Although ‘Dry’ and ‘dehydrated’ seem like two words which describe the same thing;- there is a big difference when it comes to our skin! To put it simply, dehydrated skin lacks water and dry skin lacks oil / lipids.

In relation to skin care, hydration means increasing the amount of water in our skin cells, which results in a healthy, smooth and plump complexion. When our skin doesn’t have enough moisture, it gets scaly, rough and dull.

Moisture and hydration skincare products do different things. A moisturiser tends not to hydrate the skin. Instead it forms a barrier to prevent moisture from escaping. A hydration product on the other hand – actually brings water to the skin. So, it is important that we give our skin the right combination of hydration and moisture.

If you are not using a serum now YOU SHOULD. Most contain effective anti-aging ingredients not typically found in other products such as cleansers, toners, moisturizers,or facial oils.

You Still Need SPF

The maintenance of Melanocytes (cells that manufacture the pigment Melanin) is under the control of estrogens. During menopause, the number of melanocytes in the skin is therefor reduced (due to a decrease in estrogen). Less melanocytes, means we produce less of the protective melanin. Our skin therefore becomes more prone to sun damage.

Although a lot of the damage was caused by the amount of sun we got in our 20s, 30s, and 40’s, it’s still vital to protect our skin from further damage. So include a broad-spectrum SPF as part of your daily skincare regime.

Hit the Brown Spots

Pigmentation äge spots” on the face, hands, and chest can look more obvious around menopause. Help prevent them by using sunscreen every day. Already got spots? See here

Clean up your DIET and consider your GUT

Eating foods rich with antioxidants can help your skin from the inside out. See more here regarding skin boosting super foods to increase in your diet and here for foods to avoid. Also consider:- Omega-3’s

Consider your Mental Health 

Our mind and skin are very much connected. This is now being referred to as Psychodermatogy.

Constant stress increases the production of our stress hormone ‘cortisol’. This then triggers inflammation and can also throw off other hormones in our body.  Increased inflammation is not good news for inflammatory skin disorders.

Stress can also disrupt the balance between the good and bad bacteria in our gut. As we know, our gut health can also cause havoc with our skin. See Gut Article

Take time during your day to reduce stress levels. Try yoga, meditation, pilates, going for a walk, reading OR any other stress-reduction techniques – to help reduce cortisol levels.

Get Moving

Exercise helps keep our skin healthy and vibrant. The multiple benefits of exercise include:-

1. Increased circulation, including blood flow. This
   results in oxygen and nutrients being delivered to
   our skin.
2. An increase in blood flow, also helps waste products 
   to be carried away from our skin.
3. Endorphins (our feel good hormones) are produced. This subsequently helps reduce stress levels and cortisol. This can result in an improvement of acne, eczema and other skin conditions.

Upgrade your Skincare regime

• Upgrade your Skincare Regime / Products – to suit your changing skin conditions. Visit the Solution Tool for further advice regarding which skincare products will best suit your individual skin concerns.

Bulk Up on Beauty Sleep

Getting enough sleep helps your skin look younger. Lack of sleep can cause hormonal imbalances (and also decrease our metabolisms). It can also increase  flare-ups of inflammatory skin conditions and adult acne. getting adequate sleep helps prevent dark circles under our eyes, and it also gives the rest of our body a chance to recharge.  Aim for 7-9 hours per night.

And a Retinol serum at night

Retinol (Vitamin A) is clinically proven to make a huge impact on how skin ages. Dermatologists have been prescribing it for decades as the gold standard for promoting skin cell turnover and collagen production. It helps to correct lines, wrinkles, and scarring and can also help with breakouts.

Minimize Wrinkled Skin

Wrinkles are formed from a combination of too much sun over the years, hormonal change, repeated facial expressions, a loss of collagen, and thinning skin. Wrinkles are more obvious when our skin is dry. SO use a hydrating serum and a moisterising cream every day.

• Some people choose to get muscle relaxant injections – these work to prevent the formation of static wrinkles by stopping the signal between the nerve and muscle. The decreased movement in the muscle places less stress on the skin helping to give a fresh and youthful appearance. Anti-wrinkle injections are made from a purified protein that temporarily causes facial muscles to relax, instantly softening lines and wrinkles and reducing the severity of visible wrinkles. Please contact Victoria for more information on Laser Clinics Australia bookings. Or visit the  LCA website
• Hyaluronic dermal filler injections – once again, this is a personal choice made by some people. A dermal filler helps re-volumise and hydrate the face. Made from hyaluronic gel – a natural sugar already present in the human body. Hyaluronic can help restore fullness and volume in numerous facial areas. Visit here for more details.

Always use an Eye Cream.

The skin around the eye is thinner and more fragile. It requires a different efficacy and mix of ingredients than the skin on the rest of your face does.

Tip – Try keeping your eye cream in the fridge, as the cold cream will help constrict blood vessels to reduce puffy under eye bags in the mornings.

Make sure your using skin products that suite YOUR skin type

It’s very important to choose cleansers, moisturizers, and a skin care routine formulated for your skin type. If you don’t know yours, find out at What’s Your Skin Type.

Skin Boosting Supplements

• Certain supplements can do wonders for our skin especially if its a supplement your lacking in. For example Zinc, probiotics (see gut health), and Omega 3’s (which help with inflammation and dryness). See here for more

 

Victoria Isherwood (Registered Nurse)

 

Typical Skin Changes In Our 40’s + what we can do to help….

Life happens and somehow the years fly by. Then before we know it we are in our fourth decade.

The changes….

Around our late 30’s / early 40s women typically go through a transitional period (which can last several years) caused by hormonal fluctuations. This period is often referred to as ‘perimenopause’.

Due to the shifts in hormone production (mainly progesterone and estrogen), perimenopause can bring about many changes. Unlike full-fledged (or early menopause), you DO continue to ovulate and you ARE still producing estrogen. In fact, your hormones will often test in the “normal” range.

Some of the typical changes that occur during this period of estrogen and progesterone fluctuations (and then decline) include:-

• Skin Changes – eg …dryer, thinning, adult acne, rosacea, pigmentation, increased sensitivity, less elastic, itchy, lines and wrinkles & volume loss.
• Hot Flushes
• Trouble sleeping
• Poorer concentration & also memory
• Anxiety 
• Mood swings
• Night sweats
• Increased PMS symptoms
• Fatigue
• Irregular periods – often short cycles + heavier bleeding.
• Weight changes
• Decrease in breast volume
• Change in sex drive
• Etc

Specific SKIN Changes

Changes in our skin predominantly occur due to:-

• the multiple effects of hormonal fluctuations
• a shrinking skeleton
• decreased collagen production
• accumulated sun damage over the years
• Repetitive facial expressions over the years (causing lines and wrinkles to become etched in). See more info here.

Adult Acne:

Beginning in our 30’s, our levels of androgens increase. Testosterone stimulates sebaceous glands to secrete thicker sebum. This can cause clogged pores and an increase the likeliness of adult Acne.

……see ‘Adult Acne’ Article for more information 

Facial Hair:

Due to the unstable progesterone / estrogen levels + increased testosterone, some women may develop the odd sprout (or two or three) of facial hair, particularly in the chin area.

Sagging Skin and Wrinkles:

When progesterone levels drop (causing estrogen to become unstable), fat deposits tend to become redistributed. Fat pads in our face (which provide support and structure) diminish. Instead our adipose cells can become more concentrated around the abdomen, thighs and buttocks. Leading Dermatologist Dr Kathy Fields describes this as “fat redistribution from our face to our Fanny” 😳. The result of this loss of volume in our face, can be the formation of wrinkles and skin that appears less taut.

Continuous muscle contraction over the years, is another major contributor of facial wrinkles. Continuous muscle movement causes ‘dynamic wrinkles’ which only appear when the muscle is used, however, over time, if untreated, these wrinkles can become ‘static wrinkles’ which means they become permanently etched in our skin.

Thiner less elastic Skin:

Collagen is the supportive protein structure of our skin. It helps give skin it’s youthful plumpness. Skin stays more supple when there is enough progesterone …..which helps stimulate the production of collagen.

Sun Damage:

The maintenance of Melanocytes (cells that manufacture the pigment Melanin) is under the control of estrogens. As we move closer to menopause, the number of melanocytes in the skin is reduced. With less melanocytes, we produce less of the protective melanin and skin appears lighter. Our skin is therefore more prone to sun damage.

Pigmentation:

As estrogen helps regulate the production of melanin (pigment), melanin synthesis can increase (when estrogen decreases). This can then lead to brown “age spots”. These can appear on the face, hands, neck, arms and chest of many women. This is particularly evident in areas of our skin that have been exposed to the sun over the years. See here for more info on pigmentation and melasma.

Dry and sometimes itchy skin

Estrogen stimulates the production of oils in our skin and also our skins ability to hold moisture. So when estrogen production diminishes  – dry and sometimes itchy skin becomes common.

However it’s not all bad news, there it’s lots we can do which helps dramatically. If you haven’t yet whipped your anti-aging routine into shape, now’s the time—because it only gets harder from here.

What can help?

• A healthier diet – a healthy outside starts on the inside.
• Skip long hot showers which drys our Skin out.
• Supplements – such as Zinc (can do wonders for Skin), probiotics (as gut health is linked to Skin health), Omega 3’s which help with inflammation and dryness, Vitex, Sage, black cohosh etc. Speak to a naturopath.
• Sun protection +++
• read previous Gut Article!!
• See previous Adult Acne Article!!
• Retinol (Vitamin A) based night serums – is anti-aging as it helps with collagen building and the rate at which skin cells generate. Amp up your results even further by using a dermal-roller prior.
• Going to bed earlier – as lack of sleep can add to hormonal imbalance, inflammatory skin conditions and adult acne.  Aim for 7-9 hours per night.
• Manage stress – as cortisol can trigger skin conditions such as psoriasis, rosacea and acne. Stress also robs us of progesterone.
• Exercise – helps with circulation (blood flow to your skin) and also stress management. See previous article.
• Quit smoking as it has been linked to early menopause.
• Some people choose to get mustcle relaxant injections – these work to prevent the formation of static wrinkles by stopping the signal between the nerve and muscle. The decreased movement in the muscle places less stress on the skin helping to give a fresh and youthful appearance. Anti-wrinkle injections are made from a purified protein that temporarily causes facial muscles to relax, instantly softening lines and wrinkles and reducing the severity of visible wrinkles. Please contact Victoria for more information on Laser Clinics Australia bookings. Or visit the  LCA website
• Hyaluronic dermal filler injections – once again, this is a personal choice made by some people. A dermal filler helps re-volumise and hydrate the face. Made from hyaluronic gel – a natural sugar already present in the human body. Hyaluronic can help restore fullness and volume in numerous facial areas. Visit here for more details.
• See the Beauty Booster Treatment
• Upgrade your Skincare Regime / Products – to suit your changing skin conditions. Visit the Solution Tool for further advice regarding which skincare products will best suit your individual skin concerns. 
• Skin Treatments….eg Skin Needling
• See ‘5 Of The Worst Things You Can do For Your Skin’
• Progesterone Cream helps a lot of women with Perimenopausal symptoms in general. I highly recommend Ona’s Natural Progesterone Cream
• To receive a discount on Ona’s natural progesterone cream use code : Vskin10
• Vitex – has been traditionally used in Western herbal medicine for menstrual cycle irregularities and to help relieve symptoms associated with PMS. It can also provide symptomatic relief of hormone-induced acne. Visit your local health food shop or nutritionist for more information.

 

Victoria Isherwood (Registered Nurse / Dermatology) ☺️

 

 

Melasma v’s Hyper-pigmentation

….The Low Down

Hyperpigmentation

Is common and usually harmless. Patches of skin become darker in colour due to an excess of the brown pigment ‘melanin’. Usually occurs from:-

• Sun damage over the years
• Post acne or other skin trauma (post inflammatory hyperpigmentation). An example is dark marks that appear after a pimple.

Note:- every time unprotected skin is exposed to UVA rays, a signal is sent to your pigment producing skin cells (melanocytes), to produce more melanin.

 

Melasma

Melasma is a very common skin complaint. The condition causes brown, discoloured patches on the face. Usually on the cheeks, forehead and upper lip. It’s also called chloasma OR the ‘mask of pregnancy’ (when it occurs in pregnant women). Melasma is much more common in women than men.

It is primarily related to a rise in women’s estrogenic hormones (such as progesterone), combined with sun exposure. These increased hormones trigger an overproduction of melanin in the skin. It is commonly triggered by birth control pills, hormonal changes in pregnancy or Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). Some women can however have a genetic predisposition. Most women with melasma have a history of sun exposure.

Melasma is most common among pregnant women, especially those of Latin and Asian descents. People with olive or darker skin, like Hispanic, Asian, and Middle Eastern individuals, have higher incidences of melasma

Frustratingly, Melasma does not always disappear straight away after giving birth. During pregnancy the best defense in preventing melasma is sun protection.

Treatment for Melasma / Hyperpigmentation

• Sun protection +++
• Exfoliation – Removes dead skin cells and accelerates skin cell turnover.
• Chemical Peels – eg glycolic
• Topical products containing Hydroquinone -helps lighten melasma by inhibiting tyrosinase, which is the enzyme responsible for the production of melanin. Hydroquinone is a naturally occurring substance that is present in blueberries, broccoli and meats.
• Topical Retinol (derived from Vitamin A) – which also great for aging Skin (wrinkles) and acne –not recommended whilst pregnant.
• Topical products containing Vitamin C – help with lightening and brightening.
• Professional Microdermabrasions
• laser pigmentation removal – using specialised medical-grade Lasers.
• Skin needling (Dermal rolling) – stimulates the production of collagen to create smoother, healthier skin. It reduces pigmentation, acne scarring, stretch marks, fine lines, enlarged pores, and scarring in general.
• See the Beauty Booster treatment
• REVERSE – line of products (from Rodan + Fields) – have been clinically tested to help visibly even skin tone, to reveal your most radiant and natural complexion. Please visit
  https://visherwood.myrandf.com/au and try the Solution Tool for a personalised recommendation.

Note- Unless you want to end up right back where you started, there’s no use trying to tackle pigmentation / melasma unless your prepared to keep your face out of the sun. Diligent sun protection is vital.

Other skincare ingredients to look for-

Alpha hydroxy acids, Kojic acid, antioxidants, salicylic acid, licorice, Vitamin E, green tea, mulberry.

Common Skin Conditions – What to avoid & what can help.

Four Common Skin Conditions

Rosacea
An Inflammatory disorder causing redness and sometimes small pimples on the face. The small surface blood vessels (capillaries) enlarge, giving the appearance of a flushed face.
The exact cause is not 100% known. However avoiding the ten below things can help manage the symptoms.
Specific triggers to avoid include stress, high temperatures (including hot baths & saunas), spicy foods, alcohol, some cosmetics, sun exposure, hot drinks and food.

Acne
Obstruction and inflammation of sebaceous glands which leads to infection.
Common triggers include hormonal changes during puberty, pregnancy, perimenopause + fluctuations during (certain days) of the menstrual cycle.                                …..See previous adult acne article.

Eczema
Chronic immune-mediated inflammation of the skin involving genetic and environmental factors.
Specific triggers include stress, exposure to allergens (such as dust mite, foods & cosmetics), and dry air.
Linked to asthma and allergic rhinitis.

Psoriasis
A chronic systemic inflammatory disorder. It occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks normal tissues in the body. Skin cells build up and form scales and itchy dry patches. Triggers can include stress, infections, medications, sunburn, poor gut health.

10 common causes of these skin conditions

1. Nutritional deficiencies
2. Hormonal imbalances
3. Poor gut health including intestinal dyobiosis
4. Stress
5. Thyroid problems
6. Immune system abnormalities
7. Infection (bacterial, parasitic or viral)
8. Medications
9. Poor hygiene
10. Allergies

 

Helpful Supplements

– when diet alone isn’t enough

Zinc
Is an absolutely essential micronutrient for the Skin. It helps with tissue growth & repair, inflammation and infection. Deficiency can present as rough or dry skin, dermatitis, skin lesions, an increase in skin infections and slow wound healing.

Vitamin A
Helps prevent skin infection (eg acne), helps with collagen production and wound healing. Vitamin A also has antioxidant properties , helping neutralize free radicals that cause tissue and cellular damage. Consult with your doctor before taking vitamin A supplements when pregnant or planning a pregnancy.

Vitamin C
Helps with tissue repair (including healing damaged skin), collagen synthesis, connective tissue, and the skins elasticity. A deficiency in vitamin C can lead to dry skin, increased bruising and impaired wound healing.

Essential fatty acids (Omega-3)
Helps with inflammation and wound healing.
Nourishes the Skin and helps prevent moisture loss. Deficiency contributes to eczema, psoriasis, sun spots, dandruff and also thinning hair. Oily fish like salmon, sardines, and tuna have fewer omega-3s than good quality capsules. Omega-3 supplements include Krill oil, Fish Oil or Sea buckthorn oil capsules.

Other Antioxidants (eg vitamin E, selenium, green tea, coenzyme Q10 etc)

Probiotics
Research has shown that the state of your gut has a great deal to do with the condition of your skin. Where there is gut inflammation, there is usually skin inflammation
See Gut Article

Turmeric

Curcumin is the active part of the turmeric plant. It is anti-inflammatory and can help with a wide variety of skin conditions. Curcumin has even been found to help clear mild psoriasis plaques, and prevent flare ups in some sufferers.

Silica
Is required to produce collagen and is a natural anti-inflammatory. Is good for Skin, hair and nails.

Other skin supplements include – echinacea, burdock, sea buckthorn (a vegetarian source of Omega fatty acids), yellow dock, cleavers etc.

Skin Treatments

See LED Light Therapy

Skincare

Soothe has been named as the favourite regimen by The Sydney Morning Herald & has recently been reviewed in Allure. This regimen uses RFp3 Peptite technology -A breakthrough combination of skin soothing peptides & skin detoxifying peptides working with a protease inhibitor at the skins surface to neutralise triggers & reduce visible signs of redness. If you suffer from sensitive, red or irritated skin …..this may be the product for you! It comes with a R+F 60 day money back guarantee. Please contact me to find out how to save 10% on this product and to receive free shipping. Or why not try the Solution Tool to get a personalised Skin Regime

https://visherwood.myrandf.com/au

Some Supplement Recommendations-

Note- We know Fish oil has many health benefits due to the essential fatty acids EPA & DHA (omega 3’s). However there are fish oils and there are fish oils. SO many of the ones found in our supermarkets are manufactured cheaply and can even be rancid! BioCeuticals fish oil undergoes strict testing to ensure its purity & to make sure it is of the highest quality, using ethically sourced fish free of heavy metals.

Perimenopause & Skin

Permenopause ….who me??

Perimenopause usually starts in a woman’s late 30’s or early 40s. It can however start earlier or later. It is a transitional period caused by hormone fluctuations, particularly the levels of circulating estrogen and progesterone. This period can last up to 10 years.

Due to the shifts in hormone production, perimenopause can bring about many symptoms. Unlike full-fledged (or early menopause), you continue to ovulate and you are still producing estrogen. In fact, your hormones will often test in the “normal” range.

Some of the typical changes that occur during this period of estrogen and Progesterone fluctuations (and then decline) include:-

• Skin Changes – eg …dryer, thinning, adult acne, Rosacea, pigmentation, increased sensitivity, less elastic, itchy, lines and wrinkles & volume loss.
• Hot Flushes
• Trouble sleeping
• poorer concentration & also memory
• Mood swings
• Night sweats
• Increased PMS symptoms
• Fatigue
• Irregular periods – often short cycles + heavier bleeding.
• Weight changes
• Decrease in breast volume
• Change in sex drive
• If estrogen and / or progesterone dip to low (often  right before your period), a migraine headache can be triggered.

Specific SKIN Changes

Changes in our skin predominantly occur due to:-

• the multiple effects of hormonal fluctuations
• a shrinking skeleton
• decreased collagen production
• accumulated sun damage over the years

Adult Acne
Beginning in our 30’s, our levels of androgens increase. Testosterone stimulates sebaceous glands to secrete thicker sebum. This can cause clogged pores and an increase the likeliness of adult Acne.

…...see ‘Adult Acne’ Article for more information 

Facial Hair
Due to the unstable progesterone / estrogen levels + increased testosterone, some women may develop the odd sprout (or two or three) of facial hair, particularly in the chin area.

Sagging Skin and Wrinkles:
When progesterone levels drop (causing estrogen to become unstable), fat deposits tend to become redistributed. Fat pads in our face (which provide support and structure) diminish. Instead our adipose cells can become more concentrated around the abdomen, thighs and buttocks. Leading Dermatologist Dr Kathy Fields describes this as “fat redistribution from our face to our Fanny” 😳. The result of this loss of volume in our face, can be the formation of wrinkles and skin that appears less taut.

Continuous muscle contraction over the years, is another major contributor of facial wrinkles. Continuous muscle movement causes ‘dynamic wrinkles’ which only appear when the muscle is used, however, over time, if untreated, these wrinkles can become ‘static wrinkles’ which means they become permanently etched in our skin.

Thiner less elastic Skin:
Collagen is the supportive protein structure of our skin. It helps give skin it’s youthful plumpness. Skin stays more supple when there is enough progesterone …..which helps stimulate the production of collagen.

More Prone to Sun Damage:

The maintenance of Melanocytes (cells that manufacture the pigment Melanin) is under the control of estrogens. As we move closer to menopause, the number of melanocytes in the skin is reduced. With less melanocytes, we produce less of the protective melanin and skin appears lighter. Our skin is therefore more prone to sun damage.

Pigmentation:
As estrogen helps regulate the production of melanin (pigment), melanin synthesis can increase (when estrogen decreases). This can then lead to brown “age spots”. These can appear on the face, hands, neck, arms and chest of many women. This is particularly evident in areas of our skin that have been exposed to the sun over the years.

Dry and sometimes itchy skin

Estrogen stimulates the production of oils in our skin and also our skins ability to hold moisture. So when estrogen production diminishes  – dry and sometimes itchy skin becomes common.

What can help?

• A healthier diet – a healthy outside starts on the inside.
• Skip long hot showers which drys our Skin out.
• Supplements – such as Zinc (can do wonders for Skin), probiotics (as gut health is linked to Skin health), Omega 3’s which help with inflammation and dryness, Vitex, Sage, black cohosh etc. Speak to a naturopath.

• Sun protection +++
• Upgrade your Skincare Regime / Products – to suit your changing skin conditions.
• read previous Gut Article!!
• See previous Adult Acne Article!!
• Retinol (Vitamin A) based night serums – is anti-aging as it helps with collagen building and the rate at which skin cells generate. Amp up your results even further by using a dermal-roller prior.

• Visit the Solution Tool for further advice regarding which products will best suit your individual skin concerns.
  
• Going to bed earlier – as lack of sleep can add to hormonal imbalance, inflammatory skin conditions and adult acne.  Aim for 7-9 hours per night.
• Manage stress – as cortisol can trigger skin conditions such as psoriasis, rosacea and acne. Stress also robs us of progesterone.
• Exercise – helps with circulation (blood flow to your skin) and also stress management. See previous article.
• Quit smoking as it has been linked to early menopause.
• Progesterone Cream helps a lot of women with Perimenopausal symptoms in general. I highly recommend Ona’s Natural Progesterone Cream

To receive a discount on Ona’s natural progesterone cream use code : Vskin10

• Some people choose to get muscle relaxant injections – these work to prevent the formation of static wrinkles by stopping the signal between the nerve and muscle. The decreased movement in the muscle places less stress on the skin helping to give a fresh and youthful appearance. Anti-wrinkle injections are made from a purified protein that temporarily causes facial muscles to relax, instantly softening lines and wrinkles and reducing the severity of visible wrinkles.
• Hyaluronic dermal filler injections – once again, this is a personal choice made by some people. A dermal filler helps re-volumise and hydrate the face. Made from hyaluronic gel – a natural sugar already present in the human body. Hyaluronic can help restore fullness and volume in numerous facial areas. See here for more

• Vitex – has been traditionally used in Western herbal medicine for menstrual cycle irregularities and to help relieve symptoms associated with PMS. It can also provide symptomatic relief of hormone-induced acne.