I’m a 40-year-old dermatologist who’s ageing like a foetus – here’s how to hack your skin for a ‘filter effect’
A SKIN CARE expert has revealed how to keep your skin looking as youthful as a ‘foetus’ and five mistakes you’re making that are getting in the way.
Dr. Shereene Idris, 40, took to social media to share her skincare tips and what not to do.
The dermatologist revealed that while most people focus on decreasing the appearance of wrinkles to look younger, there was another problem that had to be tackled.
She said: “Skincare mistakes to avoid if you want to age like a foetus, coming from a 40-year-old board certified dermatologist.
“And the rule here is to achieve an even skin tone.”
Dr. Idris revealed that if you have even skin tone, you will always look like you have a ‘filter’ on, even when you’re six feet under.
The skin care pro said you need to stop relying on Vitamin C to sort out an uneven skintone.
While it does help fade dark spots, using it alone will barely touch the surface on the issue.
Using other ingredients such as retinol can help as it helps accelerate new cell growth of the skin, removing scars and discolouration.
Speaking of retinol, the dermatologist said you need to find a perfect balance of how often to use it.
She said: “If you overuse a retinol, you’re gonna get inflamed, and if your skin can’t tolerate it, inflammation is the worst thing you can do for your skin and your skin tone.
“But if you’re not using a retinol, you’re really missing out.”
Considered a holy grail ingredient, Retinol can help with discolouration, acne, and wrinkles and Dr. Idris recommends using it two to three times a week.
It’s best to use Vitamic C in the mornings before applying an SPF and leaving retinol for the nighttime.
Many people turn to professionals to sort out their skincare concerns, but the dermatologist says going for laser treatments can be pointless.
“Why are you going to get laser treatments if you’re not doing the hard work at home?” she asked.
“Your skincare has to be consistent on a daily basis in order to tackle discolouration and hyperpigmentation.”
She also advised people to not get disheartened if you don’t see results immediately as skin damage takes time to reverse.
Last but not least, the skincare pro said you should wear SPF every day, not only will it combat wrinkles, it will stop dark spots getting darker too.
The importance of sun cream in your skincare routine
Dermatologist and skincare enthusiast Andrea Suarez - known as Dr Dray - revealed why you should wear suncream.
The one thing you can do that will make the biggest difference – and this matters for all ages – is protecting your skin from the sun, Andrea stressed.
“The vast majority of external aging is due to exposure to ultraviolet radiation,” she continued, not because you’re “not using some jazzy serum or layering 90 different things on your face everyday”.
“If you’re not doing in your 20s, get on that now.”
But she said the use of sun cream alone doesn’t go far enough. Andrea urged that you also wear sun-protective clothing like broad-brimmed hats and long sleeves, on top of not staying out too long in the sun.
Doing this over your lifetime – and all year, not just during the summer or on sunny days – “will reduce the visible signs of photoageing”, Andrea said.
Those are wrinkles, muddled pigmentation and sagging skin.
She captioned the post: “The goal to aging well and seamlessly is NOT to be afraid of it. One can look refreshed and radiant at every stage of life by achieving an even skin tone and fading discoloration.
“An even skin tone doesn’t happen overnight. There is no SINGLE miracle laser treatment or ingredient that will get you there.”
The clip went viral on her TikTok account @shereeneidriss with over 116k views and people were quick to thank her for the advice.
One person wrote: “Love this post. All great!”
Another commented: “I have more lines than you and I’m 23 lmao clearly I’m doing something wrong.”
“I almost typed “I’m only taking advice from someone my own age”. You look awesome,” penned a third.
Fabulous will pay for your exclusive stories. Just email: fabulousdigital@the-sun.co.uk and pop EXCLUSIVE in the subject line.