The journey to great skin starts here! We make videos about how to get flawless skin with prescription strength skincare like Tretinoin. Dr Amel also guides you through surgical and non surgical cosmetic treatments like Botox, fillers and BBL! We take a diverse and personalised approach to beauty and cover common skin problems like hyperpigmentation, acne and wrinkles for all skin types.
What would you recommend as the best Chemical peel for a 53-year-old CaucasianWoman, , who's beginning to experience thinning skin and very fine lines on forehead, due to menopausal hormonal changes?
Great question! It depends on what other skincare or professional treatments you’re having! As a general rule assuming you’re a newbie to treatments and because menopause can cause skin to be a little sensitive and dry then lactic, glycolic and enzyme peels are generally a good option. If skin is oily then salicylic acid or retinol peels may be better. For more advanced users then TCA (for dry skin) or modified Jessner peels (for oily skin) are a solid choice but these are higher strength and normally your practitioner will work up to them if they think they’re suitable.
It can do but depends on the cause of the dark circles. So it won’t definitely help if the cause is conditions like eczema, nutritional deficiencies, hollowing or vascular. It can help potentially help in certain cases where it’s due to hyperpigmentation or skin ageing.
can i use just one of the clenziderm products with other products? for example, cerave facial cleanser and moisterizer, but the Obagi Clenziderm Pore Therapy as the toner?
Although it depends on your skin problems and needs in general it’s absolutely fine to use just one of the products and to mix and match. At its heart clenziderm products contain either salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide as the active ingredients and you can easily find other products with the same strength of active ingredient. The difference will be in the base formula which Obagi do very well and is generally really well tolerated but the active products will largely be the same. The Cerave cleanser and moisturiser are great sub ins though they don’t have active ingredients (benzoyl peroxide like the Obagi). They will absolutely be ok to use though with the toner.
I have started prescribed Retin-a 0.025% gel, and it pills when I try to apply moisturiser. I have tried waiting up to 1hr to retin-a to absorb, it still come off (pills) when I try to spread my moisturiser. What night moisturiser would you recommend?
Hmmm that’s odd as the time you’re waiting should be enough to allow the next product to go on without pilling… I’d double check with your provider to see if there is something in your gel formula causing this as most people do not need to wait anywhere that long even before applying moisturiser without problems. I’ve written a guide to how to choose a moisturiser with Tretinoin cityskinclinic.com/moisturiser-creams-with-tretinoin/. In general though keep it simple and without actives. Go with something as hydrating as possible as Tretinoin tends to be drying. Most people get on really well with the Cerave moisturising cream (in the tin), welded a skin foods or Aveeno Calm + Restore. Those with more sensitive skin tend to do well with Cicaplast B5 or aquaphore.
I emailed the address on your website but it was returned to me . I have no other way of contacting you . I filled in an online form but there was a problem right at the end. How can I connect with someone to help me please Thankyou
So i naturally have a good pout and good cupids bow- but my sides taper off pretty steep and my mouth doesn’t have good width. i got lip filler 0.25 and it seemed to help a lot so i plan to touch up an additional 0.25. BUT my lips still do curl inwards when i smile if i were to get lip flip, would it also affect my resting face? i think it would be a bit overboard if so with the 0.5 filler
Great question though impossible to answer without a physical exam sadly! I would recommend asking your practitioner to examine your lips and specifically the muscles that insert into the lips. This would help work out whether a lip flip or other type of Botox injection would help reduce the tapering. The lip flip would affect the shape of the lips both at rest and when moving them so you’re right to think about that when considering more filler and probably best to do one a time (if your practitioner thinks a lip flip) to ensure you don’t over correct.
Tried retinol several times recently (face serum plus under eye serum). Skin was LOVING it, but my eyes got extremely dry, so I've had to discontinue. A shame, as my skin looked and felt great even after a few uses. Are there safe under eye alternatives?
That’s unfortunate though it may be that you need to use a lower strength of retinol and start with a low frequency then gradually work up to using every other night and nightly. Also a lot of people find sandwiching retinol between two layers of a thick moisturiser or eye cream can help with dryness.
Thanks for sharing. Yes for some patients it may be best to use a lower strength for the under eyes vs the face or different frequencies/applications methods etc all depending on how their skin responds to treatment ❤️
I have been using this cream 0.1 Tretinion for over 30 years!! My skin looks great but on the flip side --> Can you add anti aging moisturizer directly to Tretinion ?
Thanks for sharing!!! You can use any moisturiser that doesn’t have active ingredients on top of Tretinoin (once it’s absorbed I to the skin). The problem with a lot of anti ageing moisturisers is that they also have retinol which can’t be used with tretinoin or they have vitamin c or exfoliating acids which can irritate the skin of layered with tretinoin. I’ve written a post on the best moisturisers to use with Tretinoin here if you’re interested cityskinclinic.com/moisturiser-creams-with-tretinoin/.
Hi thanks for you video, I have had 3 Different lip fillers and my body dissolves them within two months Then I had Botox three sessions over nine months and that didn’t really make much difference either Do you have any suggestions, please? X
That’s really tough. Some people do break down filler more than others. Botox could be because the dosage isn’t enough so discuss that with your practitioner. With regards to lip fillers check with your practitioner if they have longer lasting ones like Volvella/Volift/Voluma and if they’re appropriate for you (Volift and Voluma are a bit on the thicker side).
You’re super welcome! I’m personally a huge fan of the Korean sunscreens as they don’t leave a white cast on skin of colour. Beauty of joseon, Mary & May Cicca +++ and AHC double perfecting SPF stick are some of my personal favourites. I also find neutrogena ultra shear a good option. You’ve inspired me to create a pre detailed video and blog post on this so thank you ☺️❤️
It is supposed to last up to 18-24 months. However some people may break it down more slowly. I would double check with your practitioner as they can examine you and give an idea of whether they think it’s dissolved or not.
Hi Lisa, thank you for watching and hope you found the videos useful. We’re based in London but have transitioned to an online skin clinic. You can view our details on our website Cityskinclinic.com
Hi Angie, it’s probably not a good idea to use anything irritating if you have puffy u set eyes (especially if water retention is a cause). That’s because the irritation can cause swelling which will make them worse. I would recommend getting a doctor to examine your under eyes and they can advise if they think this would help or make things worse.
Always check with your doctor first please! Whilst Tretinoin can be used under the eyes with specific protocols whether it’s safe and beneficial to do so for you will depend on your skin, medical history etc. This ensure that it’s safe and worthwhile for you but prevent side effects including dry eyes, irritation and post inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
Hi Dr Amel. Thanks for this informative video. I have been using Obagi Nuderm Clear with hydroquinone since last Autumn for hyperpigmentation on my face. Now my face is much lighter than my neck and one area of pigmentation is still visible on my forehead. Should I stop using it all over my face and just focus on the dark patch now and how long shall I do that?
You’re super welcome Tania ❤️ you should reach out to your doctor asap to check why the dark patch hasn’t responded and also to prevent you from over treating your face which carries risk of ochronosis. They may need to amend your protocol, stop the hydroquinone and/or taper it down.
My lip filler lumps never go away. I’ve tried 2 different injectors, one a plastic surgeon and one a doctor, so very reputable injectors, but no matter what, the lumps just can’t be massaged away. They both used Volbella. I tried 0.5ml and it was lumpy and tried 1ml (done over the course of 6months) and that was lumpy too. It’s so so frustrating. My current injector is stumped as to why it happens.
I’m so sorry to hear that. There maybe many reasons for this including the fact that some people maybe more prone to lumps or forming granuloma which are chronic lumps (basically they mount an immune response to the filler as the body sees it as a foreign body). If the filler that caused the lumps was hyaluronic acid then the lumps should respond to dissolving. It’s worth discussing this with your doctors and not getting anymore fuller until the lumps completely dissolve to make sure that they don’t keep coming back. If your doctors have tried everything and the lumps don’t respond it may be worth discussing with them whether an ultrasound scan might be helpful to shed light on what’s happening.
I have post inflammatory hyperpigment in form of spot..have big spot on nose and forehead and in other areas it is small....when i apply it on spot, the area around my spot also brightens up,, so should i apply it on entire face?
Thanks Aish. I’m afraid I can’t provide specific medical advice as that would be irresponsible. I would however recommend reaching out to your medical provider since they should tell you what would be the best way to use it to treat your problems but also even out your skin tone and avoid patchiness. This will depend on a number of factors which they’ll evaluate based on your skin assessment. Good luck ❤️
Great question. I can’t comment on revolax as we’ve never used it at City Skin Clinic. We preferred brands like Juvederm, Teosyal and Restylane because they’ve been around for a really long time hence have a long established safety record.
I am 28 and I have visible smile lines and marionnette lines, and they're driving me crazy. I did experience weight loss but it was 5 years ago. I don't drink or smoke. I eat healthy. As for my skincare routine it consists of retinol, hydrafacials and microneedling sessions So now, I am considering Botox treatment, but I don't know what's better/ideal for my age 😢 Any advice?
I’m so sorry to hear that and probably a combination of genetics and the weight loss is the cause given you’re very young and healthy. You seem to be doing all the right things in terms of skincare and microneedling and these will help with time and also prevent it from getting worse. Make sure you’re super careful when it comes to sun protection as that will also accelerate skin ageing and make your lines worse. Both Botox and/or fillers could be a good option but they are temporary and do need repeating. You’ll need to see an experienced aesthetic doctor/medical professional as they will thoroughly examine you and let you know which treatment would suit your face and the key thing is that less is more as you don’t want to do too much to your face given you’re only 28. Please stay away from things like Threads (no matter how much anyone recommends them)! Good luck and please let me know how you get on ❤️
I just started using both clear and blender and noticed my cheeks are breaking out with red bumps. Not sure if I am allergic or using too much product.
Hi there please reach out to your treating practitioner asap and do not use your products till they’ve reviewed what’s happening as they can advise on next steps based on their medical assessment.
hello doc i want to remove the tan on my face so i want to add hydroquinone 4 percent..im a fitzpatrick 4 and my original tone was a 3...now i already use tretinoin 0.025..so i how should i incorperate hydroquinone and how long do i use before i give it a break? my face and neck are so discolored from my body it looks very uncanny
Hi there, you will need to speak with your treating practitioner as Tretinoin and hydroquinone are prescription medicines and each person’s protocol has to be adapted to their skin type, needs, medical history etc. Each patients routine need to be personalised to get good results and avoid damaging the skin.
@@CitySkinClinic hello doc i went to my dermatologist he said apply it twice per day for 3 months then to do a 3 month break, im scared it might irritate me so is it fine if i only use it at night for the first 2 weeks
Thanks for a great question. Whilst lower volumes of filler reduce the risk of migration it still can happen. Basically it depends on the type of filler used (certain fillers are more likely to migrate), how small or big your lips are (small lips are able to handle less filler in one go) and where it is injected.
Hi Cristinita, that really depends on area of treatment, your skin concern, skin type, hydroquinone concentration etc. It varies from person to person so you’ll need to contact your medical practitioner for help as they can ensure you achieve the balance between using it enough to see results but without damaging your skin.
I’m afraid I haven’t heard of this brand before. I looked it up and it looks like it’s hyaluronic acid based but unfortunately I can’t say if it’s good or not as I don’t know much about the brand. Do you know anyone who’s had it?
Oh no! Sorry to hear that but not to worry, it may just be swelling rather than migration at this early stage. Reach out to your practitioner as they'll be able to confirm what they think it is and take further action. Good luck!
Hello! I’m afraid this isn’t a brand I’m familiar with so I have no idea if it’s any good. As a general rule, I recommend sticking with better known brands like Juvederm, Teosyal, Restylane etc just because they’ve been around for a long time and have an established safety record.
Hey there, no this isn’t normal. You should stop using and urgently speak with your medical practitioner to find out what’s happened and how to rectify it!
Thanks for the video. How effective has it been for undereye / upper lip pigmentation? Are there risks that pigment comes back worse once you stop using it? Thanks!
Really good question so thanks for asking! Wouldn’t normally recommend using in the under eye area (apart from some exceptions) and for the lips it can be effective depending on the type of hyperpigmentation, where it is in the lip and quality of the lip tissue. If used as part of a targeted treatment plan (with an exit/maintenance program) then the risk of it coming back or worsening can be massively reduced. I’ve written a detailed guide to this on our blog cityskinclinic.com/hyperpigmentation-lips-treatment/
Hi Archana, whilst Profhilo does improve the quality and texture of skin it doesn’t directly impact pores. So whilst they may appear less visible as the skin is better overall the Profhilo won’t affect them specifically. I’d suggest looking at other treatments like retinoids, niacinamide, laser etc if the main concern is pores
Thank you so much I have started using retinol I tried RF with very little response Do you offer virtual consultations ? Where is your clinic based please?
Hi Farhana, Nu Derm 5 (blender) and Nu Derm 3 (clear)from Rx system both contain hydroquinone which helps with hyperpigmentation in medium and deeper skin tones. However you do need to see a doctor so they can advise on the frequency, duration and whether to use them alongside Tretinoin or something else. Otherwise improper use can lead to skin damage or worsened hyperpigmentation (ochronosis).
Hi Florence you need to contact your prescribing doctor right away and they will check what’s wrong and treat it accordingly. If you didn’t get Tretinoin from a doctor/medical practitioner then you will need to stop using the treatment and see a dermatologist or other skin specialist urgently as it could be due to an adverse reaction to the product you used. Good luck and please update us on how you get on.
