Beauty Report: Taking care of your skin

I am fascinated by skin. It is the hallmark of beauty in almost every culture. I also know from personal experience that having blemished, sore skin can be very disheartening. I have worn sun protection factor 50 (SPF 50) almost every day since my late teens and can vouch for the positive results.

However, time and sun exposure still have influence. If, like me, your skin is extremely pale or sensitive or if you have travelled in sunny climates a lot, even diligent application of SPF will not prevent some sun damage occurring. As we age, minor damage can accumulate and create sunspots or other issues.

Sometimes, topical skincare doesn’t cut it. There are more powerful products and ingredients on the market now than ever before, but skincare can only absorb into the bare surface of the epidermis. Accumulative damage – like broken capillaries (also known as “thread veins”) and pigmentation spots require something that can reach deeper into the skin. This is when opting for non-surgical treatments can be useful.

It should go without saying that nobody needs to spend their money on this sort of treatment, but if there is a skin issue that bothers you which topical skincare has not improved, then it’s a great and incredibly effective option, albeit quite expensive.

For acne scarring – the flat red type, not"divots" in the skin's surface – glycolic acid peels are the best option. As a previous acne sufferer, I had a few lasting blemishes that wouldn't shift with home peels. I went to Renew Aesthetic Clinic in Dublin to see what could be done. They recommended a series of glycolic peels (€85 for one, €450 for six).

The peels are not at all frightening or painful; they do tingle slightly as the acids dissolve the bonds between dead surface skin cells and the fresh new ones beneath.

Skin can be slightly dry after a peel, but a course will leave it radiant, plumped and refreshed. Mild pigmentation issues disappear and the skin is left clear.

Glycolic peels help with breakouts and oil production as they keep cell turnover at a healthy rate and prevent the blockage and bacterial build-up that causes inflammation in oilier skin, though any skin type will see benefits.

Even if you’re very attentive to your skin, broken capillaries cannot be entirely prevented. Fluctuating temperatures, pulling at the skin, alcohol and a number of other factors can create those red little spidery veins. Even blowing your nose a lot during a bad cold can burst tiny capillaries and leave them broken and red. I find mine perpetually irritating, so I booked a course of intense pulsed light (IPL) at Renew (from €80 per treatment).

A couple of sessions were enough to eliminate my few broken capillaries. It is not pleasant: the pulse of light that disperses pigmentation or thread veins feels like the fast snap of a hot rubber band, but it’s over quickly and the result is wonderfully clear skin.

When choosing a clinic for treatments like these, do your research and make sure that qualified, experienced doctors and nurses staff it. If you can make the investment, it’s a fast-track route to great skin.