How you can finally fix your adult acne
'Adult acne has slowly been on the rise for a while now, and I've personally observed a noticeable increase in cases over the past decade, particularly among women in midlife,' the consultant dermatologist Dr Anjali Mahto tells me. Many of the clients in her Harley Street clinic are acne sufferers. She puts the rise down to hormonal fluctuations, which can persist through pregnancy and menopause, or if you have conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome.
Stress and poor sleep can have an impact, too, which certainly resonates with me. Whatever my acne was down to, it felt alarmingly abrupt when my skin began breaking out last summer. There was one spot on my cheek, and then another, and before I knew it I was playing whack-a-mole with painful red blemishes. One spot would shrink but another two would erupt. There was a particular cluster that set up camp on my left cheek for months. I was using spot stickers – which are popular among teenagers – almost every night, as well as the tried-and-tested blemish-busting ingredient salicylic acid. Nothing worked.
Of course, there's medication, but I had been there, done that: around 15 years ago I underwent a course of Roaccutane for four months, on a low dose. It's a widely used treatment for acne, but can result in very dry, sore skin. This potent vitamin A derivative reduces oil production, and back then it worked for me, for a while, until my skin decided it was not going to play ball any more.
Needless to say, I needed a remedy. I booked in to see Dr Mahto, who is also a leading acne specialist. Now in her mid-40s, Dr Mahto herself has suffered from acne since she was a young teenager. She suggested a new laser treatment, which became available in the UK last year, designed specifically to reduce the activity of the oil glands on the face. It addresses the root cause of acne and can last years.
'It is ideal for patients who experience oily skin, recurrent breakouts or persistent acne and want an effective, safe treatment with minimal downtime and lasting results,' she says of the AviClear laser treatment, currently the only laser acne treatment of its kind. 'It's been game-changing and having had it done myself, I only wish it had been available sooner.'
It takes two to three months to have the full course of treatments – three sessions three to four weeks apart. I was warned my skin could break out during this period and it indeed did (but the spots cleared far quicker than usual and were certainly not as sore). Pleasingly, although unusual for a laser, the treatment works for all skin types and tones.
But a treatment zapping your skin many, many times over isn't exactly comfortable. I found the bony parts of the face – the forehead and chin, for instance – were the most uncomfortable. But it's over quickly (around 40 minutes in total per session).
As for the results, I'm now four weeks after my last treatment and my skin is remarkably clear. It's less greasy, too – if oily skin is your issue, this treatment deserves some consideration. My skin has better clarity and, according to Dr Mahto, the results continue to improve long after the treatment course has finished.
Now to the price. It's £4,500 for the complete course at Self London (Dr Mahto's dermatology clinic in London) and also available at selected clinics around the UK. It's a huge investment, but if acne and consistently problematic skin is your issue, and you are looking for a long-term remedy, this is one of the most remarkable treatments around.
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Daily Mail
27-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Doctors warn Gen Z's drastic anti-ageing beauty method is making their skin look WORSE
Doctors have issued a warning about a skincare routine popular on TikTok - and say it may actually be doing more harm than good. The 'morning shed' trend sees people going to bed plastered in face masks, eye masks, chin straps, mouth and face tape, and bonnets in a bid to achieve glowing 'glass skin' by morning. 'The uglier you go to bed, the hotter you wake up' has become the mantra of many social media users, such as American TikToker Ashley West, who boasts one million followers, as they layer up before bedtime. The popular, but time consuming, process sees people peeling off the many layers in the morning as they get ready for the day. But despite the great amount of effort, experts have warned that it might all be in vain. Dr Anjali Mahto said face-taping - the process of putting kinesiology tape on your face to restrict the muscle movement and try stop wrinkles forming - is an ineffective way of stopping the ageing process. The consultant dermatologist and founder of the Self London clinic told The Guardian: 'Wrinkles are not just about movement, they involve collagen loss, changes in fat distribution… Taping cannot reverse or prevent those processes. 'At best, it offers a fleeting sense of control. At worst, it disrupts the barrier and causes unnecessary inflammation.' Creator are often seen wearing silicone patches, sometimes filled with reactive productive such as retinol, which can cause irritation when pressed into the skin over night Influencers are often seen wearing patches on their foreheads or under their eyes, sometimes filled with reactive products such as retinol, which can cause irritation when pressed into the skin over night. Another consultant dermatologist told The Guardian the compulsive use of collagen masks to sleep in has shown no proof of having any benefit. Dr Cristina Psomadakis said: 'Not only is there an environmental impact, but there's also no solid evidence that applying collagen topically replenishes the body's own collagen stores.' The combination of random serums and lotions that women are adding beneath these masks are also causing irritation. Cristina, the medical director of prescription skincare brand Klira, added that the 'biggest problem' most dermatologists are seeing these days is people 'overdoing it' by following skincare trends. Her advice for the most effective routine was to just wash your face at the end of the day and keep steps minimal by only using cleanser, moisturiser, sunscreen in the morning, and sometimes a prescription treatment at night. However, there is evidence that mouth taping may be used to stop snoring and improve sleep with researchers at Harvard Medical School saying the adhesives 'significantly reduced' oxygen levels and 'hampered breathing'. Dr Mahto said that people are feeling pressured to not just have a polished appearance but a polished process in a bid towards a curated life. 'Skincare has not been spared, and these increasingly complex night-time rituals often go beyond what the skin physiologically requires, and instead reflect a broader cultural compulsion toward perfection,' they explained. Last year, dermatologist Sophie Momen told Healthline that the long process is more than likely to simply be 'very time consuming and largely unnecessary'. She warned that stamping endless products into the skin overnight can be counterintuitive to optimising skin health. She explained: 'Drenching the skin in heavy serums and products may block pores and lead to breakouts, while around the delicate eye area, it may cause the formation of milia.' Further, using harsh ingredients with active ingredients that cause irritation since these products are only meant to be used for a short period of time and should be breathable rather than pushed beneath silicone. Not only can it be damaging, but most products will achieve their intended effect after 10 minutes with little to suggest a further eight hours will better the results. Though she does believe that some elements can be helpful, for example using silk wraps or pillow cases to reduce harm to our hair at night, the rest isn't likely to reap any improvement in skin quality. Not to mention, many complain that products and attachments are prone to falling off over night, likely making for a more irritating an uncomfortable night rather than one 'better sleep quality'.
The Guardian
11-07-2025
- The Guardian
How TikTok's ‘#morningshed' went viral
The women in the videos begin by liberally applying layers of skincare products. Then come the sheet masks: two under the eyes, one across the whole face, and perhaps another for the neck. A silk bonnet is placed over the hair, a chinstrap wraps the jaw and, as a final touch, a cartoonish, lip-shaped sticker is placed over the mouth, sealing it shut. And that's the simplified version. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. Welcome to the tyranny of #morningshed, the viral TikTok trend in which creators apply multiple, increasingly absurd layers of skincare products, masks and accessories before bed, hoping to uncover a flawless complexion when they peel them away the following morning. We aren't talking about the (comparatively simple) serums and essences that made up the once-popular 12-step Korean-inspired routines. Now, it's chinstraps to 'lift' the jawline, hydrogel masks infused with 'ultra-low molecular collagen' to smooth, and adhesive tape applied to the skin to restrict wrinkling. I was going to liken it to Patrick Bateman's morning routine in American Psycho, but having rewatched that scene, his gel cleanser, exfoliating scrub and face mask ritual feels decidedly lower maintenance. According to Dr Anjali Mahto, consultant dermatologist and founder of the Self London clinic, the morning shedding trend is based more on performative productivity than it is skincare science. 'There is growing pressure to curate every aspect of modern life – to present not just a polished appearance, but a polished process,' she says. 'Skincare has not been spared, and these increasingly complex night-time rituals often go beyond what the skin physiologically requires, and instead reflect a broader cultural compulsion toward perfection.' There's something pretty dystopian about the image of these young women rising mummy-like from their beds – where presumably they have to sleep on their backs to ensure their masks, straps and gadgets stay in place – to begin the laborious process of 'shedding' each morning. And the more formidable the routine, the more views the video gets. As TikTok creator Ashley West declared to her 1 million followers: 'The uglier you go to bed, the hotter you wake up' – a depressingly popular 'affirmation' for the trend. And that's before we even get on to the popularity of mouth tape, which involves sealing your mouth shut to promote nose breathing instead – apparently resulting in better sleep and less snoring. Nose breathing can offer benefits, according to Harvard Health Publishing, but the organisation warns against using mouth tape to achieve it, citing 'hampered breathing' and 'significantly reduced' oxygen levels as potential risks. The symbolism is almost too on the nose. It feels as though, in many ways, we're still as beholden to the idea of having to suffer for beauty as we ever were. Not only that, but is all of this effort actually achieving anything? Take face taping, a practice that uses kinesiology tape to restrict muscle movement and prevent lines forming in key areas such as between the eyebrows – referred to as 11 lines – the outer corners of the eyes, and between the nose and mouth. In theory, it sounds faintly plausible, but Mahto explains that the mechanisms of ageing are far more complex. 'Wrinkles are not just about movement, they involve collagen loss, changes in fat distribution … Taping cannot reverse or prevent those processes.' What it can do is irritate the skin, she says, especially with repeated application. 'At best, it offers a fleeting sense of control. At worst, it disrupts the barrier and causes unnecessary inflammation.' Dermatologists are similarly dismissive of single-use collagen gel masks, which appear opaque white on application but are transparent by morning, when the ingredients are said to have absorbed into the skin. 'Not only is there an environmental impact, but there's also no solid evidence that applying collagen topically replenishes the body's own collagen stores,' says consultant dermatologist Dr Cristina Psomadakis, who is the medical director of prescription skincare brand Klira. And don't get her started on the cocktail of different serums influencers layer on underneath the masks – retinoids, acids and other powerful actives applied with an alarmingly liberal hand. 'I think most dermatologists will tell you the biggest problem they see is people overdoing it by following skin trends, or layering on products that should not be combined.' In many ways, it's human nature to be drawn to products and rituals presented as offering an instant transformative effect. The skincare industry isn't booming for nothing. But as always, it's the slightly boring but ultimately reassuring less-is-more approach that actually works. 'The best thing you can do at night is wash off the remains of the day, including your face sunscreen, or makeup that can clog your pores,' says Psomadakis. 'Most dermatologists have a very simple skincare routine consisting of a cleanser, moisturiser, sunscreen, and usually a prescription treatment at night.' The idea of having separate products for day and night is not all marketing spin, according to Mahto. 'At night, the skin becomes more permeable, meaning it absorbs active ingredients more efficiently. Blood flow increases, repair processes accelerate, and water loss peaks,' she says. 'So yes, there is some genuine science behind using particular products in the evening. Anything that increases skin sensitivity, like retinoids or exfoliating acids, is usually better applied at night, when the skin is not being exposed to UV or environmental pollutants.' Sign up to Fashion Statement Style, with substance: what's really trending this week, a roundup of the best fashion journalism and your wardrobe dilemmas solved after newsletter promotion At the end of the day though, all of this is optional. And, ironically, one of the best things you can do for your skin is to stop scrolling TikTok into the early hours and get plenty of sleep (ideally unencumbered by chinstraps and mouth tape). Since we live in an era in which young girls are waking at 4.30am to begin their extensive skincare routines, and poor self-esteem issues in tweens are being linked to the use of social media beauty filters, don't we owe it to ourselves to exercise a bit of restraint on the beauty front? To read the complete version of this newsletter – complete with this week's trending topics in The Measure and your wardrobe dilemmas solved – subscribe to receive Fashion Statement in your inbox every Thursday.
BBC News
17-06-2025
- BBC News
How does sunscreen work, and what do SPF and star ratings mean?
Temperatures are set to rise this week in many parts of the UK, and UV levels are expected to be high. How can you protect your skin from the sun's rays? What do the SPF numbers mean on sunscreen? The most prominent number on sunscreen bottles is the sun protection factor or higher the number, the greater the protection it tells you how much protection your sunscreen provides from UVB radiation. The number refers to how much UVB it allows in, not how much it example, a sunscreen with SPF 15 allows one-fifteenth of the sun's rays to reach your skin, or about 7%.So it filters out about 93% percent of UVB rays while SPF 30 filters about 97%.This means if you could stay in the sun for 10 minutes unprotected without burning, SPF 15 would in theory give you 15 times that protection, or two-and-a-half hours before you would burn. The British Association of Dermatologists says sunscreen with SPF 30 is a "satisfactory form of sun protection in addition to protective shade and clothing".It says sunscreen should be reapplied at least every two hours, regardless of its SPF. What are UVA and UVB and what do the star ratings mean? Many brands also carry a star rating from one to tells you the percentage of UVA radiation that is absorbed by the sunscreen in comparison to how much UVB is absorbed. The more stars the and UVB refer to different wavelengths of radiation from the sun that enter the Earth's is associated with ageing of the skin and pigmentation as well as skin cancer. It can affect human skin even through causes sunburn, and is linked to particular types of skin cancer - basal cell carcinoma (the most common type) and malignant are UV levels and how can you protect yourself?A low SPF sunscreen could have a high star rating if the ratio of UVA to UVB protection is the same as in a higher SPF you want a sunscreen with a high SPF and a high star rating. How effective is the best sunscreen? These levels of protection assume sunscreen has been applied in ideal reality, most people do not apply sunscreen perfectly, and it can rub off with sweat or while in water. Experts think most people only apply half the recommended should not use sunscreen which is past its expiry date as it may be less effective. EU guidance states that sunscreen should only be marketed as having sun protection of "50+" and not the ratings of 80 or 100 which can be found in some thinks these could be misleading about how much extra protection they provide: SPF 50 provides about 98% protection, while SPF 100 would provide less than 100%.No product provides 100% protection from the sun's rays so the advice is that everyone should cover up and seek shade when the sun is strongest. What about 'once-a-day' sunscreens? There are lots of "extended wear" sunscreens on the market that advertise themselves as being for use "once a day". Many claim to offer protection for up to eight hours - if applied some dermatologists recommend that these products should still be applied at least every two hours, like any other sunscreen, since the risk that you may have missed a spot - or that it will rub or wash off in that time - are too high.A Which? report in 2016 criticised four of these products for not providing the protection promised. It found that after six to eight hours, the average protection offered decreased by 74%.But this claim was rejected by some of the manufacturers, who said their own testing had produced different sunscreens fail protection tests, Which? says
