Treat your skin smoother: How to improve skin texture

We all know how we’d like our skin texture to be – smooth, firm, pliable, hydrated, with small, almost-invisible pores – but many of us have a few issues with how our skin is. If your skin is feeling rough to the touch, it may also look less lively than it ought to, fine lines may become more prominent, and pores may appear bigger. On the bright side, if you do find yourself dealing with uneven texture, it’s not usually a skin concern that requires extensive work to solve. Rough skin texture is something that makeup cannot hide, but you can take care of it. Here’s your comprehensive guide to understanding the causes of skin texture problems and how to overcome them for good.

Why does skin texture become rough?

If your skin is feeling dry and rough, it means your skin barrier isn’t working as well as it should. The skin barrier, the waterproof outer layer of the skin, is designed to hold moisture inside your body and keep the elements out. But if life, the weather, ageing or even the overuse of skincare products has roughed it up, it won’t be able to do its job efficiently.

Once your skin barrier is in trouble, the skin will start to dry out; its texture will feel rough, rather than smooth; and because the barrier isn’t in good shape, your skin will begin to feel more sensitive to the environment and the products you put on it.

Losing collagen over time

Collagen is the supportive protein that gives skin its texture and also keeps it firm. As we age, the amount of collagen our skin produces decreases every year. For women, collagen production declines gently from the age of 25, until menopause hits at which point it plummets to almost nothing as oestrogen levels tail off. Cue loss of firmness and hydration, which means rougher skin texture and more of those fine, creasy lines.

Where do I start with improving skin texture?

If your skin has an uneven texture, start by tweaking your current skincare routine to include products that will help strengthen the skin barrier. Here are a few key ingredients to look out for:

• Focus on repairing the skin barrier, by packing some moisture into the skin with a hyaluronic acid-based serum. Reinforce the lipid layer at the top of the skin barrier using products containing ceramides, cholesterol and essential fatty acids. Our favourite is the SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2 which combines all three in just the right proportions to improve skin quality significantly.

 

• Opt for products with skincare acids like AHAs and BHAs. Try an acid toner containing an alpha hydroxy acid, perhaps lactic acid or glycolic acid or a mixture of the two. They will help to unstick dead skin cells that are clogging the surface of the skin and leave your complexion looking fresher, more radiant, and feeling smoother, too. A clear skin surface means that other products you apply to the skin will be better and more evenly absorbed.

 

• In the mornings, apply an antioxidant serum after cleansing, to help your skin defend itself against the environment, and to assist with collagen production. One of the most popular is the SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic, which combines vitamin C and ferulic acid for a high strength formulation.

 

• Retinol is the most well-known, most studied and best-proven anti-ageing ingredient of them all, and it can perform wonders when it comes to improving skin texture. Retinoids encourage the skin to produce more collagen, which keeps it firm and improves the turnover of skin cells on the skin’s surface, resulting in a smoother, more radiant complexion. Start with a low percentage and build up to a higher strength over time. Apply it at night and always wear an SPF during the day to protect your skin.

What about in-clinic treatments?

Starting with a good at-home skincare routine can help improve skin texture significantly, but when you balance this with the right in-clinic treatments, it can encourage more noticeable long-term results.

The HydraFacial

Regular HydraFacials help exfoliate and deep cleanse the skin to maintain overall skin health. Combining exfoliation and extraction techniques with complexion-boosting vitamins and peptides, the HydraFacial plumps the skin, promotes hydration and clears congestion.

Chemical Peels

A medium depth chemical peel removes skin cells from the epidermis and from portions of the upper part of your middle layer of skin (the dermis). Chemical peels combine ingredients such as lactic acid, glycolic acid and retinol to create a controlled injury at a specific depth, stimulating new skin growth to improve texture and appearance.

Profound RF Facelift

Profound RF delivers radiofrequency into the deeper layers of the skin to awaken your body’s natural healing process by stimulating the production of three skin elements – collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid, resulting in a tighter, smoother, more lifted appearance.

Microneedling

Microneedling-based facials work by renewing skin and boosting collagen levels. They literally reverse time, reducing visible signs of ageing and making the skin appear more supple and more even.

Disclaimer: Please be aware that results and benefits may vary from patient to patient taking into consideration factors such as age, lifestyle and medical history.