Beauty journalist, Malena Habers, wrote in last weekend’s Sunday Times Style about instant gratification skincare and why we’re so obsessed with rapid results. It was my pleasure to provide a few of my thoughts for the article and I’ll share these here with you too.
There is definitely an increasing demand for instant results. With our culture of taking selfies and documenting our every move on social media, the pressure to look photo-ready at all times is enormous. With pretty much everything these days occurring at the touch of a button, whether it’s a taxi or a takeaway, we are definitely less patient on the whole and having great skin is no different. Having said that, most patients who come to see me in the clinic for acne, scarring or cosmetic treatments understand that improving their skin is a process and that it may take a few weeks to start seeing results. Despite having to be patient in the beginning, the upside is that any prescriptions, procedures and skincare advice used in my clinic are evidence based and have a track record of being effective. This means better and more predictable outcomes and a greater chance of maintaining results in the longer term (and is not to say that certain products can’t make you a little glossier, smoother and plumper in the meantime).
Some people bring in images of celebrities, influencers and friends and tell me they’d like to look the same, but will agree that their skin or overall appearance is very different to start with. My advice is always to aim for the best version of yourself, not someone else. Understanding this is key to managing expectations. Those who are unrealistic about timeframes and ultimately what is safe, achievable or desirable may keep chopping and changing products (or doctors!) every time a new “miracle cure” becomes available and are most likely to be disappointed in the longer run.
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