This month, Dr Georgia Lee, medical director of the TLC Lifestyle Practice Clinic, tells you how to reduce the look of deep neck lines and whether eating oily food causes acne.
This month, Dr Georgia Lee, medical director of the TLC Lifestyle Practice Clinic, tells you how to reduce the look of deep neck lines and whether eating oily food causes acne.
I have very oily, greasy skin. Will eating chocolates and deep-fried food worsen the condition of my skin? Carey Chang, Fernvale Lane
There is currently no study that shows a correlation between chocolate and deep-fried food, and oily, greasy skin, but everyone is different, so it’s entirely possible that eating such food could make your skin oilier. What you can do is look out for changes in your skin condition when you eat certain foods – if you feel there’s an association between these foods and your skin condition, just stay away from them.
I have deep horizontal neck lines and I’ve tried everything, from creams to radio-frequency (RF) and Intense Pulsed Light treatments, but they’ve had no effect. Is there a permanent way to make the lines appear less obvious? Su Chin, Hillview Avenue
Some individuals naturally have more horizontal neck lines than others, and these lines tend to become more obvious with age or weight gain. Keep a fit physique or try more intense RF-based treatments, such as high-intensity focused ultrasound and Thermage, to lift the skin in the area. Laser resurfacing can also help soften the appearance of these lines, but such treatments have a downtime of about a week. Also, there’s a risk of hyperpigmentation in Asian and ethnic skin types, so start with low settings.
After getting pregnant, I noted that my pores have become enlarged. I’ve also noticed dark spots. Does pregnancy cause major skin changes and is it safe to continue using brightening products? Lay Khim, Kitchener Link
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Many skin changes occur during pregnancy. For one, skin may become oilier and acne-prone, as testosterone levels rise during pregnancy. There’s also a high risk of existing freckles, melasma or other types of pigmentation becoming darker, and new melasma may form – prevent this by using sunscreen or skincare with sun protection benefits. Pigmentation will usually lighten after pregnancy, but if you wish to use brightening products, my advice is to use only those with natural brightening ingredients such as vitamin C. If you don’t have sensitive skin, you can use products with alpha-hydroxy acids as well.
Have a beauty question? E-mail us at magherworld@sph.com.sg. Please include your full name, address and a daytime phone number. The reader whose question is chosen each month stands to win DrGL products.
