First introduced in sunscreens, it’s now also available in serums and makeup primers.
Fact: Blue light causes as much skin damage as UV rays, and there’s no avoiding it as long as there is the sun, and we are hooked on smart devices, computer and TVs with LED screens.
With it literally in our face, more cosmetic houses are incorporating blue light protection into their skincare and makeup bases.
1 Botanical antioxidants in Sisley’s Youth Anti-Pollution Energizing Super Hydrating Youth Protector ($240) helps to heal, shield and build skin’s resistance.
2 Cover FX Water Cloud Primer ($62) has deepsea plankton extract which defends skin against blue light.
3 The reformulated est.lab Sun Shield ($96), a tinted makeup base, boasts calendula, reportedly a natural blue-light filter, to create a barrier for reduced blue light exposure.
4 Chantecaille’s Blue Light Protection Hyaluronic Serum ($250) has radiation-resistant micro-organisms, found in the waterfalls of the Spanish Pyrenees, to absorb and deflect light. – CT
Dr Karen Soh, medical director of Prive Clinic, answers your questions about fillers and botulinum toxin injections.
Q A friend recently confessed that she did filler injections. She looks great, but refused to tell me where it was done on her face. What can fillers do?
A Fillers help to restore the facial volume you lose with age. It brings the skin back to its original position, and softens smile lines and creases from the corner of the mouth to the chin. When plumped up with fillers, the fine lines are smoothed.
Fillers can also improve facial proportion and shape – so, to achieve a V-shaped face, we may use fillers in the chin to increase the length and fullness, and in the nose to slim the sides and raise the nose bridge.
There are also very soft fillers to improve skin hydration and collagen levels. The main component of fillers is hyaluronic acid, which acts like a sponge and holds water. So fillers injected at or just below the skin level retain water there, plumping it up.
Imperceptibility is the ultimate goal. Those around you should say, “Oh, I never knew you had brown eyes” instead of, “Have you had fillers done?”
Q I’m in my 40s and notice that my frown lines are deeper, and my forehead lines more prominent. I’m open to botulinum toxin injections but am afraid I will end up looking “frozen” or worse, addicted to them.
A The use of botulinum toxin in aesthetic medicine has been proven safe and effective for many years.
In the forehead, botulinum toxin relaxes the muscle that contracts when we raise our eyebrows, resulting in softer lines and a smoother forehead. If it’s done by experienced doctors, you will not have an unnatural or “frozen” look. Your doctor may also recommend that botulinum toxin be administered to other areas of the face to balance muscle activity – this keeps the face looking consistent and natural.
The results last four to six months, depending on the area injected and dosage used. When it wears off, the original lines will return. You will need to be treated again in the same area for continued effects. You won’t be addicted to the medication; many of my patients love the results and natural effects of this treatment, and have it done two to three times a year.
Other options are non-invasive treatments that use focused ultrasound and unipolar radio frequency, that will reduce frown lines, and provide skin tightening and lifting.
Q I had injectables (both botulinum toxin and fillers) done about eight months ago. The results still look good, but should I do a top-up for CNY, just to “refresh” my look?
A It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly how often you’ll need more treatments, as everyone’s face and skin responds differently.
Some people want more frequent treatments as they don’t want their lines or wrinkles to fully return, others are able to leave seven or even nine months inbetween treatments. But to maintain your new look, you will need regular top-ups.
Botulinum toxin injections last four to six months, and fillers, 12 months. Your doctor should be able to tell, from the condition of your skin, how often you need treatments to maintain the fresher look that dermal fillers and antiwrinkle injections bring. However, it’s impossible to be certain until the procedure has been carried out.
DOC TALK
Dr Karen Soh, Medical Director of Prive Clinic, is best known as a trainer for Merz Aesthetics and Silhouette Soft threadlifts. She is recognised for her experience and skill across different modalities in aesthetic practice. With passion and a keen eye for detail, she balances the art and science of aesthetic enhancement, achieving natural-looking results safely and effectively.
What does the perfect face look like?
The ideal facial proportion obeys the rule of thirds: One third from the forehead hairline to the highest point on the nose bridge; one-third to the nose tip, and one third to the tip of the chin. In Asia, most women like to have a V-shaped or heart-shaped face because it makes them look youthful, due to the slim lower face, defined jawline and sharp chin.
