Beauty comes from the inside

“If one could only buy one cream, make it a sunblock!” Minott said.

“Hazards of sun radiation on the skin have become of utmost importance in the cosmetic industry.”

Minott described radiation in the skin as inflammation and explained several reasons why radiation is bad for the skin.

Radiation damages the fibroblast, which is a cell responsible for producing collagen and elastin.

As a result, collagenase (destructive enzymes) are produced to destroy the cells around it.

Secondly, the sun multiplies free radicals.

“Free radicals are unstable molecules that ‘steal’ electrons from our normal cells,” she said.

Although arguments have surfaced on the benefits of the sun in order to convert Vitamin A to Vitamin D, >Minott suggests taking a supplement instead.

“Ovelle by Lamelle has Vitamin D and is loaded with pycnogenol,” she said.

Pyncogenol is an antioxidant which donates electrons to free radicals to stabilise them.

Lastly, she explained how being exposed to the sun for longer than required is dangerous.

“The skin’s first defense is to produce melanin,” she said.

Melanin is the pigment that gives human skin, hair and eyes their colour, to protect the nucleus of the cell from damage, resulting in a skin tan.

When people remain in the sun for longer than their skin can handle, radiation changes the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in stem cells.

This releases the P53 gene (tumour protein) to repair the damaged DNA, which results in a ”peeling stage” after severe sunburn.

“If radiation should burn the P53 gene, it will mutate – a melanoma (cancer) is a mutation of the P53 gene,” Minott explained.

The City Times paid a visit to Minott on Friday (April 8), for a peel treatment.

Heila Brophy, from the City Times, was the guinea pig for the treatment on her face and she certainly enjoyed it.

“I am using a Retistore peel from Lamelle,” Minott explained.

She added that the beauty of this particular peel is that it is painless for the client.

“This peel has two layers, but the first layer works from the top down and the second layer works from the bottom up.”

The first layer is a peel which should be left on the face for five minutes, then washed off.

The second layer, which needs to remain on the face for six to twelve hours, contains retinol, which helps with pigmentation and stimulates collagen production.

“This is a very good anti-ageing dual purpose peel,” Minott concluded.

Brophy washed her face six hours later, as instructed by

Minott, and saw results of the peeling on Monday (April 11) morning.

“I will definitely go back for this kind of peel,” Brophy said.