Ask Alice

Please can you advice, why is the best collegen to take, I’m 47 years young

Hi, I’m a fan of Totally Derma which is very good though I appreciate it is a pricey one. There are so many to choose from; what you want is a product that gives you 10,000mg of hydrolysed collagen per daily dose, and you need to take it consistently for three months in order to be able to get an idea of what it is doing for your skin/ hair/ nails/ joints. Here’s a link to some of the videos and articles I’ve done about collagen supplements.

Have you written your thoughts about polynucleotides? A known plastic surgeon has said it isn’t worth doing and there is no evidence to support its effectiveness. Thx

Hi I haven’t written about polynucleotides from a personal point of view yet – but I’m trying them at the moment so should have an article and a video out on this in a month or two. Yes, I’ve also heard this from some eminent people in aesthetics, but I’m also hearing from a lot of practitioners who find polynucleotides really helpful for their patients particularly for strengthening the fragile skin around the eyes. Some brands of polynucleotides have scores of published studies on their products. Every practitioner has their own preferences for products and procedures.

Alice what is you view on CO2 laser I am considering

Great treatment – as long as it is in well-trained and experienced hands. You can read more on laser treatments elsewhere on the site.

Hi Alice, really loving your website and content. It’s so helpful to learn a bit more about this side of beauty and the pros and cons of various procedures. I’m yet to explore this for myself or have anything done, but I know that when I do I will be so much more informed! My question is whether at home microneedling is effective on the decolletage area? I am in my early 30s but have creases in this area from being a side sleeper. These started in my 20s and I think there’s also a genetic factor at play, but I would like to do something about it as I am conscious of them. Thank you so much.

Home microneedling creates tiny punctures in the skin, so any products you use afterwards will sink in more deeply, and if this is something like skin-strengthening peptides or a retinoid, they will hit home rather harder. So it may help. My issue with home needling is that it is very easy to get overenthusiastic and overdo it; to do it patchily; to scratch up and damage the surface of the skin, and you need to be really scrupulous about cleaning the needling device afterwards (to prevent infection), and changing the head regularly. Also, home needling doesn’t go deep enough to stimulate collagen production in the skin – for that you need clinical microneedling, and yes that absolutely works on the decolletage as well as anywhere else on the skin. One last thing – don’t forget daily sunscreen on your neck and decolletage. It really helps preserve your skin for the future.

I was recently recommended Heliocare oral sunscreen tablets after having Morpheus8. I’d never heard of oral SPF. I’m a religious user of the stuff on my face, neck and hands and so was interested but what about the science. Have you come across it? https://heliocare.co.uk/products/oral-capsules

Hi yes these are brilliant and the science is solid, they enhance the skin’s defences against UV damage. They’re not an alternative to sunscreen, I would always recommend using sunscreen and so would Heliocare, but if, say, you have someone who simply won’t (or can’t) use sunscreen but is prepared to take a tablet, they’re really useful.

Is it worth getting a laser home use device ie. Nira pro as well as the Dermalux led device which I have

If you’ve got a Dermalux, I’d stick with that. Home-use lasers tend not to be very high-powered or effective.

Hi! I’ve heard about the Emface treatment that seems to primarily work on your muscle to get like a lift in the face “naturally” by strengthening muscles. When reading about it, they say the facial muscles get weaker with age and that this treatment helps with that, when consulting with a practitioner, he also said I should stop with Botox because that has the opposite effect to emface , and the emface will do the opposite and strengthen them and lift up the face so I will not need Botox anymore even. Is this true? Or how would you think a treatment like this effect the face vs Botox? I also read about other muscle toning/strengthening treatments like caci that also seems to work with the muscle (but you need more treatments?). Can a full Caci treatment series have the same effect as emface, or is there a major difference in how the treatments work with the muscles and toning the face?

Hi, yes Emface works on the muscles in the cheeks and forehead to strengthen and tone them and adds a dose of radiofrequency energy to improve skin strength and quality. I’ve tried it, it’s great, though it takes time for the results to develop and I suspect I may need further treatment (expensive).

You don’t need to stop doing wrinkle-relaxing toxin but I would advise doing it after a course of Emface rather than before, as strengthening your forehead muscles will re-invigorate them. Also, as you say, you may find you don’t need it so much.

CACI is a great treatment, a full course could give similar results though I don’t think this builds muscle tone and strength as directly as EMface – and you will need to keep up the treatments regularly to maintain results.

You say you would do the EM face treatments were you in your 40s. I am in my early 70s and I suppose it is too late for that now?

Hi, I think it is rarely ‘too late’ to try any of these tweakments – what you need to keep in mind is that the older we get, the less response there is in our skin and muscles to the treatments that are designed to stimulate them. So what you need to ask your practitioner before you start, is whether they think, after assessing your face, that the treatment will make a difference.

Often, we need more treatment in order to show a result as we get older (I need three rounds of Profhilo in my neck, for example, before I can really see the results, whereas someone 20 years younger should get a decent result from two treatments).

I have seen a nice toning and softening in my face after four sessions of EMface – how long this will last I don’t know. In an ideal world, I’d go on having one of these treatments every month – but at current prices that would be an expensive habit to develop.

Which treatment is best for hyperpigmentation due to sun damage? IPL or chemical peel? I live in Barbados and that’s all that’s available here. Thanks!!

Hi, I’d find the most experienced dermatologist or other cosmetic physician on the island and ask for their advice – and also plan carefully how, if you go ahead with treatment, you are going to protect your treated skin from the sun. In the UK, it’s best to do these things in the winter; you will have to commit to buckets of SPF 50 and a hat afterwards to minimise further pigmentation developing.

Dear Alice, thanks again for an always fantastic information guide. I finally made of my mind and decided to have toxin, got an appointment and went to the consultation. It’s a great but.. a little voice inside is still a little nervous, especially since most of my deeper set wrinkles are over and above my eyebrows. I’m worried that either my eye lid will “fall” or look too artificial lifted.. any good advice ? And of course any good advice for first time toxin? Do and don’t? Thanks 🙏

Hi, that’s completely understandable to be anxious ahead of trying any tweakment. Have you discussed these particular concerns with your practitioner? If you have, I hope they would have reassured you that they have enough skill and experience to place the toxin in just the right places so that it will soften your wrinkles without wiping them out, and without making your brows drop. Also, first time, it’s good idea to ask for a really light dose, just enough to give you an idea of what the treatment can do. It won’t last as long as a regular dose, but if for any reason you don’t like the results, then you aren’t stuck with it for so long. See if the information on this section about wrinkle-relaxing toxins helps.

Can I ask what you think of the Skin Laundry company, its memberships and in particular its Ultra Duo facial? Many thanks

Hi, Skin Laundry offers some great treatments, though I haven’t tried any of them for a while. I can’t comment on its membership offers or the Ultra Duo – but I know the company uses top-quality devices and their therapists are well-trained.

What’s your perfect day and night beauty regimen for a mid-40s male?

Hiya, TTG editor Georgia here. Without knowing what your skin is like or any specific aesthetic concerns you have, the go-to, cosmetic-doctor-approved routine for just about anyone is: cleanse, antioxidant serum and SPF of at least 30 in the AM; cleanse, other treatment product if needed (maybe to hydrate, maybe for acne, maybe for pigmentation, etc.) and retinol in the PM.

Best supplements for thickening hair please?

I hate to say it, but I don’t know that there are any supplements that really stand up to medical scrutiny, but the ones that are most popular among hairdressers and friends with hair issues include Viviscal Pro and Philip Kingsley’s Density supplements. Lots of people (me included) think collagen supplements help with hair strength as well as with skin/ nails/ joints. Hormone supplementation may help too if this is something that’s appropriate for you. You also want to think about massaging the scalp to enhance blood circulation, and using a scalp scrub occasionally so the follicles don’t become blocked, and healthy lifestyle – a good diet, (lots of protein, lots of colourful vegetables), plenty of sleep, reduced stress, etc. – makes a big difference to hair because when we’re stressed, our body prioritises its main functions and organs and hair suffers from a reduced supply of nutrients.

Totally Derma is too expensive for my budget – what other brands would you recommend?

Absolute Collagen, Revive Collagen, Ingenious Collagen and Gold Collagen are all more affordable than Totally Derma, use decent types/ sources of collagen and have reasonable data to support their efficacy, so have a look at those.

I’m starting to see hollowing under the eyes in my five year-old. I know it’s genetic because one parent has the same thing. Is there a way to treat this in kids or prevent it early on?

Hi, you’re absolutely right that it’s genetic and no, there’s nothing you can do to prevent it and some of us just do have that hollowing handed out by nature. A touch of sunscreen to keep the skin in best health is all you want to use, and do what you can not to fret over the issue or draw attention to it, so you don’t make your lovely child self-conscious about something that is entirely natural and just the way their face is made.