Vogue and
Harper’s Bazaar, social media “skinfluencers”, or your favourite skin-care brands, you may have read that exfoliating – the process of detaching dead skin cells – is a vital step in achieving healthy skin. According to these sources, exfoliation can amplify the results of topical products such as serums, masks and moisturisers, boosting the skin’s “glow” and “radiance,” as well as cutting down on acne and signs of sun damage.
But if you ask dermatologists, they’ll tell you that not only is exfoliation usually an unnecessary step, many people overdo it.
“Our skin cells naturally exfoliate on their own,” said Chicago-based dermatologist Caroline Robinson. The skin cells migrate from the deepest layers to most superficial layers, and slough off roughly every 28 days, she added, although the process can take longer as we get older. “Products and tools that help us exfoliate are designed to encourage a healthy behaviour our skin does naturally.”
I’m not imagining things: According to a recent German study published in
Frontiers in Psychology, masks cover between 60 and 70 percent of the parts of the face required for an accurate read of our expressions. When viewing masked, emoting faces, the study’s test subjects had difficulty recognizing sadness, happiness, or anger with any precision. The one feeling that could still be read loud and clear, mask or no mask? Fear.
When humans interpret facial expressions, we unconsciously micromimic one another. In less than 400 milliseconds, I frown, just a bit, when I see you frown; I smile when you smile. These actions go on to trigger emotional feedback loops in both of us, sparking more sadness or more joy, for example. The response can, for better or worse, be manipulated by Botox. Multiple studies have found that the neurotoxin, when used to inhibit the facial muscles, has been associated with a clinically significant reduction in depression. And research published in the
Illustration by Angie Wang
From plasma energy skin resurfacing to a smoothing neck wash by the go-to dermatologist for reigning TikTokers, four new popular treatments are turning the clock as industry insiders flock to docs.
In addition to cleaning out closets and sampling a variety of at-home workouts, the safer-at-home order has provided many people the opportunity to indulge in a high dose of self-care. But, if the Touch Up My Appearance filter on Zoom just isn t cutting it, there s no shame in a little doctor-assisted fine-tuning. Our office remains extremely busy with stringent COVID-19 safety protocols in place, says Kay Durairaj, a facial artist and cosmetic surgeon whose clients include TikTok stars who regularly appear in her Instagram stories (@beautybydrkay) while experiencing everything from cheek-contouring fillers to skin-tightening facials. Says Durairaj, Treating yourself to natural enhancements by a highly skilled medical expert will give you a more refreshe