How Obagi Can Transform Your Skin

If you are affected by an unwanted skin condition which really affects your confidence, you are not alone. You may have been trying to cover the issue with make-up or other alternative non-permanent solutions, but from a health perspective it’s important you give your skin the same consideration as other internal organs like the heart, lungs or kidneys.

Skincare issues trouble more and more people in the UK every year. Lifestyle, high levels of stress, diet, they can all have an impact on the health and good condition of our skin.

Our skin is the largest organ in the body, serving as the main protective barrier against damage to internal tissues from trauma, ultraviolet light, temperature, toxins and bacteria. It is therefore important that it remains intact to allow the body to perform these essential functions properly.

As well as the physical impact that skin conditions have on the way we look, they also have a huge and, often hidden, emotional effect on the way we feel about ourselves, especially if they are noticeable on our face.

When it comes to finding a solution to resolve the condition, many of us invest all our energy in finding an over-the-counter or well-known brand product in the hope it will resolve the issue, without even thinking of consulting a physician.

If you suffer from severe hyperpigmentation, acne, ageing skin, age spots, sun damage, or melasma, an off-the-counter product is rarely going to be able to fix the issue.

As a doctor and aesthetic clinician, I want to be able to offer my patients a solution which will not only give them noticeable visible results, but improve the health, quality, and condition of their skin in the long run.

This is why I have become an authorised physician of Obagi, a prescription-only skin care range, formulated to transform the skin from within. Obagi products have been developed to treat skin conditions such as acne or hyperpigmentation as well as to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, age spots and sun damage.

Within the skin range, they offer different ‘systems’, designed to target a group of concerns. These are four of the most recommended systems:

  • The Obagi NuDerm System for hyperpigmentation, dry skin and sun damage, also the number one skin care system prescribed by doctors. The NuDerm System is formulated with prescription 4% hydroquinone and tretinoin, meaning that it’s aimed at transforming your skin’s appearance as well as helping correct visible signs of ageing, such as dark spots, hyperpigmentation (discolouration), fine lines and wrinkles, and rough skin. The system involves 7 steps of skin care to reveal younger and healthier looking skin. It includes a cleanser, toner, exfoliator, two prescription hydroquinone products, moisturiser, and SPF protection. The NuDerm is an investment worth making as the results are truly remarkable.
  • The Obagi-C Rx System for ageing prevention and premature ageing is formulated with prescription 4% hydroquinone, designed to reduce hyperpigmentation, plus other key ingredients such as Vitamin C, to help with photoageing, which is premature ageing of the skin caused by repeated exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UV). The Obagi-C Rx System results in softer, smoother, radiant and more even-looking skin. In addition, the system includes an exfoliator to help support skin turnover through gentle exfoliation, 10% L-ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) to aid with the defence against free radicals, and a broad-spectrum sunscreen to protect against harmful UVA and UVB rays.
  • The Obagi 360 System for premature ageing is aimed at younger skin (20s-30s) and includes an exfoliating cleanser, prescription Retinol 0.5%, and sunscreen. The system is designed to help protect the skin and address the early visible signs of ageing, while laying the foundation for a lifetime of radiant, healthy-looking skin.
  • The CLENZIderm MD System for acne, is a three-step treatment with clinically proven ingredients that penetrate deep into the skin’s pores to help control the appearance of acne and achieve a clearer, healthier-looking complexion. Its active ingredients include salicylic acid to wash away impurities and to unclog and clear pores, and benzoyl peroxide to target bacterial infection deep within the pores. I use this system personally and can attest to its results, inside and out.

Other Obagi complementary products for targeted concerns include:

ELASTIderm eye products

The skin around your eyes is thinner and a lot more delicate than the skin of other parts of your body. And because your eyes are constantly being used throughout the day, from blinking to expressing your emotions, without proper care, the skin around them can show the earliest signs of premature ageing. ELASTIderm eye products are formulated with clinically proven ingredients to help you refresh and improve its appearance, resulting in firmer, more resilient looking eyes. Either as a cream or serum, it works to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, improve the feeling of elasticity and firmness, and promote smoother, tighter-looking skin. I love this product!

Tretinoin

Tretinoin is a prescription-only topical treatment for the most common form of acne and can also be used to reduce the first signs of ageing. It comes in three different strengths: 0.025%, 0.05%, and 0.1% depending on your skin’s need, sensitivity, and how fast you want to see results.

Professional-C products

You should make sure your skin products contain vitamin C, as it is an important skin anti-oxidant and has many useful benefits:

  • Helps minimise the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
  • Calms skin
  • Brightens skin
  • Improves skin texture
  • Evens skin tone

Obagi Professional-C serums come in 10-20% concentrations depending on your skin type, and help minimise the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

The microdermabrasion polish and mask work deep into the layers of your skin to unveil dramatically brighter, smoother and more youthful-looking complexion, with a powerful infusion of 30% L-ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) and ultra-fine crystals for exfoliation.

Several Obagi sunscreens have added Vitamin C, this means they are able to address skin ageing as well as sun protection.

Moisturisers

Who doesn’t love a great moisturiser? Especially if it does what it says on the tin.

The Obagi Hydrate range of dermatologist-tested moisturisers provide instant, long-lasting hydration to rejuvenate and moisturise your skin. They are hypoallergenic, non-irritating, and designed to help enhance skin smoothness. Within the range, there is a product type specifically designed for each skin type, meaning you can pick and choose the best formulation to make your skin look calmer, more radiant and all around happier. 

The Hydrate Facial Moisturiser can be used day and night to help combat skin dryness, and the more intense Hydrate Luxe provides overnight, ultra-rich hydration. For my oil-prone skin I prefer the Hydrate moisturizer as it is so light that it doesn’t make my skin feel greasy or clog my pores. I wear it daily under make up and apply in before going to bed.

Sun protection

No matter how old you are, you shouldn’t leave your house without sun protection. This is why Obagi has formulated a wide range of sunscreens suited to different types of skin and conditions. The range provides daily protection from the sun to help prevent signs of ageing and preserve skin health. In addition:

  • It gives your skin broad-spectrum protection against UVA (ageing) and UBV (burning)
  • It confers Sun Protection Factor (SPF) 30 or greater
  • It is water resistance

Obagi’s sun protection range also provides your skin with other incredible benefits, derived from their key ingredients, such as:

  • Minerals (zinc oxide or titanium dioxide) aimed at deflecting solar radiation  so acting as a physical barrier.
  • Chemicals (octyl methoxycinnamate or oxybenzone) whose role is to absorb UV radiation and disperse it as heat, creating a chemical barrier.
  • Newer technologies which address infrared radiation by helping to buffer the skin from the heat-derived oxidation process.

If you suffer from any of the above skin conditions and would like to find out more on how Obagi Systems can help you restore the health, youth and radiance in your skin, get in touch. Your consultation is always free.