Prevention is better than cure, and nowhere is this more apparent than when it comes to summer skincare.

 These days, there are an infinite number of ways in which you can undo damage already done to the skin, or at the very least improve the appearance of damaged skin. However, without a doubt the best and most cost effective way to go about it is to start taking care of your skin early and avoid problems before they even arise.

 According to Kelly Lanza of the Da Vinci Wellness Centre, the basis of any summer skin care regime is a product containing a good sunscreen.

 “Sunblock is the most effective anti-ageing product you can use. When the skin is left unprotected the sunrays cause a substance in the body known as free radicals. Free radicals are responsible for collagen and elastin breakdown which is why individuals who lay out and tan excessively or individuals who smoke age more rapidly than others,” says Kelly.

 The breakdown of collagen and elastin means that the skin loses its elasticity, which means that over time it will start sagging.

 Protecting your skin from the sun with a cream containing an SPF is only part of the process though. To take care of those free radicals that do form in the skin and neutralise them before they do too much damage, a product containing anti-oxidants can make a big difference as well, which is why the products in Da Vinci’s Chrysalis range come loaded with anti-oxidants.

 “We have specific SPFs that have a lot of anti-oxidants in them. An SPF with a minimum of 30 is in the creams and as well with the anti-oxidants it helps to reverse the damage from the sun so at the same time you are not just getting the protection but also reversing the signs of aging,” says Kelly.

 “The active ingredients in the SPF are green tea, rice peptides, soy peptides, vitamin A, E. In combination these ingredients improve skin tone and texture. This makes it the most comprehensive anti-aging sunblocks available, and it helps to not only preserve but also reverse some of the damage you get from the sun due to the free radicals,” she says.

 For more intensive anti-oxidant treatment, Kelly says a product like the vitamin C serum is the perfect solution.

 “It helps to even out skin tone when people have problems with pigmentation that can be caused by the sun. It contains 12 per cent ascorbic acid and helps to increase collagen, decrease fine lines, improve skin tone, increase skin firmness and give the skin a radiant glow. The serum C will deliver 20 to 40 times the amount of vitamin C that can be absorbed from pills, but should be used in conjunction with a moisturiser as well as layering with an SPF,” she says.

 According to Kelly, layering is a very important strategy for gaining multiple results in your daily skincare regime.

 Kelly says that the products in the Chrysalis range have the advantage of being cosmeceutical, which means that the products contain much higher levels of active ingredients than standard cosmetics. These higher levels of active ingredients mean that people who use the products can expect to see faster and more dramatic results that with regular cosmetic products. However, it is vital that the right products are used, which means the cosmeceutical products can only be sold through medical facilities.

 “The products are very safe but you need someone to evaluate you and recommend the specific product that you need because there are several different types of cleansers, toners, and sun blocks, each one is specific to a certain skin type,” says Kelly.

 Fortunately it is easy to get an assessment done, as all the staff at the Da Vinci Centre are trained to do assessments, so customers can come in for a complementary skin assessment at any time.

 Taking small steps to take care of your skin before damage occurs can have a big impact later on, according to Kelly.

 “If someone has taken care of their skin properly, the little tweaks you have to do further down the line will be minimal as opposed to someone who hasn’t taken care of themselves, who will have to go for surgery, a face lift, fillers or other procedures,” she says.

 Of course, with lasers that can address skin pigmentation issues and even a synthetic snake venom called, aptly enough, Venom, which acts as a topical Botox to alleviate fine lines and wrinkles, there are many options at Da Vinci Centre for covering up those little indiscretions that end up telling on you as you age.

For more information,
contact the Da Vinci Centre at 943-2002.