How to Strengthen Skin, Mind and Pelvic Floor

As women, our skin plays an important role in how we look, and feel. But whether it’s fine lines, dehydration, pigmentation or open pores that are becoming a cause for concern, there are solutions that can help.

When addressing skin health: ‘It always starts with a consultation’ explains aesthetic doctor and co-founder of The Ardour Clinic, Dr Paris Acharya. ‘That initial consultation is crucial to understanding a patient’s concern, and I always allocate an hour with new patients, to understand what is bothering them’. Diagnostic tools can play a part in understanding skin health, such as hi-tech skin scanning devices, which can effectively look beneath the skin’s surface; or hormone testing, which can reveal imbalances that may influence changes in the dermis. But it’s also important to understand the patient’s motivations, too. ‘Ultimately, a thorough consultation empowers the patient to know what options are available, and enables us as practitioners to provide evidence-based care’, asserts Acharya.

From there, a personalised treatment plan can be curated – and supplements and skincare can be a good place to begin. ‘A person’s lifestyle plays such an important part in their overall health, and our skin is no exception’, explains Acharya. Supplementation can also contribute to skin health, from the inside-out, by targeting the gut – which is linked to several inflammatory skin concerns. ‘Likewise, skincare is a fundamental factor, but we must think about targeting multiple layers of the skin’. Sun protection is always necessary – never forget SPF, even on grey days, advises Acharya, who recommends choosing an SPF with UVA protection, as well as protection from UVB and blue light, ‘I like HELIOCARE, which contains a supercharged anti-oxidant called Fernblock’. Retinoids can be used to speed up cell renewal and improve skin texture, fine lines and wrinkles, says Acharya. Meanwhile, Vitamin C can transform the skin’s luminosity, while growth factors can be used to stimulate fibroblasts in the deepest layers of the skin. (Acharya recommends ALLSKIN MED GF Regenerating Ampoules, containing Cryptomphalus, which boasts significant research to support its ability to improve overall skin health and quality).

With the basics addressed, it’s time to consider in-clinic treatments. Acharya advocates for medical-grade facials, combining muscle stimulation and radiofrequency to address the facial anatomy on different levels. Muscle stimulation rehabilitates the facial musculature allowing it to lift and improve facial structure, ‘Think of it as supercharged face-yoga’, Acharya explains. Meanwhile, radiofrequency – a heat-based energy treatment that targets the soft tissues of the face – can be used to improve tightness, plumpness and firmness by creating a chemical reaction that improves fibroblasts stimulation, explains Achayra – in turn, creating more collagen and elastin and improving the architecture of the skin.

Beyond energy-based devices, regenerative injectables can also be used for harmonious rejuvenation. Polynucleotides and exosomes can be used to address many skin concerns, especially the signs of ageing. Containing signalling proteins that target “zombie cells” to become more youthful, these injectable treatments can be a great alternative to other products, such as facial fillers. Nonetheless, Acharya explains the importance of not overwhelming patients. ‘There are so many options available, so it is extremely important to create a treatment plan that is best for the individual’ – after all, as medical doctors, there is always an obligation to “do no harm”.

But what about the more intimate areas of our anatomy? Clare Bourne, a pelvic health physiotherapist and author of Strong Foundations, explains that pelvic health can cause concern at any age or stage of life – from teenage years to menopause and beyond. In fact, functional issues often far surpass their aesthetic counterparts, with symptoms such as urinary incontinence, painful intercourse and constipation manifesting far more often than most females are willing to admit.

‘One in three women will experience urinary incontinence at some point in their life’, whether it is a teenage girl leaking during gymnastics, or a woman being hindered from her everyday adult life, explains Bourne. The biggest misunderstanding? That the pelvic floor muscles are like any other muscles in our body – and that strength and conditioning principles apply. Instead, ‘when it comes to addressing pelvic health, we must look at the person as a whole, as the pelvic floor can be influenced by other bodily functions, such as gut health and constipation’.

Constipation, as it happens, can have a huge impact on our bladder, acknowledges Bourne – and if we are not passing as we should, this can cause pressure on the pelvic floor. Don’t forget, however, that there is no ‘normal’, when it comes to your bowel movements. ‘“Normal” is a huge range – some people may pass every day; some every three days – in essence, it is whatever feels right to you – though you should have an urge to go, and be able to pass with ease and without pain’. Struggling to pass? Fluid, fibre and movement are the three key things that our gut loves, says Bourne

Be attuned, also, to painful sex, advises Bourne. ‘Intercourse shouldn’t be painful – and if it is recurrently so, then you need to understand why’. Bourne cites several reasons for painful intercourse, some of which are unrelated to pelvic health: For example, ‘there are many layers to the vaginal area, and pain can be caused by skin irritation, splitting or even dryness’.

So what is the solution to strengthening our pelvic floor? At home contractions are key, but it’s important to know that we are doing them correctly, and effectively. There are tools available to help us understand our most intimate muscles – such as ultrasound devices that can provide bio-feedback on whether you are contracting the muscle properly, or internal devices to improve the strength of the contractions. But ultimately, there is no silver bullet. ‘These devices will not do the work for you’, says Bourne. Ultimately, the key lies in understanding our bodies and educating ourselves, and others, on the changes that may lie ahead.

And let’s not forget the power of the mind in achieving greater mental health and happiness. ‘Sleep is the most powerful drug’, explains hypnotherapist, Anna Lancaster. ‘You can do everything else right – but if you don’t get good quality sleep, your mental health can really suffer’.

In clinic, Lancaster works with her clients to explore the deeper levels of the mind: ‘Hypnotherapy is such a powerful way to access my patients’, she explains. ’It also facilitates rapid change, as it provides access to the subconscious mind – which drives 95 per cent of our behaviours’. Once in the subconscious mind, various techniques can be used to address present concerns, Lancaster explains. For example, Regression Therapy can help to address the root cause of a concern, effectively “rewiring” the pathways from experiences created at a younger age. ‘After all, your subconscious mind is predominantly created between the ages of zero to seven years-old; this is the chapter in which we construct beliefs about ourselves, and others’, Lancaster elaborates – ‘So, in order to rewire these beliefs, we must regress to the moments they were formed’.

Beyond these techniques, Lancaster recommends using repetition to improve “neuroplasticity”. ‘Neuroplasticity is the action of creating new pathways, new behaviours and new ways of thinking’, Lancaster explains – ‘And doing so effectively can help you to feel “unstuck”. After all, when you think, or do, things consistently, these become your normal thoughts or actions’. And this is where visualisation can play an important role. ‘Your mind doesn’t know the difference between what is reality and what is not: visualising what you want to be, and truly feeling it, can be a powerful tool to create the future that you want. The key is to feel it fully – and ensure that your future actions align with your vision’.

Seeking more solutions to a stronger mind, skin or pelvic floor? Go ‘behind the scenes’ at our events here.