Interview on 'Anti Aging' with Skincare Expert Martina Kerscher
Courtesy of Nivea Visage Q10, we have for you, an interview with skin care expert Professor Martina Kerscher, Hamburg on anti aging and combination skin.
Combination skin needs a differentiated skin care regime. Professor Martina Kerscher from the University of Hamburg’s study program cosmetics sciences talked to us about combination skin and why people with this skin type can look forward to a rosy future.
What are the typical features of combination skin?
We talk about combination skin when a person has two different types of facial skin. Generally, the skin in the T-zone is oily and the cheeks are dry. Some people have combination skin with an oily T-zone and normal skin elsewhere on the face. Others have oily versus sensitive areas or - more rarely - oily plus allergy-prone skin.
Why is combination skin often mentioned in conjunction with normal skin, e.g. on cosmetic product packaging?
Skin is defined as ‘normal‘ when it has a perfect lipid and hydration balance. It needs just moisture and very few emollients to maintain this natural balance. The same applies to combination skin, which is why it tolerates products for normal skin better than excessively rich creams or products formulated for oily skin.
What’s going on with combination skin? How can the cheeks be so dry while the T-zone is so oily?
We have a greater number of sebum glands in the T-zone than we do on the cheeks. Whether or not this is a problem depends on the influence of male hormones.
So women with combination skin have a high proportion of male hormones (androgens) relative to the female hormones?
Sometimes women with combination skin have high proportion of male hormones, but not always. Recent skin research has revealed that the sensitivity of sebum gland receptors to male hormones is the more decisive criterion. Sensitivity differs from woman to woman and it is genetically pre-determined. The androgens, which are part of the female hormone metabolism, dock with certain hormone receptors and stimulate sebum production. The extent of sebum gland stimulation depends on how sensitively the receptors respond to the male hormones.
Are there other factors that influence sebum gland function?
The most important factor is climate. The more humid the air is, the more active the sebum glands are. In Asia there is a high incidence of combination skin. If women in Europe or North America suddenly develop combination skin it can be the result of taking the contraceptive pill. And when a women’s skin apparently changes without reason at the age of around 40, it probably has something to do with the onset of the pre-menopausal phase. The hormone balance gradually changes in this phase. Less and less of the female hormones progesterone and estrogen are produced, This can increase sensitivity to male hormones, which don’t decline until later in life, thereby stimulating sebum production.
What is the biggest challenge in caring for combination skin?
The biggest challenge associated with caring for combination skin is finding the right balance. Products that are formulated for oily skin keep the T-zone under control, but they make the skin on the rest of the face feel unpleasantly tight. And although a richer product will benefit the cheek areas, it will make the T-zone even more oily. Older people with combination skin have a different problem. By the age of 35 at the latest, they need skin care products that counteract the visible signs of aging.
Anti-aging creams used to be much too rich for combination skin. Until recently, women faced the choice of either regulating sebum or combating wrinkles. Now, at last, there are special products for combination skin that do both.
Which active ingredients are particularly beneficial to mature combination skin?
Substances that deliver intensive hydration such as algae and hyaluronic acid counteract dryness on the cheek areas. The most important antioxidants which neutralize free radicals, protect the skin against harmful environmental influences and combat signs of premature aging are secondary phytochemicals, vitamins C and B3 and coenzyme Q10. Peptides, amino acids and their derivatives, such as creatine, have a stimulating effect on the skin cells and can promote collagen synthesis.
What should an ideal combination skin care routine include?
For combination skin a thorough but gentle cleansing is of paramount importance. Many people use a toner that contains alcohol on the oily T-zone after washing to remove every trace of oil but this often stimulates the sebum glands and has the opposite effect. Both products for dry skin and products for oily skin are unsuitable for combination skin. Ideally, you should use light cleansing milk and products for normal or sensitive skin. Clarifying masks can also be applied to the T-zone as required. Exfoliating products also free the skin of dead cells - but they should only be used once a week, focusing on the T-zone. The cheeks should only be exfoliated briefly, applying very gentle pressure only.
How widespread is combination skin?
It differs from region to region. Almost 40% of women have combination skin in Europe. There has been a marked increase in the number of people suffering from skin impurities in recent years. We aren’t sure why this has happened. One reason could be that they are using products which are too rich for their skin type because, despite having problematic skin, their desire to find an anti-aging solution increases over time. The new gel creams may be the perfect answer. They give combination skin precisely the care it needs to balance and normalize it. In fact, users won’t even perceive their skin as combination skin anymore!
Nivea Visage Q10 Anti Wrinkle and Pour Minimizing Cream
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