SKINCARE is important for every member of the family and according to Fiona Priddle, dermal clinician at Australian Skin Face Body, making it a habit from a young age can aid or even prevent skin concerns you may have for the rest of your life.

“It’s good to start teenagers appreciating their skin and getting them into a skincare routine, as early prevention is best,” she says, noting that she sees a lot of young teenagers in the clinic who have acne concerns.

“We see all ranges of acne, from small blackheads to quite severe acne,” says Fiona. “Parents normally bring them in and we’ll conduct a full consultation, looking at their concerns, what their homecare is, and then go ahead with treatments.”

Fiona says these vary from a light LED treatment, to a skin peel and LED, or laser treatment.

“If you see little black heads starting to appear, it’s good to start some home skincare and get on top of it before it gets to the point where you’re leaving your skin with big pimples that could result in scarring and a lot of redness in the skin” advises Fiona, adding that it definitely doesn’t hurt to start this during early teenage years when an increase in oil production can begin to occur.

She also advises young people to invest in a quality sunscreen that won’t strip their skin of its natural oils – “it’s going to be better in the long run”.

Fiona says people between the ages of 20 to mid-30s visit the clinic with pigmentation concerns, redness in their skin and those starting to see signs of the ageing process.

“Yearly skin checks are always important and recommended,” she says.

“We have GPs at Australian Skin Face Body who conduct comprehensive skin checks.”

The following generation are often focussed on anti-aging, “when people are trying to turn back all that sun damage and lift sagging skin that starts to form around the mouth,” says Fiona.

“They’re coming in for resurfacing-type treatments to help stimulate collagen production and return that glow to their skin.”

Fiona says the next generation of people, those aged in their 70s and 80s, should be having skin checks to prevent skin cancer or precancerous lesions from forming after all those years of sun damage.

Sunscreen is recommended for people of every age, Fiona noting that zinc-based sunscreens are the best option because it’s a physical barrier and provides protection against UVA and UVB rays.