Author: Dr Ian Webster

Cleansing: Why it’s your most important skincare step

A skincare cleanser, also known as a facial cleanser or face wash, is a product specifically formulated to cleanse and remove impurities from the skin

October 12, 2021

Skincare for Hypersensitive Skin

Hypersensitive skin refers to a skin condition that is more reactive and prone to irritation compared to normal skin. Physical Triggers: Ultraviolet radiation Extremes of

October 11, 2021

Skin Concerns In Darker Skin Tones

Several skin conditions are more common in darker skin tones. This can be due to the differences in cutaneous structure and function, which can result

June 17, 2021

The Different Types and Stages Of Acne

Acne is an extremely common condition that mainly affects teenagers but is not uncommon in adults. All acne is hormonal but there is often a

May 4, 2021

Unusual Sounding Dermatological Conditions

There are more than 3000 skin conditions known to dermatology, many of which have long complicated names of Latin or Greek origin. This makes Dermatology

April 19, 2021

La Roche-Posay Anthelios: The Science Behind

The sunscreen category represents a diverse and challenging topic in many respects. From a skin and health point of view, brands need to encourage people

April 15, 2021

Advice for Treating Sunburn

Sunburn is a skin condition that occurs as a result of overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun or artificial sources like tanning beds.

April 3, 2021

Silymarin

Silymarin is a powerful antioxidant derived from the Milk Thistle plant (Silybum Marianum) and has been used for a wide range of therapeutic purposes in

February 14, 2021

The Upper Third

With the current global Covid pandemic most of us are wearing masks for large parts of our day. As a result, the lower two-thirds of

February 10, 2021

Stress & the Skin

When we experience stress, our body produces more cortisol and adrenaline. Normally, cortisol levels are highest in the morning and lowest at night. However, stress

January 20, 2021

Skin-Loving Supplementation

We all want to have healthy skin, hair, and nails. How do we achieve this? Follow a healthy, balanced diet. Unfortunately, our diets are often

January 7, 2021

A Dermatologist’s Guide to Skincare in Pregnancy

This is a tricky subject to write about as very few clinical trials are conducted for skincare ingredients while a woman is pregnant. Therefore, we

November 12, 2020

How Nighttime Antioxidants work on the Skin

The body and especially the skin is exposed to many external environmental aggressors such as ultraviolet radiation, high energy visible light, infrared radiation, chemicals, pollution

November 2, 2020

Better oral care, better health

Oral health is more important than we might realize. We get taught from an early age to brush our teeth twice daily, to floss every

October 21, 2020

Perioral Dermatitis

Perioral dermatitis is a prevalent skin condition that predominantly affects young adult women. It is characterised by the presence of numerous small red bumps and

August 10, 2020

Curated, Evidence-Based Skincare

During this Covid pandemic, the general public is being bombarded with information about the Covid-19 virus, its treatment, and vaccinations. It is difficult and sometimes

July 30, 2020

Lockdown Skin Issues

We’ve had many reports from customers telling us that they have noticed a deterioration in their skin’s condition since the beginning of the South African

April 11, 2020

‘Controversial’ ingredients that aren’t so controversial

Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation and disinformation about skincare ingredients that have been used for many years. In some cases, they may be

February 21, 2020

Medical Microneedling – Post Treatment Tips & Products

What is Microneedling? Microneedling is a popular treatment that uses multiple tiny, vertical needles to create micro-channels deep in the skin to stimulate collagen and

January 7, 2020

Sleep and the Skin

Sleep provides an opportunity for your body to repair and rejuvenate itself. Major restorative functions in the body like muscle growth, tissue repair, protein synthesis

December 20, 2019

Chemical Peels – Post Treatment Tips & Products

What is a Chemical Peel? A chemical peel is a skin-resurfacing procedure in which a chemical solution, which includes natural fruit sugars, enzymes or vitamins,

November 7, 2019

Key science behind Obagi Medical Skincare

Obagi Medical Skincare has a 30-year history in medical-grade product innovation. While the company has undergone changes of ownership over the years it has not

October 29, 2019

6 Common Skin Mistakes People Make (According to our Dermatologist)

Mistake #1 Using the Wrong Cleanser Using the wrong cleanser for your specific skin concern and skin type can cause many problems including the disruption

October 17, 2019

Fractional Laser – Post Treatment Tips & Product Recommendations

What is Fractional Laser? Fractional lasers work by delivering multiple deep rays of randomized microscopic laser beams to the skin. This produces deep skin rejuvenation,

October 8, 2019

Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) – Treatment Tips & Product Advice

What is Intense Pulsed Light (IPL)? Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) is a non-invasive photo-rejuvenation treatment that uses different wavelengths of light to treat specific skin

September 8, 2019

The Skin Health & Beauty Pyramid™

The Skin Health & Beauty Pyramid was created using extensive scientific literature, clinical data, and in-depth reviews on ingredients, formulations and technologies affecting skin biology,

August 15, 2019

Microneedling Skincare Patches: Vice Reversa

Microneedling patches have been used in medicine for delivering vaccines, human growth hormones and insulin for some time. For skincare purposes, they are relatively new

July 30, 2019

The Evolution of the Skin

The most favoured theory about human evolution is that man or Homo sapiens originated in Africa. We think that the first waves of migration out

March 14, 2019

Eau Thermale Avène

Dedicated to a Sensitive Skin Legend has it that the discovery of the medical quality of the waters in the Saint Odile spring in Avène,

February 9, 2019

Introducing Huxley

Huxley is a contemporary skincare brand from South Korea. Their formulations respect the skin barrier with minimalist, plant-derived ingredients. The key ingredient found in all

February 7, 2019

The Pollution Solution

Air pollution is a stealthy killer – it is estimated that it kills about 9 million people per year globally and in South Africa, at

February 6, 2019

Acne vs. Rosacea

I have recently had several patients in my dermatology practice who have been misdiagnosed as having acne when in fact they have had rosacea. On

December 21, 2018

Sunscreens for Different Ages & Skin Types

There are many different types of sunscreens on the market and I think making the correct choice for your age and skin type is more

November 16, 2018

The Solar Spectrum & Your Skin

Many extrinsic factors are harmful to the skin. The most well-known are UVB and UVA radiation. Other factors include ground-level ozone, air pollution and smoke.

September 6, 2018

Science vs. Fiction: Skin Care Marketing, Misinformation & Safety

We’re often exposed to terms in the media and through marketing channels, that over time, have a way of misguiding our real understanding of what

July 12, 2018

Survival of the Prettiest

In the year 2000, Dr Nancy L. Etcoff, a psychologist at Harvard Medical School wrote a book called Survival of the Prettiest: The Science of

February 8, 2018

Vitamin D

Vitamin D or the ‘Sunshine’ vitamin is essential for normal bone formation and osteoporosis prevention. Normal levels are also needed for the proper functioning of

February 1, 2018

Demystifying Natural Mineral Sunscreens

There appears to be a lot of confusion about the naming and classification of sunscreens. People talk about natural, physical, mineral, and chemical-free sunscreens. Often

November 16, 2017

Key Science behind the NeoStrata® Enlighten range

The NeoStrata Enlighten range is formulated for the prevention and treatment of mild to moderate pigmentation. For the best results, we recommend that you use

November 4, 2017

Why Modern Sunscreens Aren’t just Sunscreens

The history of sunscreens goes back to 1938 when a Swiss chemistry student named Frans Greiter got sunburnt while climbing Mount Piz Buin on the

October 12, 2017

Anatomy of the Skin

The skin is the largest organ in the body and it consists of three main anatomical components: the Epidermis which is the top layer of

August 17, 2017

SkinCeuticals H.A. Intensifier Multi-Glycan Serum

Hyaluronic Acid (HA) is a natural molecule found throughout the body, with the skin holding the highest concentration. Known for its ability to draw moisture

August 3, 2017

Why I Recommend NeoStrata® Skin Active

NeoStrata, a research-based dermatological company, was founded by Dr Eugene van Scott, a Dermatologist and Dr Ruey Yu, a Dermatopharmacologist in the USA. The NeoStrata

July 10, 2017

ABC of Skin Health

Benefits of Vitamin A Vitamin A is still considered the Gold Standard of anti-ageing ingredients by Dermatologists worldwide There are several derivatives of Vitamin A

June 1, 2017

The Importance of Lipids in the Skin

When we talk about the skin barrier, we refer to the outermost layer of the skin commonly known as the ‘stratum corneum’. This layer is

April 20, 2017

At What Age Can I Start Using Retinoids?

The retinoid family is a group of compounds derived from Vitamin A that are known for their powerful effects on the skin. For acne, you

April 14, 2017

pHformula MD Range

Company Profile Petru van Zyl, a South African skin therapist, is the Founder and Co-developer of the pHformula product line. She is based in Barcelona,

March 23, 2017

Know Your Ingredients

What are the 3 most important factors to take into account when choosing your skincare products? Ingredients Performance Budget Dermastore® was the first online store

March 9, 2017

Tanorexia

Tanorexia is an obsessive desire to acquire and maintain a suntan by natural or artificial methods. Tanorexics lie in the sun for hours even though

December 21, 2016

The History of La Roche-Posay

There is nothing more fascinating than researching a story that dates back to the 14th century and which is still so relevant today. La Roche-Posay

September 29, 2016

Skin Enemy No #1 is no longer just the Sun

Recent studies have shown that the sun is not the only enemy of the skin. While the sun remains Enemy No. 1 for skin cancer

June 17, 2016

A Look Inside: Neoretin Gelcream SPF 50 & Neoretin Serum Booster

Neoretin entered the South African skin care market a few years ago and Dr Ian Webster, Dermatologist and Founder of Dermastore® was very excited by what

June 2, 2016

Preparations for Skin Treatments

Preparing for skin treatments conducted in a medical clinic can be as important as the treatment itself. This is true if you want to maximize

April 28, 2016

Are Natural Products always safe on the skin?

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. The use of plant extracts or botanicals, herbs, honey, olive oil, rosewater, milk and many other natural ingredients

March 24, 2016

What is a Skin Specialist / Dermatologist?

Believe it or not, people often ask us what the difference is between a Skin Specialist / Dermatologist and a General Doctor or General Practitioner.

November 11, 2015

How Long Should my Products Last?

A question we often get asked is how long skincare products should last, especially when purchasing a product some people feel is more expensive than

September 11, 2015

Skin Health vs Anti-Ageing

The word anti-ageing is often associated with the lucrative cosmetic and anti-ageing industry. While it is very descriptive: anti-ageing treatments and anti-ageing products, anti-anything may

April 29, 2015

Sunscreen Alone Isn’t Enough

We all know that over-exposure to the sun’s rays causes damage to the skin. Research is now showing that pollution together with the radiation from

April 6, 2015

5 Essential Steps from a Dermatologist

Taking care of your skin is crucial for maintaining a healthy and youthful appearance. Here are five essential steps from dermatologists to help you achieve

April 6, 2014

Not So Familiar Skin Conditions

There are approximately 3000 skin conditions often with long Latin names attached to them. Some of these long Latin names may be misleading and intimidating.

January 1, 1970

"The good life is one inspired by love and guided by knowledge"

Bertrand Russell

A regenerating anti-ageing serum that reveals a smooth glow!

Huxley’s Conditioning Collection

Designed to mirror the structure of ceramides.

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Author: Dr Ian Webster

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