Welcoming Dr Ne Win into the #Absoluter Fold

Here at Absolute Collagen, we’re extremely proud to introduce Dr Thurein Ne Win - our new, resident dermatologist. Not only is he a fully qualified medical doctor, and senior dermatologist, Dr Ne Win is also an avid #Absoluter and champion of our product. Going forward, he’ll be taking part in regular Q+A’s via our Facebook page to discuss all things skin and Absolute Collagen.

In this weeks first Q+A, our Collagen Queen Maxine posed your questions to Dr Ne Win. They spoke about everything from concerns about sunspots and freckles to tired eyes and the menopause. Below we summarise some of the key points from their conversation.

Q) I have small dark patches on my face. They seem very dry and if I put face tan on, it just sucks up the colour and I look like a dalmatian! What can I do?

A: They could potentially be age spots or liver spots, which people get as they age or if they’ve had more exposure to the sun. These are dark spots and the pigment lies on the bottom part of the epidermis. They can be quite difficult to get rid of. Various treatments do exist such as laser and intense pulsed light treatment which attempts to zap away the pigmentation. Other than that, one of the biggest things regarding skincare protection, in general, is sun protection really. Sun protection, and sun awareness, is an important message I share with my patients.

Q) Absolute Collagen has helped my skin. What will happen if I stop taking it?

A: The amount of collagen you produce decreases as you get older. With skincare in general, we want to protect what we have. Things like UV rays are very damaging to collagen so sunblock is important. You will also want to replace what you’ve lost. So, if you’re collagen is declining, you should consider replacing it. If you do stop taking Absolute Collagen, the benefits probably will wear off over time. So, I would suggest you keep taking it if it is helping you.

Q) What is the correct technique for putting eye cream on?

A: The skin around the eyes is a very sensitive area so the one thing you want to avoid is too much physical trauma. That’s why with any kind of physical treatment like microdermabrasion or chemical peels, you want to avoid the area around the eye. You need to dab and be very gentle.

Q) I have mild rosacea and broken capillaries, both of which can be exacerbated by creams. My skin is also fairly sensitive and can be a bit dry. Are there any particular treatments or types of moisturiser you can recommend?

A: Rosacea causes redness of the face and inflammation. It can be triggered by sunlight, irritants, steroid creams, and environmental factors such as the cold and heat. Stress can make it worse too. You have to be careful not to use moisturises that clog up your skin. A light lotion will be useful. There is a product called CeraVe which was developed by dermatologists. It’s essentially a slow-release moisturising formula. Unlike with traditional moisturisers which you have to apply multiple times a day, with this one, it contains lipids and fatty acids that your skin needs.

Q) What happens to your skin during the perimenopause?

A: The average age women have the menopause is 51, and it occurs when the body stops releasing eggs. A lot of women experience the perimenopause where they start experiencing some symptoms but haven’t quite reached the menopause yet. Often, women will report that is causes spots, hair in places you don’t want, your skin gets thinner, weight gain, hot flushes and lack of libido.

Q) I‘ve always had freckles and for several years I’ve had an area on my face where the so-called freckles have joined together. Is it an age spot? Can I get rid of it safely?

A: When you get dark spots on your skin, you really want to make sure it’s not a pre-cancerous change. I would suggest that if you notice any changes to your skin in the form of a dark spot, make sure you see a dermatologist. Rule that out first of all. Freckles are essentially bits of pigmentation in your skin, they can run in your family or if you get lots of sun exposure. Use sunblock to prevent more. In terms of removing that pigment, you will be looking at skin lightening treatments and laser treatments. Bearberry is a natural extract that is effective at lightening skin.

Q) For ages, I’ve had a problem with tired eyes. It doesn’t matter how many hours I sleep, I wake up with tired eyes and eye bags. I eat, sleep and exercise well but I often feel tired. Could this be a medical problem?

A: Generally, the modern lifestyle of looking at screens and bad lighting can cause tired eyes. Consider adhering to the 20/20 rule, which means if you have twenty minutes looking at a screen, you should have twenty minutes away from it. If you use lubricating eye drops, they can help with your eyes feeling less dry. If you continue to feel tired, and no changes to your lifestyle are helping, see your GP. As ever, we love hearing from our #Absoluters! Be sure to keep an eye on our Facebook page, and keep the questions coming! As Dr Ne Win says himself, you can consider him “your approachable surrogate dermatologist”! Whilst he’s a busy NHS clinician, feel free to email Dr Ne Win directly at drnewin@absolutecollagen.com and he’ll do his best to reply in a timely fashion!