How to Fix Uneven Skin Texture

by Andy Cheng Director

The never-ending launch of new skin care products in the market is a good indication that the quest for everlasting youth and smoother, firmer skin never stops. From the time puberty hits when hormones start to wreak havoc on your skin, to the time you use anti-ageing serums to delay signs of ageing, you always find yourself fighting a constant battle to keep your skin supple and radiant.

Even though you may be diligent with your skincare regime, there could be other factors that may prevent you from achieving your skin care goals. Intrinsic factors such as genetics, pre-existing conditions and hormones are important factors in determining what kind of skin texture you have. On the other hand, extrinsic factors such as climate, sun exposure and weather may also determine your skin reacts to the harsh weather conditions.

Why does skin have a rough, uneven texture?

You may be born with soft, supple skin but exposure to the harsh elements and internal factors over time can take its toll in the form of rough, uneven skin texture. As we age, the skin on our face also becomes thinner and more delicate as a result of the lack of collagen and elastin fibers.

A rough, uneven skin texture can also be caused by dead skin cell buildup, causing everything from a dull skin tone and a sallow complexion to enlarged, clogged pores, and breakouts. Applying any topical skincare products over dead skin cell buildup is not effective because they cannot be absorbed by the skin barrier.

With older women, hormonal changes such as menopause can contribute to overall loss of skin laxity and skin smoothness. In fact, the natural process of aging plays a very important role in your skin’s health. An aging body produces less collagen and elastin fibers. These essential compounds give our skin a supple, smooth complexion. Yet, by the time a woman reaches mid-50s, her skin loses at least half of the collagen, making wrinkles and fine lines more visible.

How to get smooth skin

It may be impossible to turn back the clock to reclaim your baby-smooth skin, but it is possible to improve overall skin texture and laxity so as to stay sharp and look great regardless of your age.

We put together a list of suggestions from Dr. Siew Tuck Wah, Medical Director of Radium Medical Aesthetics, to achieve overall skin improvement and restoring balance to aging skin.

1. You are what you eat

Avoid indulging in junk food and unhealthy snacks such as potato chips, ice cream and fried food. Processed food and refined carbohydrates destroy your body and create hormonal imbalance. Eating food with high glycemic index can lead to inflammation in the body, which in turn affects the skin. Excess sugar in diet can aggravate skin conditions such as acne and eczema. It also reduces the production of youth-preserving proteins such as collagen and elastin fibers.

Make a conscious effort to add more vitamins and antioxidants in your diet. Adding a variety of bright-colored fruits and vegetables can boost the skin’s defenses against free radical damage.

2. Exfoliate your skin

Exfoliate your skin at least once a week with an exfoliator. A good exfoliator is an essential part of any skincare regime. A good exfoliator should be able to gently remove superficial layers of the dead skin cells without scratching your skin.

Alternatively, glycolic acid, beta- and alpha-hydroxy acid, or fruit enzymes are chemical compounds that dissolve the dead skin cells, exposing newer skin cells below.

Do not over-exfoliate the skin because it may cause skin sensitivity and thinning of the skin layer.

3. Laser treatments

CO2 skin resurfacing laser leverages on one of the oldest laser technologies. Despite newer treatments for scars and fine lines, CO2 skin resurfacing laser remains an effective and popular treatment to improve overall skin texture, reduce wrinkles, fine lines, acne scars and blemishes.

Despite the good results, doctors are opting for other scar treatments because of the discomfort and relatively long downtime after each session.

4. Dermal fillers: Restylane SkinBoosters

Just less than 3 years ago, Restylane SkinBoosters was all the rage. It was a dermal filler treatment that works by delivering HA under the skin using a series of micro-injections.

These water-loving molecules are capable of maintaining and restoring hydration in the skin by absorbing water to the treated areas.

By doing so, it smoothens the skin and reduces the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. At the same time, it creates luminous skin by hydrating your skin, and improving the overall skin texture.

5. Profhilo injectable

To set the record straight, Profhilo is not a class of dermal filler. However, it is an injectable treatment that drastically improves skin texture of aging patients.

Profhilo is the only known HA injectable in the world that constitutes a buffered physiological solution of high molecular weight (H-HA) and low molecular weight (L-HA). The molecules interact with each other to provide a unique rheological property that allows the doctors to administer the treatment very easily.

Unlike SkinBoosters, Profhilo only requires 5 injection points on the face. It is such a fluid product that it spreads uniformly under the skin to the rest of the face.

The unique composition of H-HA and L-HA aims to remodel ageing and sagging skin by lifting loose skin. It also aims to intensely boost moisture content in and around the treated areas. Another benefit of Profhilo is that plumping the skin may reduce appearance of depressed scars.

Profhilo works best on people who have uneven skin texture but have good volume on the face. It is excellent as a choice for people who are looking at increasing overall hydration of the skin combined with some skin remodeling treatment.