Look, it happens every year: the changing of the seasons, from spring to summer, then autumn and winter.

Along with this, our bodies react, too. You can notice it immediately when your lips start to chap from the cold icy winter wind.

But your lips aren’t the only feature affected. Winter is just as harsh on your skin as summer and, because of this, winter is the season during which you need to introduce “an array of deeper, more aggressive treatments,” explains Renewal Institute – which means Autumn is when you start prepping for them.

Here’s what they suggest:

If you are contemplating a more aggressive anti-ageing, pigmentation or sun damage treatment and you haven’t started preparing your skin – it’s not too late.

March and April give you plenty of time to get your skin ready to ensure you can have deeper treatments in the months of May, June and July.

Pretty simple, right? Kind of.

For every issue, there is a treatment and for every treatment, there is a process. This is where skincare professionals cannot be taken for granted. Just check out the wealth of knowledge Renewal Institute offered up when asked a few questions on treatments and prep:

What Concerns Do Aggressive Treatments Address?

Most aggressive resurfacing treatments are done to improve conditions that affect both the upper (epidermal) and lower (dermal) layers of the skin. These concerns and conditions cannot simply be treated superficially as the chosen treatment must be able to remodel and recondition the deeper dermal layers as well. The most common concerns treated include: advanced signs of ageing; deep lines and wrinkles; severe sun damage; acne scarring; stretch marks and deep pigmentation.

Why Do You Need To Prepare My Skin For Aggressive Treatments?

1. To ensure that your skin’s barrier is functioning correctly, allowing the skin to remain properly hydrated and reducing sensitivity.
2. To ensure than your skin cell turnover is optimal, facilitating faster healing and recovery.
3. To ensure that the pigment-producing cells in the skin have had a certain amount of suppression, preventing post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH). PIH is often seen in patients who have not undergone sufficient skin preparation.
4. To ensure that the treatment you are preparing for works optimally and yields the best possible results.

Which Treatments Are Considered Aggressive Treatments?

• Pearl Fusion – a combination of Pearl Fractional and Pearl Lasers
• CO2 Fractional Laser
• FraxelDUAL – deeper combination treatments
• Deep Peels – 3D Peel; 35% TCA Peel; Obagi Blue Peel
• Deep Skin Needling
• Jett Plasma – Eyelid rejuvenating treatment

How Do You Prepare?

1. Repair and maintain the skin’s barrier function by using products that are specifically designed for this.
2. Ensure the skin is very well protected by using an excellent broad spectrum facial SPF that offers anti-oxidants, protection against UVA, UVB and IR radiation. This is vital when undergoing any skin treatments, mild or aggressive.
3. Suppress the pigment producing melanocytes so that you do not develop hyperpigmentation or post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation after your treatments. Using products that help the skin control the amount of pigment it produces is of vital importance, especially if you have darker skin.
4. Speed up your skin cell turnover to promote healing and keep your skin well hydrated. This improves your skin tone and texture, maintains your treatment results for longer and minimises any possibility of complications. We recommend a non-invasive monthly Mesoglow Facial.

You see, the professionals at Skin Renewal will calm all your nerves and answer all your concerns. Make sure you book a consultation, and they will set you on the best path for glowing winter skin.