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dermatology

Would you try a ‘Skin Fast’?

Most of us have a morning and evening skincare routine. For some that will involve dozens of products, while for others it’s limited to a tried and tested one or two. But have you heard of a ‘skin fast’ and would you consider doing one?

Essentially a skin fast is where you go without any of your usual cleansing, toning or moisturising products for anywhere from two days to two weeks.

One of the reporters at Refinery29 recently gave it a go and revealed that although she received compliments from people about her “fresh” and “glowy” complexion, she wasn’t convinced.

Writing for the publication Akesha Reid explained that her skin felt “tight, oily, dehydrated and spotty”, and said that even though people thought she looked good, because she didn’t feel good she wasn’t convinced by the idea of skin fasting.

However, there are benefits to undertaking a skin fast, dermatologist Dr Justine Hextall told the website.

“The idea [of skin fasting] is that by leaving skin treatments, particularly moisturiser, off the skin, the skin produces its own oil and natural moisturising factors,” she explained. However, there are certain times when you shouldn’t skin fast, such as if you are using an active treatment on your skin, or are suffering from eczema or a skin reaction.

If you’re not sure whether it’s a good idea to try a skin fast, speak to a dermatologist in Chester to get their opinion.

As we move into spring, you should think about switching your skincare regime up. Good Housekeeping recently suggested that this is the ideal time to try a skin supplement to help boost the hydration and firmness of your skin.