Hey beauties, It's Jamie Joe and Jesse Massou and welcome to Skinfluence, a podcast dedicated to beauty, fashion and self love, turning your weakness into your uniqueness.
Before we get started, we'd like to acknowledge the custodians of the land on which we record the gallical people of the Urination.
In today's episode, we have our very first guest on the pod. We will be speaking with doctor Natasha Cook. Now.
Doctor Natasha Cook has a Bachelor of Medicine with honors and is a Fellow of the Australasian College of Dermatologists.
Doctor Cook is passionate about all things skin, specializing in lasers, injectables, skin, skin cancer and the six key skin concerns aging, sun damage, acne, sensitivity and dehydration.
Doctor Cook is also the founder and leading dermatologists at Skin Laser, Longevity, Dormatology and health Span Clinic in Sydney, as well as the Face Bar by Doctor NC Laser and Skin Clinic.
She also so is recognized as the first Australian dermatologist to have founded and formulated a skincare range. A pioneer driven by a passion to help people lead their best skin life.
So please welcome doctor ENC to Skinfluence.
I'm really excited to be here, Jesse and Jamie, and thank you for having me. It's an absolute pleasure. I'm looking forward to answering all of those questions more than skin deep.
Well, we're so happy to have you here. Having you on this party is just amazing, and you guys are gonna learn so so so much today.
Yeah.
I actually crossed.
Paths with doctor NC maybe two years ago, and.
She actually set me on my trajectory to like really balancing out my hormones and figuring out what was wrong with my skin, what was wrong with my hair. And she took me so seriously more than any other doctor that I had been to. She got me all the right blood tests done, which no one else had done before that. So I'm really thankful for you because you actually like changed everything for me healthwise.
Well, I have to say, I'm really overwhelmed to hear that, and that's one of the nicest things I've heard. Nice because you know, being a dermatologist and a specialist, I think people really underestimate the level of the training, the education, and how prescriptive we actually are beyond what the skin is presenting visually, and how most things are interconnected when it comes to looking at people as a whole and definitively.
I always have a holistic approach to everything I do, but particularly my patients, their care, their welfare, and trying to get their best skin self.
Well, I'm really excited for this because there's so much misinformation on the Internet. We hear the craziest things about so many different skincare topics, so I cannot wait to have some really good answers that clear everything up for you guys exactly.
And today we really want to tackle the topic of retinoids, which I know nothing about it exactly, so I'm super keen for this. But I just see a lot on Instagram and TikTok of younger girls using products with retinoids in it and how it's like completely transform their skin. And then I also see thirteen year olds buying the drunk Elephant products and using it on their baby fit.
All these active ingredients, and yeah, we'd love to clear the air with all of that.
So, first of all, what is a retinoid?
I have this experience with patients coming into seeing every single day of misunderstanding misinformation, TikTok trends, overuse for the wrong products. I'm not really understanding what they're meant to be doing, because unfortunately, we live in an era nowadays that just because you have skin does not make you an expert. I'm just saying, like, sometimes I get totally gasly. It's like I had to read a ton of textbooks that, honestly that were incredibly confusing and took me about six
years to master. So unfortunately, nowadays, with TikTok social media, people can get online it's unsolicited and anybody can be appeared to be very inverted commas influential. Yeah, it doesn't necessarily mean they really understand what's going on. And the skin is one of the most complicated specialties to study. So let's now I diverse. Let's go back into retinoids. Ye, So retinoids fundamentally is a term. It's an umbrella term, so put at the top of the tree, which means
a form a group of vitamin A molecules. Now, vitamin A then comes in different molecular structures that have different capacities to work in different areas in the body, and the retinoid family has a strong capacity to have key
beneficial results for skin. Now, in that and brother terms sitting under it are your ingredients, your different formats of those vitamin A substrates, retinal retinol, retina palmitate, that my rectonomic acid, and so the thing is the real ingredient that binds to the receptors, it's retino acid, and that's the prescription form and that's what the pioneering research over forty something years has been going on for. Yet it's an oldie and a goodie retine. Also, in all formats,
retinoids are very unstable. They degrade in sunlight, they don't do well when exposed to air. So what you're getting in a jar can be really tricky, which is why I do favor the prescription format because it's a gold standard. Proply, it's a cream. It's a cream, yeah yeah, So that they come in creams and some come in gels. Right, So creams and gels tends to be the vehicles, vehicles meaning delivery system when we talk about formulation to get delivered.
So nowadays, because it's very much a and I'm going to bring up my haha business of money, huh, it is, everybody's trying to make a retinal serum because now the education out there is everybody needs to use it, but it doesn't mean it's the best format for your skin. And interestingly enough, the good old fashioned prescription of type is heaps cheaper and probably works better when prescribed properly. So I think we're living in a society of status
image gone wrong. Like, you know, we're now getting younger and younger people concerned about the impacts of aging and they haven't any hit puberty. Well that's crazy, you know. And so I think there is this hysteria of like skincare and how I look and these precious and social media and photographs and selfie syndrome gone wrong, And so it's propagating this need to maybe be doing things that
you don't actually need because your skin's fabulous. Yeah. Now, then there's the other group of skin problem people, right, And so obviously we see acne in breakouts and congestion and blackeads and white heads and blacket and white heads are a subset of acne. That's the umbrella term there. And so I think those younger people who've got problems might be looking for solutions due to influence by influencers, et cetera, and looking at these retinol, retinal over the
counter itamin a's as a quick fixed stop. The problem is there's no guidance, there's no education, and there's no prescriptive help with designing the topical regime to address the acne, and then that can create overuse, wrong things chaos, and then we often see a plethora of skin problems and the wrong skin routine right down from just how you're cleansing.
Sometimes cleansing is the biggest mistake we make and it can set us up the sensitivity, irritation, parificialdom titus, worst acne, rosea, sha, aging, inflammation, the list goes off.
So it seems super daunting from an outside perspective when there's so much knowledge that you're not aware of, and then people are looking online to kind of build a skin caroutine. It just seems like you can go so wrong. So it's really good to go to somebody if you're having any of those skin issues to actually create a proper skin care routine that suits your skin, that isn't going to damage your skin damage skin barrier. Yeah.
Look, you importantly use the key term, which is something that I think we've really been understanding from a dermatological science angle, the role of the skin barrier, which is the outer layer of our skin. Our skin organ which is also known as the integumentary system, is the biggest organ.
In the body. Wow.
And so that barrier layer is designed to keep the bad stuff out and the good stuff in. Yeah, so wh're washing or scrubbing or overusing the wrong ingredients and the wrong combinations and the wrong routines. Flaky, dry skin equals dysfunctional barrier. So it means outside things are getting in and the inside things can't stay there to feed
the skin with a numbishment that it needs. But we do know it's pretty normal for skin to get a little bit worse before it gets better because we're reprogramming, because the skin is its own metabolic unit.
Okay, so what sense?
Yeah, what are signs that maybe it's not doing that process but it's actually just reacting badly to a product.
Right, So more overt irritation. So vitamin in a way is not totally irritating. It all depends on how it's prescribed, right, So if it's upregulating a cell turnover but using it too much, it can get a bit flaky and a bit sensitive and a bit irritating to feel. So, if your skin's feeling tight, if it's feeling sorts, feeling tender, if it's stinging, if it's flaky, if it's red, pull off your actives right, gentle cleansing and moisturizing to let
that barrier system reheal its itself. If your skin looks healthy, feels healthy, doesn't have any sensitivity associated with it, it means your skin's tolerating your choice of products. So if in doubt, always go and check it out.
I like that.
That's good.
I love you. So when would you prescribe these kind of retinoids?
Yeah, look, I mean proper prescription because it's in the right format. It's been TJ approved, and it's going to be in a stable format because it has to get TJ approval. Right, You're not going to buy a sunscreen off the shelf if it hasn't gone through right testing.
I think I'm not saying over the counter vitamin A is bad, but I'm just saying, if you've got problematic skin, and if we've got the best choice in life, in the gold standard, the prescription is the way to go, right, but not everybody has access to dermatologists or doctors who are able to prescribe that. So I understand there's a big demand to go to the OTC or over the counter options.
Hello, let's producer Zander here. I actually have a question because I actually use a prescription retinoid, and I wanted to run past you if I am using it correctly, let go sheets. When you got my botox, which every three months.
My best prevention, Yes it is.
I was spoken to about retinoids and the benefits it could have for my skin. I'm thirty two now, so I have started to notice some changes to my skin, particularly the sagginess and some little wrinkles coming through.
You're great, and.
So they have given me a prescription for retinoid. I've started with a T Treton. Yes, I think so.
It's another name for retocci, which is the active molecule tick tick for a five stars, five stars, perfect five.
So every two days or one, depending on how my skin feels, I get a pity size of that.
Retinoid size is perfect.
I put that in with some moisturizer I use, and then I rub it my face and then I go to bed.
Okay, I don't mind that, okay, but actually fantastic using the right format in the right molecular construct if you're particularly concerned about the signs of aging. So digressing back to the question about who do you really prescribe them for, the two key category are the breakout brigades and the anie ages, right, So there are two kind of categories, right, So we've got the anie ages, we've got the proactive proaging, positive aging. Early intervention is prevention. That is one of
my philosophies in life. Why get the problem if you don't need it, get in early and keep yourself and your skin as good as it is for as long as you can, all right, So I would do exactly what you're saying. P size is all you need, but I would put over your moisturizer rather than mixing. When
you start mixing. It's not a bad advice strategy if you're getting used to the retinoid, right, because for some people using it every single night and night it's a great time because we know it's photo unstable, so you don't want to break down the sunlight, so it's better off using it at night. So the problem is, though, if you use it every night. For some people it gets a little bit too much too soon, so they're upregulating that sell turnover and then the skin gets a
bit flaky and people think they're having a bad reaction. No, you're just not usull it badly. Okay, so pull it back. So I prescribe to my patients Monday, Wednesday, Friday night a peace size over the night, cream over the top. They're going great like that for a month. I go, let's go every second night. That's going great. See here you go nightly, so you ty trate it. It's exactly how I prescribe oral vitamin A aka oral isotretinoe. We drip feed it, we get the body used to it,
and we build it up. I don't get problems like when people google and they go onto line saying is my face going to fall off? No, it's not. Most of my consultation is spent literally debunking myths. Having a financial talk. Now you can just say basically, yeah, you know, we don't. We're not going to extort you like you feel like you've been going on this treadmill with all these things you've been buying and misinformation, and let's go
back to basics and get you feeling good. Abate yourself good, abate your skin with minimal side effects and maximal results. So I think what you're doing is amazing. Vitamin A is also lypophilic, which means it loves oily bases, so it's going to penetrate the skin better if you've literally prehydrating. Wow, so it services two things.
Be pretty hydrating every single time then because.
Because he's lead, Yeah, and then you'll be learned. So yeah, it's definitely five out of five.
How is it that these companies are able to sell these products? Like are they approved by a certain body or head or like do you know what?
I'm trying to dermatology tested? But it doesn't say that's approve.
It's a billion dollar industry. What happens when money is at stake?
I love it.
We have some other buttons here which we might play with later. But yeah, it's it's a very deregulated market. So unfortunately there's not much regulation at all. That's scary.
Ye.
I mean you see it across kind of a whole bunch of different categories. You've got hair, you've got skin, I mean, even make up. But I think when it comes to skin or hair, that's when it really matters a lot more because you can watch makeup off at the end of the day. I think, I mean in terms of our expertise, my expertise with hair, you see it so much in terms of products, and like I think we forget that you have skin on your head.
Do you see a lot galp? Yeah?
Hello, Well, part of the integumentary system, which is what dermatologists are experts os, is hair, skin and nails. It's all connected. And so did you know the hair on your scalp or the skin I should say, the skin on your scalp is pretty much the same as the
skin on your face and needs very similar scare. So dandruff is like exma is overdrying, it's overwashing, same thing as you over wash your skins and wrong substances, wrong shampoos have too many suffactants that strip give you similar conditions on the scalp you get on your face.
Wow, that makes a lot.
Of sense because I've always I feel like I have a very healthy kind of scalp. And when does He was going through a lot of her skin issues, her hair was really struggling.
My scal was terrible yeah, so it really is such a whole listening. Like the curly hair shampoos and they suck, they're not They're not like a ani inflammatory.
It was an anti inflammatory. It's by Durkos.
I don't know if you've heard of them.
You can't stay off the chop my tongue.
I mean, now my hair is like a good environment.
Yeah, it's great unless there's more. Don't wath too much?
Yeah exactly. I also cut back on that, so yeah, great, so.
Yeah, in answer to your question, Jamie, yeah, they are extremely similar and they're connected and the same thing.
Wow.
For the people who are listening in today who are a bit lost with how to go about building a skin care regime, what would you suggest to them?
Okay, great, Well, obviously you want to make sure you've got calm stable, non inflamed skin. So if you've been using lots of actives and it's a bit sensitive and flaky and red, calm it down by just getting rid of everything except very gentle cleansing and lots of moisturizing and more than more moisturized. A hydrated skin is always going to be more high functioning and performing than dehydrate or dry skin. Infect dry skin, cre a ton of problems. Right,
So I always think about three step routines. It's something that I've spent a couple of decades refining, realizing as patients came with me with junkets and bags products. Oh goodness, I'd be sitting there going, oh my god, no, wonder your skin looks like it's falling off your face. And also I had really bad skin diseases. I'm mathematic atopic x mark hay fever, and I had an autoimmune disease. It was very facially disfiguring. Probably why I end up in DURM because I make you end up in things
to heal other people and you're trying to heal yourself. Yeah, anyway, so three things really the right cleanser, serum, moisturizing and then spar for morning and night I say, re cleansing
different serum actives and then hydrating yet again. And also to all of your listeners, if you want to DM doctrin attash to cook Instagram accounts with Skinfluence the name of Jesse and Jamie's podcast, we will send you out a sample pack kit of the three AM three PM A Little treatment pill once a week and a couple of our new true fifty SPF mineral only chemical filter free some that's actually so amazing. Toot me eighteen years to get that one right, whoao, because I don't want
to use chemicals. I'm published sunscreen allergies that's another thing.
Wow.
So really, really everybody needs the right way to cleanse. Everyone needs moisturizer. But you know, if you're a bit dry, you're gonna need something more enriched. If you're a little bit more oiler, you're gonna see something lighter. We still need moisturizer because bled or not, moisturizer calms down oily skin. So that's kind of the way you think gentle cleansing. Don't strip anything that foams. Foaming substances create chaos for the skin. So we now know to protect the barrier
but also remove impurities. You want something it doesn't foam, doesn't strip, and not beads or scrubs for the face can end up giving you barrier dysfunction breakouts.
So we do want to clarify. Doctor Natachakook has its own skincare range.
Doctor NC. Yes, I'm abbreviate in my name, so I'm sort of like you know, so it's a little bit easier for people to digest. And also apparently it's been called a brand development Yeah, doctor NC, which is now what my peers call me as well. Yes, so we
do have a skincare range. So I saw myself for somebody that as a consumer, as a female, as somebody's in the landscape, that I could integrate the two together and bring highly effective skincare with the writ ingredients, write concentrations and a handful of products to cut down the clutter out of your routine, but never compromising on quality and gives you results.
That's so great.
One two three one two three treatment peel once a week, and then obviously with the spfs that we're working on as well.
Oh that's so great. So are they called one two three your products?
Yeah, it's the AM one two three. We call it the total Transformation. Kick doesn't mean you have to use everything, because everybody's got to be a different budget. Some people might come in and obviously they'll be like, I don't really want to waste what i've got, so how can I start? You might say, well, look, they might start on the serums, or they might start with the one minute once a week Hibha Microppeel and then they'll go, well, this is great, or they might even start with the SPF.
You just have such an abundance of knowledge. The knowledge that you have and retain thanks incredible.
I have global goosebumps right now, and I'm really honored to be here because I just love educating and I can sort of talk sometimes too much underwater. It whar's the off button?
But I.
Know no, I mean, it's just I hope I can retain all of that information. I'm going to go and listen back like a million times to this episode. I'm really excited though, for this rapid fire around.
Yes, so that's why we bought buttons. Okay, let's pry. Okay, Okay, that's the first. And there's always because often there is a because we don't live in a black, white world doing sometimes we need to work in the gray. I love that.
Ready, Yes, is it okay to pop pimples?
No?
Okay, no, no, no, no, no no no. Guys, tell all your boyfriends to stop popping their pimples.
Is there a benefit to double cleansing.
First?
Maybe?
Okay, I feel like it could be a it could be a give us a time, like it's just a little leg one sentence.
So, as we went through on the podcast, cleansing on the worst thing to do for your skin and set your skin up to fail. Some overcleansing is bad, but a gentle cleanser twice. If you've got excessive makeup can be okay, as long as it starts stripping. If your skin feels tight and try after your cleans you've got to rethink the process.
Does make up make acne worse?
Okay? Maybe depends on the makeup.
Depends on like the type of makeup you're using.
But more but more so, No, but a possible.
Let's go. Maybe that's so good? Okay, where'd you get them from?
I love? Well?
Yeah, I know. I really should have a bunch of three year olds to entertain them all day fun.
Okay, does skin needling hill acne?
No?
No, I know this.
I really thought it did. But it's better for scars maybe, depending on the scars.
As somebody who has a couple of million bucks. With technologies. Some people collect fast cars, I collect lasers.
Yeah, I love that.
It's far more complex, but acne scars is huge and we're definitely an expert at the clinic, so I can talk about that.
It's never simple, like, it's never black and white, and you can never listen to anyone online and be like, yes that is the answer, because you and your own skin is so individual. Okay, this is kind of off the same question. Can I heal my acne scars?
Tricky because watch your scars? Is it color or is it texture?
Okay? Color for that texture?
Oh, probably help from your friends, your dermatologist friends.
Okay, should my summer skin care look different to winter?
More hydration in winter?
Yes?
Okay.
One of my favorite questions, So do LED face masks at my house do anything to reduce or heal acne.
Scars as well?
Because I've got one?
Don't you do have one? And they're quite expensive. Yeah?
Yeah, Look, obviously the LEDs, there's LED and there's LED, right, So the LEDs we're working with in our clinics, and depending on the wavelengths which repetitive US can be helpful to reduce inflammation and redness and heal up the acne process. But that's when you're doing a lot of other things as well. So is your little at home mask doing all the stuff that clinics and the ones that we've got.
They're actually come from the medical lab in NASA, so the little light and they're twenty five thousand dollars what so, Yeah, there's lad, there's led. Now. Do I think it's going to do harm? Probably? But is it really going to do everything that you might need?
Maybe?
So, however, not a bad thing to do and also good to relaxation. Probably not not.
Okay, Well that's good. Yeah, this episode has been so incredible. I've learned so much and we're just honor to have you here and have such an expert, so highly qualified, so highly educated, is incredible for us.
Oh well, the pleasure has been mine. Thank you for inviting me. I've had a great time, good and love to come back if that's an option, but yes, thank you so much for the opportunity.
Thank you for joining us today on Skinfluence. If you're interested in doctor nc's skincare range, you can head to her socials and message her skin Influence and get a free sample of.
Her incredible products.
You can also check out her socials at doctor Natashako. If you love what you hear, leave us a rating, end or review, and if you.
Have a question or want us to cover anything on the pod. Reach out via our socials. Mine is at Jamie Joe.
And mine is at Jessmasuit, or send us an email at skinfluence at novapodcast dot com dot au.
Bye guys, Bye,