Toxins take toll on skin

Feb 1 2009 by Mika Smiles, Sunday Sun

FORGET the old adages about different skin types. According to celebrity facialist Linda Meredith, “dry, oily, combination” simply does not apply. MIEKA SMILES finds out why . . .

LINDA MEREDITH is definitely old school when it comes to skincare. In fact, she swears that her mother and grandmother’s generations had fewer skin problems thanks to their less toxic lifestyles.

Unfortunately, she explained, thanks to preservatives, additives and synthetic hormones present in our food chain, it is a way of life that younger generations find almost impossible to follow.

Originally from Hartlepool, Linda, 57, has a top salon in London’s Knightsbridge and has helped famous clients, including Victoria Beckham, Martine McCutcheon and Neve Campbell.

She said: “50 years ago there were no harmful preservatives and no ready meals.

“If you had a headache then you would just go out for a walk. Everything was naturally more homeopathic.

“But things are different compared to 50 years ago . . . the chemicals, preservatives, medication and food have all completely changed.

“The biggest issue of all this is the impact that it has on hormones.”

Synthetic hormones, Linda said, are one of the biggest acne-causing factors for today’s generation.

She said: “The Pill was invented and hormones are also given to the animals that we eat or use products from.

“Hormones are in our food chain and water system. They are non-biodegradable . . . once they’re there, they’re there.

“Our bodies are overloaded with extra hormones. Many young girls suffer from conditions such as polycystic ovaries as a result.”

Dehydration — often caused by stuffy office conditions — can also cause skin problems. Linda said: “We are all dehydrated, spending most of our time in air-conditioned offices.

“So make sure you drink lots of water. It is also important to feed your skin from the outside as well as from the inside with what you eat and drink.” And according to Linda, we shouldn’t see skin in terms of type anymore. She said it should be all about different conditions, or a combination of them: “We have different skin conditions . . . be it blackheads, dryness, acne or all of them.

“If the skin feels tight then it means that you are dehydrated, if it is flaky then it means that you have problems with dry skin. But you could also be littered with blackheads or have acne around each area you have dry skin.

“At most skin care counters they will recommend a product for each area . . . one for the acne patches and one for the dry patches.

“But, in my Linda Meredith range, they can be combined to treat both symptoms.”

Each week there seems to be a new “super food” or supplement touted as a cure-all for all your skincare quandaries. However, Linda believes that the old ways are often the best.

She said: “People today seem to do everything to excess. Sometimes in the summer we get people in and their chins are covered with little red spots.

“When I ask if they have been eating berries the answer is always the same, ‘Yes, every day’. If you drink more than four cups of green tea a day, for example, it can also lead to spots. It was always a bit of what you fancy does you good . . . I think that the old ways are the best.

“If you look at people from my mother’s or grandmother’s generation, there weren’t the skin problems that there are now.”

Linda’s common sense approach also suggests taking a careful look at your diet to see what foods may cause acne flare-ups.

She said: “Look at what you can eat and what your body can tolerate.

“I had a client that used to eat lots and lots of Brie. She stopped eating it completely and the change in her skin was unreal.

“If you think there might be a problem with a certain food, the only way that you are going to be able to find out is if you cut it out completely for a week or two. If the spots subside then you know.

“I’m not trying to say that you can’t eat that food again, just don’t eat too much as your body doesn’t like it.”

V For more information about Linda and her work call 0207-225 2755 or visit www.lindameredith.com