Strategies to Support the Health of Our Skin and Help Prevent Premature Ageing

Plastic Surgery Nurse Rachel Witney-Lacey explains how Queensland’s high UV exposure affects not only the surface of the skin, but also the deeper structures that support facial shape, skin quality and long term skin health.

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Even though we love our lifestyle and the great weather we enjoy in Queensland, UV exposure has a significant impact on the skin and underlying facial structures of the face and body. While most people associate sun damage with wrinkles and pigmentation, UV radiation affects much deeper tissues over time. Sun exposure in Australia is accumulative. It’s not just the days spent outside playing sport or enjoying the weather, it’s also short trips to and from the car, going to the shops, or walking between buildings at school or university. All exposure accumulates and contributes to the gradual changes we see in our skin. In our Brisbane and Ipswich clinics, we often consult patients who feel that they look approximately 10 years older than their northern hemisphere family members of a similar age – and that is usually due to the increased UV and solar exposure we receive. Research supports the underlying factors that contribute to what these patients are noticing, with multiple studies concluding that “environmental contributors such as UV radiation, air pollution, smoking, alcohol consumption, and an unhealthy diet exacerbate oxidative stress, thereby accelerating skin ageing. Conversely, adopting a healthy lifestyle – including regular physical activity, a diet rich in antioxidants, and avoiding excessive sun exposure  can help mitigate these effects and slow the ageing process.”

These changes can be witnessed as:

Changes in the skin

Sun exposure causes cumulative damage to both the surface of the skin and the deeper supporting layers. UV radiation breaks down collagen and elastin, increases pigmentation, weakens the skin barrier, damages blood vessels, and accelerates the ageing process.

You may be noticing

• Fine lines and wrinkles 
• Loss of firmness and elasticity 
• Sagging skin 
• Dry, rough or crepey texture 
• Uneven skin tone and pigmentation 
• Sunspots and freckles 
• Redness and visible capillaries 
• Dull-looking skin 
• Slower healing and increased skin sensitivity 

The sun gradually damages the collagen and elastin that keep skin firm, smooth and youthful. Over time, this leads to wrinkles, pigmentation, laxity and changes in skin texture. Much of the visible ageing seen in the face, neck and chest is caused by cumulative sun exposure rather than age alone.

Loss of Facial Fat Volume

Chronic UV exposure (sun we get every day in Queensland and Australia) generates reactive oxygen species (free radicals), which contribute to inflammation and cellular damage. It’s so powerful, it affects the layer of fat under our skin. The fat beneath the skin plays an important role in health tissue. Research suggests this ongoing damage from the sun can accelerate 

• Fat cell (adipocyte) dysfunction 
• Breakdown of supporting connective tissue 
• Volume loss in facial fat compartments 

While this may sound very technical, you may see it in your features as 

• Hollowing of the cheeks and temples which contributes to an aged gaunter appearance and an increased prominence of folds and shadows, think jowls and deeper set eyes.

Although collagen and elastin are concentrated in the dermis (skin), there are deeper connective tissue threads (septae) that anchor the skin to the underlying fat which also weaken and stretch with time. As these structures degrade, fat compartments can descend (gravity) and jowling and skin laxity become more apparent, and our once firm facial contours become less defined and we can look more tired or fatigued. 

Now while this may sound all doom and gloom, there are a number of things we can do to slow the process down and support your skin through the seasons.

(image: this is a visual representation of the anatomical layers of the skin, but is not an exact representation – as depths vary across the body and from patient to patient).

Why This Matters in Aesthetic Medicine

When treating facial ageing, it’s important to recognise that UV damage affects multiple layers:

• Epidermis: (very surface of the skin) pigmentation and surface texture
• Dermis: collagen and elastin loss
• Subcutaneous layer: volume loss and support changes

This is why a comprehensive treatment plan may include:

• Daily broad-spectrum SPF 50+
• Medical-grade skincare
• Energy-based devices (laser, IPL, LED)
• Biostimulatory treatments
• Dermal revolumisation when appropriate
• Collagen-stimulating injectables

The best outcomes occur when both the skin quality and the underlying support structures are addressed, while ongoing UV protection helps prevent further deterioration of all facial layers.

Treatment Options to Support and Address your Skin Concerns

If you’re starting to notice these changes in your own skin, The Sharp Clinic provides a number of therapies that can help to address and slow down these changes. We have treatments available to address each layer depending on your goals and the recommendations of our clinicians once they’ve assessed your unique features.

Fractionated laser to tighten the skin, reduce wrinkles on rest and expression. Improve overall luminosity, collagen and elastin.

IPL laser to even skin tone and pigment that looks like Milo that can be sprinkled cross the skin

Skin booster treatments to improve the hydration of the top skin layer for skin health on a cellular layer. These nurse delivered procedures mean visibly healthy plumper skin that feels less dry and a reduction in pore depth.

Boosters also nurse delivered help to rehydrate your natural fat layer below the cheekbone where we can start to look concave or gaunt.

Hyaluronic acid therapies to recontour areas of the face that have lost their natural shape and curve as each layer begins descending with age. A nurse consultation will address your concerns and then devise a treatment plan to assess your unique features and identify the areas most appropriate for you. Hyaluronic acid therapies can be placed deep down and support bony structures like the chin and cheekbone, or support the delicate tissue around the mouth and under the eyes

Biostimulator therapies work by stimulating collagen production at a cellular level and can often provide more comprehensive and longer-lasting rejuvenation than treatments that focus solely on restoring volume. These advanced, nurse-delivered treatments encourage your body’s natural regenerative processes, promoting the production of new collagen and supporting communication between the cells within your skin and underlying tissues.By enhancing your own tissue quality and structure, biostimulators can help improve skin firmness, elasticity, and overall facial rejuvenation while maintaining a natural appearance.

A consultation with one of our experienced nurses will be arranged at a time convenient for you. During this appointment, your concerns and treatment goals will be assessed, and a personalised treatment plan will be developed to achieve the best possible outcome.

Platelet Rich Plasma treatments are a popular option for clients looking for natural therapies that use their own plasma to regenerate skin and soft tissue. This can be delivered as a stand alone treatment, or, used in conjunction with other treatments to further enhance results. It is often combined with dermal needling to target scars and superficial concerns of the skin. It’s also a very popular option for treating the delicate tissues around the eyes to improve crepey and dehydrated skin.

At The Sharp Clinic, every treatment we offer has been carefully selected and evaluated to ensure it reflects the latest advancements in aesthetic medicine while remaining grounded in scientific evidence. Our therapies are designed to work synergistically, providing natural-looking, balanced, and long-lasting results.

Each member of our clinical team is highly trained and experienced, offering professional guidance and personalised treatment recommendations to help you achieve your individual skin and aesthetic goals.

Our skin clinicians have extensive experience in advanced skincare treatments and understand how to tailor care to each individual skin type and concern. Using carefully selected techniques, technology and products, they can support goals such as improved hydration, radiance, smoother texture and overall skin rejuvenation. Every treatment is performed with professional skill, attention to detail and a strong understanding of skin health.

Your clinician can recommend products and routines tailored to your skin, helping to support and prolong your results between appointments. With consistency and professional guidance, ongoing improvements in skin quality can be achieved. We look forward to welcoming you to our skin and cosmetic clinics in South Brisbane and Ipswich, and supporting you throughout your skin and aesthetic journey.

Whether you attend our Brisbane or Ipswich clinic, the experience remains the same: calm, discreet and entirely centred on you. A luxury facial with us offers the rare opportunity to step away from the demands of daily life while investing in the health and appearance of your skin.

Visit our cosmetic medicine clinics in South Brisbane or Ispwich for personalised advice and treatments, to support healthy rejuvenation and relaxation. Call 3202 4744 to book a complimentary consultation.