Dr. David Jack’s Skin Anti-Ageing Guide

Dr. David Jack shares his expertise on premature skin ageing and how to combat it.

Written by Dr David Jack
Aug 31, 2022

Dr. David Jack’s is a London-based skilled medical doctor and skin specialist with a career in both plastic surgery and aesthetic medicine. Dr Jack not only runs his own clinic discretely located in the heart of Marylebone on Harley Street in London, but also has his own luxury vegan skincare and supplements line.

When we think about looking after our skin as we age, the real focus and goal should always be to optimise and maintain good skin health, which will ultimately ensure you look and feel the very best you can, no matter what age you are. Unfortunately, when this is forgotten, and instead we seek to find a ‘magic cure’ for everlasting youth (so often promised by the skincare industry!) it can cause confusion, overuse or misuse of products, which in turn can lead to a compromised skin barrier, inflammation and other issues, ultimately resulting in more dramatic problems than we started with.

Over the many years spent working in plastic surgery with the NHS and now running my private skin clinic on London’s Harley Street, I have observed how the skin, in fact, needs relatively little in the way of products to maintain healthy function when combined with an overall healthy approach to our wider lifestyle habits. The real point of bothering to use skincare products is to support and enhance the skin’s natural physiological processes and to protect it against the key threats to these processes on a daily basis.

Key Causes of Premature Ageing and How to Combat Them

The skin is our largest organ by surface area, whose principal function is to provide a protective layer to the body from environmental and physical threats. There are a host of stressors our skin is subjected to every day, with inflammation, which is caused by external factors such as UV light, pollution and smoking, as well as internal oxidative processes, being key causes of premature ageing. The effects of oxidative stress and inflammation cause damage to skin cells and structural molecules, causing a reduction in collagen and elastin levels, thinning of the skin and thus the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Antioxidants are your first line of defence when it comes to combating the damaging free radicals oxidative stress causes in the skin. Fuel your levels from within by ensuring you follow a diet rich in leafy green vegetables (such as kale and broccoli), colourful fruits (blueberries, kiwis, strawberries) that are packed with antioxidant vitamins C and A, which help boost the production of collagen and fight inflammation. Salmon, mackerel and sardines contain omega-3 fatty acids, which have wonderful anti-inflammatory properties while green tea contains polyphenols, which also offer natural sun protection. Think of it as the edible sunscreen diet!

To help boost these antioxidant supplies, I developed my SkinShake™ supplement, featuring white hemp and pea protein, superfoods, super greens, peptides and antioxidants, including glutathione and Vitamin C, supplying cells with everything they need as skin ages, supporting regeneration and repair in the most natural way possible.

Incorporating antioxidants into our topical skincare regime is also key in supporting the skin, particularly with the ever-increasing levels of pollution and blue light we are subjected to in this electronic age! Vitamins A (the ‘retinoid’ family) and C, as well as ingredients such as glutathione and niacinamide (Vitamin B3) are powerhouse antioxidants to look out for. My newly reformulated Good Morning serum is formulated with a trio of next-generation antioxidants at its core, so it’s well equipped to deal with free radical damage resulting from UV exposure and pollution. The stable and highly active form of vitamin C, delivered at a concentration of 10%, works in tandem with niacinamide and a patented plant-based glutathione booster to reduce pigmentation and visibly brighten skin. The formula also includes Allantoin and the potent anti-inflammatory azelaic acid to soothe skin and pacify pollution-induced inflammation, while copper and sodium PCA boost collagen production to visibly reduce the appearance of fine lines.

What’s the Number One Cause of Visible Skin Ageing?

Ultraviolet light is the number one cause of skin damage and it’s responsible for a staggering80% of visible skin ageing. So while the ‘oh, so warming rays of the sun’ might make us feel and even look good in the short term, UVA/UVB are also responsible for broken veins, dry skin and hyperpigmentation. UV light also damages the DNA in our skin cells and is proven to cause almost every type skin cancer. Because of this, I will forever insist in investing and using a quality sunscreen daily come rain or shine, summer or winter. This is a non-negotiable skincare must.

The SPF number should be at least 30 and ideally 50+, meaning it offers 98% protection from UVB. Your sunscreen should also have UVA cover (PA or Star rating - the higher the better) to protect against UVA light - this high energy form of UV light is present throughout the year, and can penetrate through glass and water. My All Day Long moisturiser offers broad spectrum SPF 50+ coverage, and I also incorporated an innovative blue light filter to help protect against oxidation from blue light from electronic devices. To help support the repair of your skin’s natural barrier, the formula includes a blend of Panthenol (Provitamin B5), Vitamin E and a form of azelaic acid. Prevention is always better than cure, so I always advise my clients to avoid sun exposure during peak sunlight hours and remember to reapply your sunscreen every 2 hours or more frequently if you are sweating or exercising.

Beauty Sleep is a Saying for a Good Reason

Lifestyle habits contribute hugely to our skin’s health and premature ageing, with stress and sleep being two highly influential factors. Stress results in increased levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) which can advance the breakdown of the skin’s collagen and elastin levels, again resulting in the appearance of lines and wrinkles. Sleep is also a critical time for the skin to repair and regenerate itself, and without the advised 6-8 hours a night, these processes aren’t able to operate efficiently, causing a breakdown in barrier function and also triggering higher levels of cortisol. Adopting good sleep hygiene habits, such as limiting screen time in the evening, avoiding alcohol, practising some gentle exercise such as yoga or meditation, can work wonders in improving your mood and sleep.

My sleep supplement Sweet Dreams was designed to help promote natural sleep cycles and more restorative rest, with optimum doses of Magnesium, Zinc and vitamin B6. My Good Night cream will also help to deliver critical anti-ageing nutrients to your skin whilst it is at its busiest reparative time. A 4th generation granactive retinoid is a non-irritating, non-drying anti-ageing hero, and I’ve also included a second dose of antioxidants (glutathione, niacinamide and azelaic acid) to help support repair, and a peptide complex that will deliver a bouncy, youthful glow by morning.