Q&A on facial cleansing with Harley Street dermatologist Dr Sam Bunting - ANSWERS BACK

[LucilleMumsnet]

Are you overwhelmed by the influx of beauty gadgets and facial creams? Confused by what helps your skin versus what is stripping it? Look no further, we're running a Q&A this week all about facial cleansing, with Harley Street dermatologist Dr Sam Bunting.

As a cosmetic dermatologist with a busy private practice in Harley Street, Dr Sam Bunting is used to giving out advice on all skin types and will answer all your facial cleansing questions and will give you tips on how to keep your skin radiant and youthful-looking.

The Q&A is sponsored by Philips VisaPure, a gentle, easy-to-use electronic facial cleansing device that massages the skin to remove make-up, dirt and impurities. The VisaPure is ten times more effective than manual cleansing, giving women more radiant, youthful skin in 2 weeks*.

Post your questions to Sam before 9am on Monday 31st March and we'll send over a selection and post her answers on Monday 7th April.?

• 87% of consumers experienced more radiant, youthful skin in 2 weeks

[ParsleyTheLioness]

What will the electronic cleaning device do for my skin that normal cleansing will not?

[BloodFlower]

Which common skincare ingredients should be avoided?

[Leedscatgirl]

What's these best treatment for whiteheads

[Leedscatgirl]

What skin are range would you recommend for dry skin

[Roseformeplease]

How can I make sure that my very sensitive eczema prone skin does not flare up. I use Eucerin and La Roche Posay, which help, but would love to be able to use a cleanser and thus be able to wear some make up. Also, at 45, it has got drier and more prone to red patches so how can I adapt as I age?

[OneLittleLady]

What is the best way to deal with hormonal spots that don't seem to come to a head and what are your top tips for looking after dry skin?

[Rexy]

Will using this improve my combination skin and pigmentation issues?

[Mobbsey]

Teenage boys spots/acne; is it what they eat or how they or what they cleanse with? How should my son keep his spots at bay?

[Grey24]

Grateful for any advice on cleansing/treating a difficult combination of persistent acne/over-oily skin combined with rosacea sensitivity/flaring.

Details: I still have daily acne and very over-oily skin in a large t-zone area, even though I'm now 40... Had this problem since 10 years old.
Combined with this, I also have had rosacea and redness (eg my nose flushes up v easily) since I was 25 (early, I know).
Balancing and treating them both is very difficult as most products and treatments for one, exacerbate the other. Grateful for any specialist advice you can give me.

[UntamedShrew]

What is your own skincare routine in morning and evening? (With products you recommend for each stage)?

[kasbah72]

My 9 year old son is already suffering from breakouts. He gets white heads and large spots around his hairline and deep blackheads and raised spots on and around his nose.
We are currently washing his face with teen washes and using a dermalogica spot treatment but nothing is working.
My husband and I both had terrible acne as teens and I have various hormone-related issues. I feel so bad that he has inherited something like this.
What do you recommend as a skincare routine and any products?
Thank you

[Lovecat]

Is there any way to actually get rid of blackheads and prevent them coming back once you've got them?

I have tried so many different things over the years (very oily t-zone, every pore in my nose is basically blocked!) and they come back again and again. I don't wear make up and rarely use foundation, I use a blackhead scrub and the Neutrogena Pore Refining moisturiser, I'm now nearly 48, the rest of my skin is fairly dry but I still have a teenager's nose - help! :)

[WallyBantersJunkBox]

What do you recommend to improve large open pores?

I have heard that they happen because cleansing isn't thorough enough, but even after facials they are still visible on my cheeks.

Also at the change of each season I always seem to suffer with an itchy flaking forehead for a few weeks. Exfoliating or intensive moisturizing never seem to work. What recommendations do you have?

[MaeMobley]

Do you recommend any supplements to be taken orally?

[Ijustworemytrenchcoat]

Is there a limit to what products we put on our skin can do to improve it? I have tried so many regimes over the years but my skin looks like I don't take care of it at all: dehydrated in places, oily in others, hormonal outbreaks, cystic acne. I despair of ever having good skin, and feel like all the effort double cleansing, applying masks, oils etc. is a waste of time for me.

[mumsbe]

Hi
Since having my son I have really dry skin some days its almost like a layer of dry skin ontop of my normal skin makes me look 100 years old its very itchy drives me mad! Its strange because up until now I have had very oily skin so oily that my skin looked wet. I think I would rather have the oily skin back any advice would be fab thanks

[FiloPasty]

Are facials worth the expense? I am tempted by the anti ageing facial but it just seems so expensive.

[cakelover75]

Which cleansers do you recommend for rosacea sufferers? I have the small bumpy red spot type of rosacea, in my late 30's and fair celtic skin.

Thank you!

[lovingmatleave]

Same problem as Grey24, and am in 40s too. Please answer this one!

[Notgoingtotakeitanymore]

Another request for how to deal with dry bumpy redness across cheeks (rosacea?). Tried clinique anti-redness cleanser and moisturiser but still there. Am 47 and rest of skin good apart from odd spot.
thanks

[Purplehonesty]

Oh yes the dreaded monthly spot which never comes to a head but is really sore!!! What do you do with those?

[harrap]

not a cleansing question but...where/how can I get rid of sebaceous hyperplasia bumps?

[mandalee]

Hi, Dr. Sam! I'm mystified by my face at the moment - in the past month, I've suddenly (for the first time in my life) gotten small patches of little bumps on my chin, at the corner of my mouth, next to my nose and even (yuck!) inside my nostrils. They are not pimples - they never come to a head, and spot cream does nothing to them. They don't itch like eczema, either - if anything, they're tender. I've also had patches of eczema on my hands and inner elbows lately, though (also very uncharacteristic), so perhaps it's that? Have resorted to Betnovate .1% twice a day, which seems to help somewhat, but will it ruin my skin? Any help or advice appreciated!

Oh, and I'm 42, if that makes a difference. :-D

[suresure]

Same as grey24 and lovingmatleave. I am 40 and my skin just pours oil and I have acne all over my cheeks. It's worse with monthly hormones but there all the time which I find very distressing. I use good skincare products, always remove makeup etc, but nothing seems to work. Is it an infection? Two friends have recommended long term antibiotics. Are they right? Would be so grateful for advice!