Anti-ageing, profhilo, skin resurfacing and dangers of skincare trends with Kerry Hanaphy

Ask the Expert: At the helm of facial treatments for more than 20 years, Kerry Hanaphy, founder of the Kerry Hanaphy Clinic which is favoured by Irish celebrities and influencers alike, shares her opinion on the future of skincare

05 Oct 2024, 20:54 by Aine Kenny · RSVP Live

Former respiratory and chemotherapy nurse Kerry Hanaphy has built a reputation as one of the country’s most reputable skincare experts since she branched into aesthetics in 2004. A specialist in dermal fillers and an expert in lips, Kerry has spent decades pioneering facial treatments. Her philosophy is simple: be it young or mature, skin is the foundation of the Kerry Hanaphy Clinic. Here, she explains how to best care for our skin, the treatments and products she recommends, and why we need to move past the term “anti-ageing”.

Home routines

Skincare doesn’t end the moment you leave the clinic – a proper at-home routine is essential for maintaining the results of your professional treatments, Kerry says, but less is more. “A big mistake I am seeing nowadays is people buying so many different brands and using so many different products,” she tells RSVP .

“People buy into different trends, they like the pretty packaging and colours, or the different scents of the products. But a simple routine is all you need.”

She says people with oil or acne prone skin should stay away from scented products. “Try to cut down on
the amount of products you are using,” she says.

At night time, Kerry advises people to cleanse their skin with a gentle cleanser, as this will take away all the dirt, make-up and pollution from the day. “Follow this up with glycolic acid to exfoliate the skin and to degrease it. I also advise using a lactic acid every second day. Both of these will remove dead skin cells and promote a more radiant complexion,” she continues.

Retinol is also very important to promote cell renewal. Using this at night ensures the product has time to work.

In the morning, washing your face with just water is sufficient. “Follow this up with a moisturiser and a good quality SPF,” adds Kerry. “Hydrating and protecting are the key things for the morning time.”

Making the skincare routine as simple as possible is important, as otherwise people won’t follow it. “No-one wants to be faced with a really long routine at night when they’ve already had a long day at work, they may also be minding children,” she tells us. “Similarly, the morning time is busy for people, we need to be realistic.

“Not everyone has loads of money either, so people shouldn’t feel pressured into buying lots of products, which may irritate the skin and counteract each other.”

Kerry Hanaphy at Kerry Hanaphy’s Dublin Clinic to celebrate the arrival of Sofwave skincare treatment-photo Kieran Harnett

Positive ageing

Kerry believes we need to change the way we speak about ageing, as currently it is framed as a negative thing. “Ageing is a positive thing,” she insists. “We should move away from the term ‘anti-ageing’, as that’s a negative framing. What we can focus on is trying to look the best we can and promoting healthy skin.”

She admits she often gets people coming to her worried that they have left it “too late” and are “too old” to improve their skin, but she says that is not the case, and we shouldn’t be afraid of our lines. “They tell the story of our life,” continues Kerry, “when we spent time in the sun, how we used our muscles to smile and laugh. We can inject and hydrate these areas to keep the skin cells healthy for the age that they are and to slow down cell degeneration. There are fantastic treatments out there that can achieve this.”

The Dangers

According to Kerry, certain trends haven’t helped the perception of skincare treatments and tweakments. She says: “We see a lot of the negatives like overfilled lips; we have clinics to dissolve them.

“People see celebrities who have had years of treatments, and they think they will be able to achieve a similar look in a short space of time.”

The nurse adds that it is very important to attend a qualified medical practitioner when it comes to aesthetics. “They will be able to map out what will suit your face and identify any signs of body dysmorphia,” she explains. “Many people have unrealistic expectations and a proper consultation with a qualified professional is so important as they will say no to certain treatments if they think they aren’t a good choice for you.”

The future

As we age, the rate of cell regeneration slows down. “Years ago, there were really only fillers and botulinum toxin to address things like lines and loss of firmness. Now we have a lot more choice,” Kerry says.

Polynucleotides can really help to slow down this degeneration, according to Kerry. Polynucleotides are tiny molecules, often associated with DNA and RNA, that are making waves in the beauty industry for their effects on skin rejuvenation and overall aesthetic enhancement. “Polynucleotides harness the power of our body’s own genetic material to stimulate regeneration and rejuvenation. They activate cellular mechanisms that promote collagen production, elastin synthesis, and overall tissue regeneration with noticeable improvements in skin texture, firmness, and natural radiance.”

Profhilo is making waves in the industry too. This “beneath the skin” hyaluronic acid moisturising treatment stimulates the skin cell receptors to counteract skin laxity and improve and restore firmness of the skin.

“Skin resurfacing treatments like the Morpheus8, which involves microneedling and radiofrequency, tighten the face and can reduce the appearance of lines,” Kerry explains. This treatment involves a controlled trauma from the needle penetration plus radiofrequency, which causes collagen and elastin to be released. “And the heat from the radiofrequency causes a contraction of the skin,” she adds.

For those who suffer from pigmentation or redness, Kerry recommends an Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) treatment. IPL works through the pigmented cells of the skin absorbing the light energy, which is then converted into heat. The heat destroys the unwanted pigment, clearing up dark spots, redness and other marks.

She adds that in her clinic, she chats to each patient about what they can afford and which treatments will work best for them. “Something simple can make a big difference,” Kerry concludes.

W: kerryhanaphy.com,

IG: @kerry.hanaphy

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