Harley Skin Aesthetics

Unplugged from socials in August, and fully plugged into family. Days with the kids, laughter and endless fun! Septembers here and we’re back. ✨

Retinol is one of my favourite ingredients for transforming the skin. It has helped so many of my patients (and me) to achieve a smoother, brighter, more even complexion but I’ll be honest it’s also one of the easiest products to get wrong if you don’t know where to start.

When I first started using retinol my skin felt tight and a little irritated within a few days. That’s when I realised I needed to support my skin barrier with a gentle cleanser. This helps keep your skin calm while still letting the retinol work its magic.

I also learned quickly that retinol is strictly for night-time. It breaks down in sunlight and because it makes your skin more sensitive to UV, SPF became non-negotiable for me every single morning. Without it you risk undoing all your progress.

And then there’s the famous ‘retinol purge’. It can be frustrating to see breakouts or dryness appear but it’s simply your skin increasing cell turnover and bringing everything to the surface. I always tell my patients don’t panic and don’t give up too soon. The results are worth it.

One of my top tips is to pair your retinol with a nourishing moisturiser. This helps your skin adjust so you can enjoy all the benefits without unnecessary irritation.

Your future skin will thank you for starting slow and doing it right.

So many of my patients tell me they want clear skin but when we dig a little deeper I find they’re still doing all the things that keep their skin from actually improving.

If you’re still picking at your spots, eating a lot of junk food, barely drinking any water, never washing your makeup brushes, forgetting to change your pillowcase, skipping your skincare routine, avoiding in-clinic treatments or giving up after just a couple of months your skin is going to struggle.

There’s only so much we can do as practitioners. The rest has to come from you. Clear skin takes consistency, patience and daily habits that support the work we do in clinic. When both sides work together the results speak for themselves.

This lovely patient came to see me for a subtle refresh. She didn’t want anything too noticeable. Just a soft enhancement to bring back hydration and shape.

We had a really open chat beforehand about her goals and concerns and from there I tailored a treatment that worked for her features.

We focused on restoring balance and adding gentle volume to the areas that needed it most.
The result? Glossy hydrated lips that still look like her. Just with that extra confidence boost.

This is what lip filler should look like. Natural. Personalised. Always led by your comfort and preferences.

Dr Rukhsana 🤍

Lately so many of our patients have been asking, ‘Why do my pores feel so blocked even though I’m doing everything right?’

It’s a valid question and one we completely understand because we’ve been there too. Both Dr Rukhsana and I have dealt with clogged pores ourselves. As medics we know the science but real-life skin can still be frustrating.

The truth is clogged pores are rarely caused by one thing. Often it’s the small everyday habits we don’t even think about. For example, forgetting to properly remove sunscreen at the end of the day. SPF is essential but if it’s left on overnight it can mix with oil and dead skin which leads to congestion.

Then there’s diet. Even those so-called “healthy” snacks especially processed or high-glycaemic ones can spike oil production and inflammation beneath the surface. Add in stress, hormonal shifts or using products with hidden pore-blockers and suddenly your skin is overwhelmed.

Dr Rukhsana and I put our heads together and created a list of the most common (and surprisingly sneaky) culprits we see in clinic and have experienced ourselves.

- Nurse Ayesha 🤍

Warts.
Moles.
Skin tags.
Sun spots.

Yes we can remove all of these. ⚡️

This lovely patient came to see me about a benign skin lesion that had been there for years. It wasn’t painful or harmful but it had started to really knock her confidence, especially when she saw it in photos.

After a full consultation and assessment I treated it with cryotherapy- a quick, precise, non-invasive treatment that works by freezing the lesion at a cellular level. It’s safe, effective and one of my favourite in-clinic options for removing stubborn little lesions without the need for surgery or downtime.

What I love most about results like this isn’t just the clearer skin- it’s seeing the confidence that comes back when someone feels more at ease in their own skin.

No surgery. No downtime. Just honest advice, expert care and treatments tailored to you- always.

Still breaking out — even though your skincare routine looks perfect?

As medical professionals, we often see patients who’ve invested in good products, made all the right changes… and are still struggling with persistent breakouts.

Often, the issue isn’t your skincare — it’s what’s happening around it.

From the bacteria on your phone to the ingredients in your hair products or the supplements you’re taking — there are subtle, everyday triggers we regularly pick up on in clinic that most people simply don’t know about.

🧠 In this post, we’re sharing 10 of the most common causes of breakouts that we see in our patients at Harley Skin Aesthetics — and practical ways to avoid them.

If your skin’s not improving the way it should be, book in for a consultation with Nurse Ayesha and I.

See comments section for more on why these 10 things cause breakouts.