Adult acne, signs of ageing, universal skincare must haves, is SPF really that important? A top dermatologist answers your questions.
As you know, I’ve been on a skincare journey of my own, trying to clear my hormonal acne with topical spironolactone, using products from Uncouth, which is a personalised, prescription skincare brand founded by a dermatology doctor.
Uncouth compound bespoke formulas using ingredients that you would only be able to get from a private dermatologist: like Tretinoin for anti-ageing, Hydroquinone for melasma, and of course, Spironolactone for hormonal breakouts.
I’ve been using their products for around 6 months now and I’m definitely seeing good results with my skin. It’s just so tricky to get hormonal acne completely under control! I’ve also tried a couple of their other active ingredient topical creams and I can safely say that they are definitely a power house!
I thought it would be a good idea to talk to one of the dermatologists at Uncouth (the lovely Emma) and get some answers on some of our important skincare concerns! Emma has been helping me with my treatments and is extremely knowledgeable, so I asked her some important questions that I think all of us want to know! I hope you all find this interview really useful. My questions are in bold, Emma’s answers are in plain text. Please do let me know if you have any questions as well!
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(Dermatologist Emma from Uncouth)
Lorna: What’s the most common skin complaint you encounter?
Emma: The most common concern I see is acne — and not just in teenagers. Adult acne, especially hormonal breakouts in women in their 30s, 40s and beyond, is incredibly common. I also see a lot of rosacea, melasma, pigmentation issues, and general concerns around ageing like fine lines, dullness, and skin texture.
That’s good to know! I’ve suffered from acne (mostly hormonal) since I was 14 years old. Do you have any useful tips for those of us struggling with acne?”
Absolutely — you’re not alone. Hormonal acne often flares around the jawline and chin, especially before periods, and can persist well into adulthood. A few key tips:
- Stick to a simple, consistent routine. Overloading your skin with too many actives can worsen inflammation.
- Ingredients like benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, and azelaic acid can be helpful for mild to moderate cases in the first instance.
- For hormonal or persistent acne, prescription treatments — such as topical retinoids or oral medications like spironolactone — often offer more lasting control.
Are there any specific products you recommend as a universal must-have?
Yes — SPF is the absolute non-negotiable. A broad-spectrum sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher), worn daily, is your best defence against pigmentation, premature ageing, and skin cancer.
If you’re prone to melasma or pigmentation, I often recommend tinted sunscreens. These contain iron oxides, which offer extra protection against visible light — an often-overlooked trigger for melasma.
I prefer gentle cleansers, particularly balm cleansers, which cleanse effectively without stripping the skin barrier.
For dry or eczema-prone areas, simple ointment-based moisturisers — even something basic from Boots — can be incredibly effective. They often contain fewer preservatives than creams and do a better job at sealing in moisture.
I had no idea about iron oxides! What’s your number one skincare rule or tip?
Consistency over complexity. You don’t need a complicated routine — just a few well-chosen products, used regularly and correctly, make the biggest difference.
If you’re using a prescription retinoid it’s important to find the strength that suits your skin. Not everyone needs (or tolerates) the highest dose — it’s better to settle into a level that gives you results without irritation.
And finally — don’t wait until skin problems get severe to seek help. Early, evidence-based intervention can save a lot of stress later on.
What would be your recommended routine for those of us worried about signs of ageing?
For ageing concerns, focus on products that protect, stimulate renewal, and support the skin barrier:
Morning:
- Gentle cleanse
- Antioxidant serum (like vitamin C)
- Moisturiser
- Broad-spectrum SPF 30+ — every single day
Evening:
- Cleanse (balm cleansers are great)
- Prescription retinoid or over-the-counter retinol (build up slowly) you can combine or add in extra skin brightening ingredients like arbutin to increase efficacy. I’m a fan of antioxidants like Niacinamide and ferrulic acid.
- Moisturiser to support the skin barrier
Hydration, consistent SPF, and a well-tolerated retinoid are your foundation.
Tretinoin seems to be a skincare ingredient that has gone viral too. Can you tell us more about this product and how it could be useful?
Tretinoin is a prescription-strength retinoid
That said, not everyone needs the highest strength — irritation is common when starting. I recommend starting with a lower strength, using it a few nights per week, and building up gradually. And always pair it with SPF and moisturiser.
At Uncouth we have different bases available to suit different skin types and we can combine tretinoin with a variety of ingredients to improve results, minimise side effects and simplify your routine.
That’s great to hear! Is diet really that important when it comes to skin health too? What about our water consumption?
Diet does play a role — but it’s not about perfection. For acne, there’s growing evidence that high-glycaemic diets and excess dairy, can trigger breakouts in some people. However this is likely to be more of a contributory factor.
As for water: hydration is important, but drinking loads of water alone won’t magically clear your skin. Think of it as piece of the puzzle, alongside sleep, stress, skincare, and hormones.
I can vouch for that as dairy does break me out, as well as oily, sugary foods. Is it ok to wear make-up every day, or do you recommend having days off?
It’s absolutely fine to wear make-up daily, as long as you’re removing it thoroughly at night and using non-comedogenic products (formulated not to clog pores). Skin doesn’t need a “break” from make-up — but it does need good cleansing habits to stay healthy underneath.
Great! I do love make-up! And finally, do we all need to be using retinols/retinoids and multi-step routines, or is a simple cleanse and moisturise ok too?
You don’t need a 10-step routine to have healthy skin. A basic routine — cleanser, moisturiser, and SPF — is perfectly fine. That said, if you have specific concerns like acne, pigmentation or signs of ageing, then retinoids, antioxidants, and targeted actives can offer real benefits.
But it’s not “all or nothing.” Start simple, and only add products if they serve your skin’s needs. Skin care should feel sustainable, not overwhelming.
Thank you so much! This has been super helpful!
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LED Light Therapy has become very popular in the last few years for targeting a number of skin and health concerns, however there is still many misconceptions surrounding LED technology and if it actually works. So I am going to try and give you the answers to the most frequently asked questions about light therapy, talk through the misconceptions and hopefully make it all a little easier to understand.
I have used LED light therapy masks for many years, I have used a few different brands and I now exclusively use Currentbody as I have found the best results from using their masks. I wholly trust their clinical research , science-backing and I think the results always speak for themselves.
Having said that, by no means am I saying it’s the only LED light therapy mask that will work for you – there are some other GREAT ones on the market, but you definitely do need to do your research into the brand, what clinical proof they have that their devices actually work, what wavelengths they use, and also I think it is VERY important to buy from a reputable brand. With the surge of LED popularity, there are some questionable devices currently on the market and you are honestly wasting your money on some of these. Let’s get into it!
COMMON MYTHS AND MISCONCEPTIONS!
These are some of the most common questions and concerns I am asked about LED masks.
‘Red light can cause melasma and make pigmentation worse’
There is no clinical data or research carried out to back any such claims and much of this is a misunderstanding of how LED light treats the skin over time and helps to improve skin tone and texture. It can really help fade marks and pigmentation on the skin and help with healing and scarring also.
‘The LED light can harm your eyes’
The LED lights used within the Currentbody masks are completely safe for your eyes, however they do provide eye inserts if you feel any discomfort from the brightness when you are using it. I personally do not use the inserts and now just use it as an excuse to have 10 minutes of shut-eye and relaxation.
‘The LED light can burn your skin’
The Currenbody LED’s do NOT generate heat, so will not burn and is completely pain-free. There is no downtime and after-use you can simply apply your skincare and carry straight on with your day (or evening!).
‘Red Light therapy isn’t suitable for people with darker skin’
People with darker skin tones can safely use red light therapy. Melanin, the pigment responsible for skin colour, does not block or reduce the effectiveness of red light therapy.
‘LED doesn’t penetrate the skin’
The Currentbody LED masks can penetrate up to 10mm into the skin. Different wavelengths of light penetrate at different depths, with deep near-infrared penetrating to the deepest layers. This is clinically proven and as you can see from my personal results in the photos below, it’s absolutely working.
‘These LED masks all do the same, why spend £300 when you can spend £30!’
Yeah…no. I speak about this a little more in-depth below but in short – these are high-tech devices ; a lot of post-production testing is needed, clinical testing, and a lot of the cheaper devices on the market (I’ve seen them in supermarkets!) will do absolutely nothing to improve your skin. The wavelengths they are using are not going to penetrate the skin or do anything except make your face feel a little warm.
LED MASK SKIN BENEFITS : THE TRUTH.
Do they REALLY work? Are they just a fad?
Light therapy has been used for decades to treat and heal the skin. Light therapy was originally developed by NASA for healing wounds in space. in the 1990’s the US Navy Seals began using it and shortly after, aestheticians introduced it into their treatment rooms. LED light therapy is backed by clinical data that is will help skin repair, stimulate collagen, fade age spots, decrease inflammation and smooth the skin.
Top skin clinics have been using LED light therapy for many years now for this reason and the results of light therapy are cumulative, so you need to have treatment frequently and be consistent. This is where LED at-home masks have stepped in : an affordable way to get clinic-like results. LED masks have just seen in a surge in popularity in recent years and quite rightly so. I have personally seen the results that you can get from using LED and I have shared my before and afters below.
What results will you see from using an LED light therapy mask?
The key benefits that LED red light therapy will have for your skin is helping with scarring, acne, redness, This has all been clinically proven, over many years and many times. People will see varying results, of course and it does also depend on the condition on your skin in the first place. As I say every time I talk about using LED masks, you do need to be conscious of using a decent skincare routine alongside CONSISTENT use of the LED mask.
If you want to know all the in’s and out’s of how to use the mask / how often etc then do check out my post here which is all about the Currentbody Skin LED Light Therapy Mask Series 2.
My personal results :
These are my before and after photo’s after using the Currentbody Skin LED light therapy mask for the face and then more recently, the Currentbody Skin LED Neck & Décolletage Mask. These images are unedited and the true results I got from the masks.
I have only been using the Currentbody Skin LED Neck & Décolletage Mask Series 2 for five weeks only and the below is the results from this period of time , using it x5 a week for the 10 minute recommended time a day. I’m kind of blown away with how quickly it has changed the appearance of my skin and can’t wait to see how it looks after 8 weeks + which is when you will get the more our results.
You can use code LAURACB to get 10% on all Currentbody LED masks. Shop here!
BLUE LIGHT VS RED LIGHT.
Do you need to use both blue and red light? Let’s quickly chat about it and why you may need one over the other or even both!..
Red Light Therapy
This is a non-invasive treatment that uses low-level wavelengths of red and near-infrared light to stimulate cellular function and promote healing and rejuvenation. Red light therapy will target redness and hyperpigmentation , improve skin texture, inflammation, acne scarring and fine lines. Everyone can use and benefit from red light therapy.
Blue Light Therapy
Blue light therapy gets absorbed by the cells on the skin’s surface, specifically targeting spot-causing bacteria. It’s a common misconception that Blue Light is good for everyone however it might not be right for your skin if you do not have active acne. Extended use of Blue light therapy may cause: pigmentation, skin sensitivity and irritation.
The Currentbody blue light mask combines with red light therapy to also target redness and inflammation and healing scars which commonly go hand-in-hand with symptoms of acne.
NOT ALL LED MASKS ARE EQUAL, HERE IS WHY.
Accuracy of testing.
A lot of LED masks make certain claims of efficacy yet once the mask is actually tested, it often shows big variations in the of the strength of LED bulbs and the actual true wavelengths it emits. This will cause uneven distribution of the light therapy so you may get very different results from one mask to the other – from the same brand!
Currentbody are the ONLY LED device brand who own both their production and testing. The transparency of their Vertitace system is unmatched and you can check the results, the testing and efficacy of your very own Currentbody mask. Below you can see the Veritace production process from my card that came with my Currentbody Skin LED Neck & Décolletage Mask Series 2 ; every series 2 mask now has this. You simply tap your phone onto the unique card and it will take you directly to your personal mask and it will show you the testing it has been through and the all-important results and key information.
You can use code LAURACB to get 10% on all Currentbody LED masks. Shop here!
Placement of bulbs.
More does not mean better and the placement of the bulbs and the type of wavelength they emit is really important. LED bulbs emit a 60% ‘light spread’ so they will overlap. If there is too many bulbs on a mask this overstimulate and overheat the skin without improving the results you get. If there are too few LED bulbs you won’t get an optimum light overlap, so the results won’t be as good.
Type of Red Light.
The type of red light is very important. For example when using red light, it is beneficial to also use near-infrared alongside it to boost the red light benefits. One to the other alone won’t give great results.
The Currentbody series 2 masks use THREE clinically proven wavelengths as opposed to 2 which most LED masks use : these are red, near-infrared and and deep near-infrared. The deep near-infrared have been positioned in the areas where we see the more intense signs of ageing. On the Series 2 face mask this is around the eye and mouth area. On the Series 2 Neck and Dec this is down the middle / chest area where we often see most crepiness and lines.
There are many amazing LED masks on the market, but please do your research, see true before and after’s and always buy from a reputable company. See if they have independent clinical trials and what the results show. Do the digging and scratch below the surface. As a small side note : LED masks should not be cheap! The amount of science and development that should go into these devices reflects in the price. These are a true skin investment that should last you many years. You also want to choose a brand that have good customer service and aftercare if you so need.
CONSISTENCY IS KEY WITH LED!
I say this all the time – there is absolutely no point in spending hundreds of pounds on an LED mask and not using it consistently and properly and then being disappointed with the results. For LED light therapy to work, you need to be using it at least 5 times a week and to see good results, for at least 8 weeks. Alongside this, please consider a good, consistent skincare routine. If you aren’t looking after your skin and think by slapping an LED mask over the top will solve all your skin problems you are not going to get the results you want. Be realistic, take the time to use the device and also – take a photo in good lighting BEFORE you start using LED. sometimes you may think it’s not doing much but when you compare before and after images you can really see these improvements.
So I hope that has helped de-bunk some myths surrounding LED masks and has answered all the questions you may have. If there is anything I have not covered please feel free to drop any questions below or over on my Instagram @Lauraloumakeup and I will get back to you.
I have a code which is LAURACB which will give you 10% off on all LED masks over on Currentbody so feel free to use that if you decide to treat yourself to one of these amazing masks! They are a skin investment for sure, but something I am sure you will see great results from, alongside a decent skincare routine with consistent use.