After Hours Skin Clinic

We all know pollution is bad for our lungs. But what is it actually doing to our skin?

In this episode of After Hours Skin Clinic, consultant dermatologists Dr Emma Craythorne and Dr Ellie Rashid unpack the science behind pollution and skin ageing and explain why it might be affecting your skin far more than you realise.

From traffic fumes to candles, cooking fumes and indoor air quality, pollution isn’t just something you encounter on busy roads. In fact, the air inside your home may expose your skin to even higher concentrations of pollutants.

So how exactly does pollution accelerate ageing? What does it do to your skin barrier, pigmentation and collagen? And most importantly what can you actually do about it. What works to prevent the damage pollution causes - what actually helps protect your skin?

This episode, as always, focuses on the evidence-based strategies dermatologists actually recommend.

If you want healthier, calmer, more resilient skin, even if you live in a polluted place, this is what you need to know.

For more, weekly episodes covering dermatology, skincare science and skin health, don't forget to subscribe to After Hours Skin Clinic on YouTube and your favourite podcast platform!

Klira - Founded by Dr Emma Craythorne, Klira is a bespoke luxury skincare formula prescribed by dermatologists. You may hear it mentioned from time to time on the podcast and if you want to find out more head over to klira.skin

Follow & Connect:Instagram: @afterhoursskinclinicEmail: [email protected]

Producer: Ella Blaxill

Series Editor: Eve Streeter

Music by Simon Elms.

This is a Raconteur Studios Production.
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Perioral Dermatitis: you might be making it worse without realising.

Red bumps around the mouth, skin that stings, tingles or won’t settle. A rash that improves with steroid cream… then comes back worse. This is perioral dermatitis and it’s being diagnosed (and misdiagnosed) more than ever.

In this episode of After Hours Skin Clinic, Consultant Dermatologists Dr Emma Craythorne and Dr Ellie Rashid explain what causes it and how to treat it properly. They break down what perioral dermatitis actually is, why it happens, and how to manage it without making it worse.

Emma & Ellie explain:

What perioral dermatitis actually is (and why the name is misleading)

How it differs from acne, rosacea and retinoid irritation

The link with topical steroids, inhaled steroids and nasal sprays

Why overusing skincare can trigger it

The role of the skin barrier and microbiome

Mask-wearing, humidity and “maskne” overlap

Why thick creams can make it worse

What “zero therapy” really means

Prescription treatments that actually work

How to build a rescue plan for future flare-ups

Why it seems to be more common now and how too much skincare layering may be part of the problem.

If you’re overwhelmed by products, confused by conflicting advice, or stuck in a cycle of flare-ups, this episode will help you reset and understand what your skin actually needs.

Send us your skincare myths and questions, we love hearing from you!

Instagram: @afterhoursskinclinic

Email: [email protected]

Producer: Ella Blaxill

Series Editor: Eve Streeter

Music by Simon Elms.

This is a Raconteur Studios Production. 

Klira - Founded by Dr Emma Craythorne, Klira is a bespoke luxury skincare formula prescribed by dermatologists. You may hear it mentioned from time to time on the podcast and if you want to find out more head over to klira.skin
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you care about healthy, resilient skin long-term, your neck deserves the same attention as your face...and this episode explains why.

In this episode of After Hours Skin Clinic, Consultant Dermatologists Dr Emma Craythorne and Dr Ellie Rashid explain how neck skin behaves differently and what actually supports it as we age, as well as why we might regret it if we don't give it the attention it needs.

Emma and Ellie break explain:

How neck skin differs from facial skin

Why the neck is thinner, more fragile and slower to heal

The role of the platysma muscle in neck ageing and how this affects the way it looks

“Tech neck” lines and repetitive creasing

Sun damage, fragrance and pigmentation (poikiloderma)

Why many people protect their face but forget their neck

Whether expensive “neck creams” actually work

The truth about retinol and tretinoin on the neck

In-clinic treatments: Botox, biostimulatory injectables, radiofrequency microneedling and surgery

What’s worth your money and what isn’t

They also discuss the powerful case study of a 92-year-old woman whose face looked decades younger than her neck, simply because she applied sunscreen to her face for 40 years but, cruicially, she never extended it downwards.

If you want clearer, firmer, healthier-looking skin, don’t stop at your jawline!

Klira - Founded by Dr Emma Craythorne, Klira is a bespoke luxury skincare formula prescribed by dermatologists. You may hear it mentioned from time to time on the podcast and if you want to find out more head over to klira.skin

Follow & Connect:Instagram: @afterhoursskinclinicEmail: [email protected]

Producer: Ella Blaxill

Series Editor: Eve Streeter

Music by Simon Elms.

This is a Raconteur Studios Production. 

Products mentioned: RoC Derm Correxion Retinol Firming Serum Stick to Lift, Tighten & Smooth Fine Lines
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Is deodorant dangerous?

Does aluminium in antiperspirant cause breast cancer?

Are we “blocking toxins” when we stop ourselves sweating?

This week on After Hours Skin Clinic, Consultant Dermatologists Dr Emma Craythorne and Dr Ellie Rashid cut through one of the most persistent skincare myths on the internet: the safety of deodorants and antiperspirants.

From aluminium and breast cancer fears to “endocrine disruptors,” hormone myths and detox misinformation, Emma and Ellie break down what the science actually says (and what the noise on social media can get very wrong).

They explain:

The difference between deodorant and antipersant

What aluminium actually does in the skin

Whether antiperspirants increase cancer risk

The truth about “toxin build-up”

What endocrine disruptors really mean

Why irritation and contact dermatitis are more common than serious risk

How to manage excessive sweating safely

They also discuss fragrance reactions, irritant dermatitis, and when stronger antiperspirants for hyperhidrosis are appropriate.

If you’ve ever felt worried about using antiperspirant or confused by clean beauty claims this episode will leave you informed and reassured.

Have a skincare myth you want us to tackle next? Send it in.

Klira - Founded by Dr Emma Craythorne, Klira is a bespoke luxury skincare formula prescribed by dermatologists. You may hear it mentioned from time to time on the podcast and if you want to find out more head over to klira.skin

Follow & Connect:Instagram: @afterhoursskinclinicEmail: [email protected]

Producer: Ella Blaxill

Series Editor: Eve Streeter

Music by Simon Elms.

This is a Raconteur Studios Production.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Are your under-eyes puffy in the morning? You've got dark circles that won't go away no matter how much sleep you get? Is it pigmentation, fluid retention … or just shadows?

In this episode of After Hours Skin Clinic, Consultant Dermatologists Dr Emma Craythorne and Dr Ellie Rashid address one of the most common skincare concerns: puffy eyes and dark circles. They offer the explanations, solutions and expert advice that may actually help you fix your dark circles.

Because the important truth is, not all “eye bags” are the same. And if you don’t understand what’s causing yours, you’ll likely never be able to treat them properly. Plus there are some approaches that are better than others and some that require serious consideration beforehand (spoiler: fillers).

In this episode Emma and Ellie break down:

The key differences between puffiness, pigmentation, shadows and true 'eye bags'

Why fluid retention, hormones, sleep, salt and alcohol can make your under eyes look worse

How allergies and eczema cause post-inflammatory pigmentation (especially in skin of colour)

The role of anatomy, ageing and collagen loss

Why tear trough filler needs serious caution

What eye creams can and can’t do

Ingredients that actually help (tretinoin, caffeine, antioxidants, hydroquinone) and when to use them

Lymphatic drainage massage and simple at-home tricks that genuinely work

When injectables or blepharoplasty might be appropriate

The cheap, quick trick hiding up Ellie's sleeve

Emma and Ellie also talk honestly about trends (including the haemorrhoid cream craze… ), and why understanding the cause is everything when it comes to treating under-eye darkness.

If you’ve ever looked in the mirror and thought, “Why do I look exhausted?”, this episode is for you. Because healthy, glowing skin is about understanding what’s really going on.

Have any questions? Send them over to [email protected] 

Find us on Instagram @AfterHoursSkinClinic

⁠Klira⁠ - Founded by Dr Emma Craythorne, Klira is a bespoke luxury skincare formula prescribed by dermatologists. You may hear it mentioned from time to time on the podcast and if you want to find out more head over to ⁠klira.skin⁠

_____

Producer: Ella Blaxill

Series Editor: Eve Streeter

Music by Simon Elms.

This is a Raconteur Studios Production.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices