Skin Health Magazine Issue #6 / Winter 2018 | Page 26

My Skin Journey DR JOHANNA WARD

A self-confessed skin geek , Dr Johanna Ward is one of the UK ’ s leading skin doctors and a strong proponent of using nutrition alongside topical solutions to maintain good skin health . Here , she shares her journey from working on Harley Street to creating one of the most exciting doctor-developed skin care brands of recent years .

I trained as a GP , but skin health and dermatology have always been the focus of my professional career . The area I ’ m most interested in is the treatment of acne and acne scarring , as I believe it is a disorder that is frequently under-treated by the NHS . I find it so rewarding to help someone tackle their acne and be part of their journey towards clear skin . The transformation is wonderful to see because generally their outlook on life also changes - they feel more confident , happier , and they hold their head up high again . It ’ s amazing to see .
In 2010 , I opened my own skin and laser clinic that rapidly became regarded as one of the best in the UK for cosmetic dermatology . Over the years , we won numerous awards and successfully treated thousands of patients ; offering everything from dermatology and skin surgery to acne , rosacea , anti-aging and body contouring treatments . Even though I worked with some of the best cosmeceutical brands on a daily basis , I always felt like something was missing . I ’ m a big believer in the power of nutritional and preventative medicine ; when you feed the skin from within , the results you get are incredible , but this was missing from many of the brands I was using . Patients used to ask me how they could use supplements intelligently or what skin products actually work , so I set about developing my own health and beauty supplement range that allowed me to fully and comprehensively treat the skin .
When developing ZENii , I wanted to create a brand that was unique , that cleverly tapped into the incredible synergy that exists between skincare and nutrition . Modern western living exposes us to many toxins , chemicals , pollutants and radiation that just didn ’ t exist 100 years ago . These all age the skin through free radical damage and glycation , so I created tools to combat these processes at a cellular level . The British Public spend over £ 2 billion a year on beauty and anti-ageing products but , with ZENii , I wanted to create products that actually have a positive impact on skin health and wellbeing . For too long , mass produced high street brands have sold products to women by using pretty packaging and effective marketing , with few active ingredients and little scientific data to back them up . Increasingly people are turning to scientific skin care brands like ours who are serious about ingredients and results .
Once I had my first few formulas on the retail shelves , I knew I had created something special . Product development takes time and , while it is a very exciting and enormously satisfying creative process , there is always an element of nervousness , but I have been overwhelmed with positive feedback . The biggest honour is to be endorsed by the medical community and for dermatologists and plastic surgeons to be using my products in their clinics
ISSUE # 06 | 2018 | SkinHealthMagazine . com 26
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