Interview Series - Kimberley Robison, Integrative Advanced Dermal Therapist and Educator

Kimberly Robinson @wellnesswhisperer

I am soooo excited to introduce to you the beautiful Kimberly!

I met Kim nearly a year ago when I went in for my first ever treatment at FacePlus Medispa (located in Bondi Beach, SYD). I had heard about their amazing integrative approach to skin, and their many holistic treatments to help with hormonal skin conditions.

Once I got to the clinic the amazing staff introduced me to Kim and explained to me that they thought Kim would be the perfect dermal therapist to treat my concerns because of her extensive background treating skin just like mine, her health and wellness background AND the fact that she also has PCOS!

Kim and I have a very similar ethos when it comes to treating skin and hormonal concerns.

We both believe it has to be a holistic approach that encompasses internal and external treatments. This was one of the many reasons I bonded with her right away, as so many other therapists will focus on the skin only (which for most people just doesn't work!).

Between the diet and lifestyle changes I have made, and my regular treatments with Kim (which usually involve a herbal hydration peel, a soothing neck massage and lots of catching up!), my once acne-riddled skin is now clear and healthy!

So if you, like me, have been suffering from PCOS or hormonal-related acne or skin conditions, OR are just interested to hear Kim's own PCOS story and journey (her story is very fascinating, and like me, she also felt like the health care system had failed her!) then READ ON!

Hi Kim!! First of all a HUGE congratulations on your recent engagement, how exciting!

For anyone who hasn't seen me rave about you on my instagram, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do for work?

I'm Kimberly and I have been working in the health and wellness industry for over 16 years.

I’m an integrative advanced dermal therapist, educator, certified colon hydro therapist and wellness blogger with a strong passion for the health & aesthetic industry.

I use my solid industry wisdom, experience and intuition and combine it with my background in the health industry to educate and nurture every new client. I explore symptoms, concerns and my client's lifestyle and everyday habits to create a wholistic and effective treatment plan for achieving not only healthy skin, but also vitality and wellbeing.

You yourself have PCOS, so how did you find out you had PCOS, and what were your symptoms?

I have always sensed that something wasn’t quite right with my health. Over the last decade and a half I have had countless appointments with general practitioners, naturopaths, you name it! I have tried everything from anti fungals, the pill, herbal products, Chinese medicine and practitioner supplements, to wholistic based health treatments like food intolerance tests, colonics, VLA tests, different diets and different types of diagnostic tools.

I never had issues with ovulation but my periods were never regular since my early teens; either early, late or sometimes not at all. I had occasional facial hair but my biggest trigger has been chronic fatigue, unexplained hives, difficulty losing weight, mood swings and A LOT of food sensitivities (particularly to sugar). Over two years ago I was rushed into hospital for emergency surgery on my right ovary as it had become distorted (tangled) around a huge cyst - a pain you couldn’t even describe .

You would THINK they would have done some tests after my surgery to look into why this happened or what could be wrong with me based on all these symptoms - nope! No one ever took the time to look into my health properly. I’m not blaming anyone, I too just felt like most women, that the health care industry had failed me.

I took it upon myself - (after a very traumatic emergency surgery) to have routine ultrasound & health checks in order to just keep on top of it all. It was after my most recent scan that I was diagnosed with PCOS, from having a combination of two tests showing high insulin and a lot of follicles on my left ovary - and other ongoing symptoms like difficulty losing weight and ongoing fatigue that lead my doctor to finally diagnose me with PCOS. Not that I felt like wearing a badge of honour or anything, I just felt like for the first time something clicked and I had a good lead on things.

You treat a lot of women with PCOS and hormonal skin conditions, what are the most common symptoms you see when it comes to skin?

Image: Brigitte (Me!) receiving a treatment from Kim at FacePlus

The most common hormonal issues I see within clinic for my patients with PCOS is they all usually have high androgen levels, so their breakouts are usually more aggressive in nature (cyst-like) and very stubborn to treat (obviously because of the underlying condition). Sometimes this is accompanied by excess facial hair and other physical symptoms like a certain type of sebum (usually a sticky-like oil) which is from the testosterone. I usually take the time to educate these patients that any skin plan we design will be more of a management type skin plan than a quick fire solution, and aside from wholistic anti bacterial and anti inflammatory topicals and treatments, we need to look at the whole picture. I take the time to educate these clients based on my own research and understanding of a PCOS-friendly diet that nutrition, rest, moving the body frequently and hydration are all key to healthy skin.

Like me, you focus on a wholistic approach to skin. What are some simple tips you would recommend for women when it comes to helping to address hormonal-related skin conditions?

Tips I regularly give to clients with hormone related skin conditions are a combination of wholistic based treatments such as herbal peels, LED lights and natural based skin care, and skin supplements to support the skin's gut flora and immunity. Anything high in vitamin c, zinc, and probiotics is ideal. I always recommend berberine for clients particularly with high androgen levels, and for all patients suffering from stress and fatigue a good quality magnesium and vitamin B supplement. I recommend the beauty chef range for PCOS soul cysters and the Alex cosmetics herbal peels at regular monthly intervals. Oh and DON'T get “cyber phobia” - books, podcasts etc are important to educate yourself, but there is also a lot of hype out there than can scare you into a state of stress, which we all know is never ideal.

I believe that healthy skin truly begins within, and sometimes it can be a game of patience and persistence in order to start seeing the change you want in your skin. Adequate sleep, reduced stress levels and rest are all key to allowing the skin to function at its best. My integrative approach to treatment planning over the last few years has led my clients and I to see faster results within the skin because healthy skin truly does begin from within.

To follow Kim on Insta (and to check out her cute engagement photos!) head to @wellnesswhisperer or pay her a visit at Face Plus medispa Bondi Beach ..... trust me it will be the best treatment you will ever have!

#KimberleyRobison #dermaltherapy #acne #pcostreatment #interveiwseries