When it comes to making your skin look as beautiful and youthful as possible, I like to address 3 main things- the 3 "T's"- tone, texture, and tightness. Before we dive into each of these qualities, let's remember as the old cliché goes, beauty comes from within. In addition to caring for your skin on the outside, don't neglect caring for your health by eating a nutritious diet, drinking enough water, getting enough sleep, not smoking and exercising regularly. It goes without saying that all of this will help keep your whole body healthy, including your skin.
What we perceive as the most beautiful skin is that which has an even skin tone, meaning free from areas of hyperpigmentation, sun damage, excessive redness, or broken capillaries. Beautiful skin has a smooth texture, free from bumps or flaky dry skin, with small pores and free of blemishes. Beautiful skin is tight, due to ample collagen and elastin stores, the elements of our skin that give it plumpness, elasticity, and suppleness with fewer wrinkles. So how do we address the "3 T's" and put our best face forward?...
1.) Skin tone: an uneven skin tone can make us self-conscious, for example if we suffer from rosacea, melasma, hyperpigmented acne scars, or sun damage and brown spots. There is no "one-size-fits-all" remedy for uneven skin tone, however there are treatments available to treat specific conditions. The number one preventative skin care product that everyone should be using daily is a high-quality sunscreen to prevent sun damage which can worsen hyperpigmentation, regardless of the cause. "Sun spots" or brown spots on the face caused by sun damage, can age a person significantly, and getting rid of them can take 10 years off the face. Topical skin care products that can help reduce hyperpigmentation include a medical-grade Vitamin C serum, Kojic acid, and retinoids like retinol or tretinoin ("RetinA"). Treatments that can be done in a medical spa or doctor's office to help with either redness, or brown spots due to sun damage, include IPL (intense pulsed light, or "photofacial"), and some laser treatments that can help break up pigment (such as the Clear and Brilliant Laser). A physician should determine if you are an appropriate candidate for these treatments.
Recently there's been a trend to get prescription skin care creams by purchasing them online. While this is very convenient, be aware that some of the "lightening creams" that are sold online are not meant to be used for more than 4 or 5 months at a time without a break. There's evidence that in some people this can result in a "rebound hyperpigmentation" that is difficult to correct. Be sure to discuss with your doctor before starting prescription creams to treat hyperpigmentation. Always apply a medical-grade mineral-based sunscreen daily to prevent worsening of hyperpigmentation, even if you don't plan to be outdoors for an extended period of time.
2.) Texture: smooth skin has always been associated with youth and good health, as well as beauty. Smooth skin has refined pores, few wrinkles, and is free from bumps or acne blemishes. In order to achieve smooth skin, we must address all of these issues, and take great care with our home skin care regimen to maintain results. If you suffer from severe chronic acne which can leave scars, the time to intervene is now. We have so many effective treatments that didn't exist 20 years ago, so your chances of successfully reducing your breakouts is high, once you find the regimen that works best for you. It may take several months and trying out different regimens before you find the magic formula, but once your skin clears, you will enjoy greater self-confidence and prevent future scarring.
Wrinkles can be addressed with a combination of wrinkle relaxers (neuromodulators like Botox or Dysport), dermal fillers (like Restylane and Juvederm), and treatments aimed at inducing collagen production (see below), as well as a consistent home skin care regimen that includes daily use of sunscreen, Vitamin C serum, and a night time retinoid (both OTC and prescription formulas are available). Laser skin resurfacing is a tried-and-true skin rejuvenation treatment that can dramatically help improve skin texture.
3.) Tightness: youthful skin is tight, supple and elastic. After we enter our mid-thirties, our skin begins to make less and less collagen and this decline continues as we advance in age. The way to keep our skin from becoming too thin and loose, is to periodically "remind" it to produce more collagen. This can be done in a number of ways, most of which involve producing a small controlled or "micro-injury" to the skin, which then signals to our body to go in to repair the injury by producing collagen. Examples of treatments which can induce collagen production include: microneedling, microneedling with radiofrequency, laser skin resurfacing, Sculptra (poly-L-lactic acid) injections, radiofrequency-based treatments (using heat), and Ultrasound-based treatments (such as Ultherapy). PDO threads can be placed in strategic areas to help build collagen over time. Vitamin C serum used daily as well as use of a night time retinoid product can also help in increasing our collagen production. If severe skin laxity with sagging of the skin and "jowling" (migration of the fat pads downward) is present, surgery to excise loose skin and reposition skin and tissue (ligaments etc.) to their original youthful location may be recommended (i.e. facelift or mini-lift).
Don't wait until tomorrow to help slow down the skin aging process. If you're wondering when is the best time to start on an anti-aging skincare regimen, the time is now. :)
Cheers,
Dr. B
#skincare #antiaging #smoothskin #skintightening #clearskin #youthfulface #photofacial #laserskinresurfacing #injectables #collagen #retinoids #vitaminCserum #beautifulskin #flawlessskin
Comments