The winter is a great time to focus on skin care and reverse some of the damage that has accumulated from the summer months.
I find that most patients either do not use skin care consistently or simply do not know what to use. Many of my patients just have a cabinet full of products from various skin care lines halfway used. I am here to help and give you some tips on consistent skin care and some key ingredients that will help you achieve long-lasting results.
But before that let’s go to the basics. The two major factors that cause skin aging are smoking and chronic sun exposure. Thankfully smoking has fallen out of favor but sun exposure is something we accumulate our entire life. Just as the sun never stops, our skin care should not stop either. So here are the five key ingredients for a skin care regimen.
- Retinoids. These are derivatives of vit. A. You might have heard of retinol, retinaldehyde or tretinoin. These are just various forms. Consistent and long term use of retinoids can reverse signs of photoaging such as fine wrinkles and age spots. Retinoids also improve skin elasticity and provide for an even skin tone. It is used mostly at night.
- Hydroquinone. You might have heard of it as a lightening agent or skin bleaching serum. Hydroquinone treats spots of various colors such as melisma and post-inflammatory skin changes. It augments the effects of retinoids. You can use mornings and evenings.
- Sunscreen. Use a sunscreen that is broad-spectrum which will protect you from the damaging UVA and UVB rays. SPF of at least 30 is enough for the skin of the face. Remember SPF of 100 is not better than SPF of 30. That is just an indication of how long until you get a sunburn with the sunscreen versus without it. Also regardless of the SPF try to reapply sunscreen every 2 hours.
- Antioxidants. Just as they are good in our diet they are good for our skin. As we age our skin accumulates oxidative damage which leads to storing byproducts that contribute to facial aging. The main antioxidant I recommend is vitamin C. It is usually in a serum form and with names such as ascorbic acid. You might find it in various concentrations. Try to start with a lower concentration such as 10%. Many skin care lines also incorporate vit. In their moisturizers.
Here at Kitto Plastic Surgery, I recommend that my patients use Environ. It is a skin care line that has taken the guesswork out of skin care regimen and all the ingredients I mentioned are conveniently packaged in only a few products.
- And last but not least: Chemical facial peels. They cause destruction of defined skin layers which leads to inflammation of the epidermis and dermis. That triggers regenerative mechanisms and the production of new cells which gives the appearance of a new tight and refreshed skin.
Here at Kitto Plastic Surgery, I use Jessner’s solution for a superficial peel and TCA for a medium depth peel. I custom prepare the concentration of the peels depending on my patient’s skin and the results they are looking for.
I hope all this information has helped you in finding the skin care that is right for you. If you would like to learn more call Kitto Plastic Surgery at 804-294-1777 and schedule a consultation.