Who to Trust? What to Buy? 

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It seems that skin care products are being sold everywhere you go, whether it be the drug store, grocery store, online, and even your hairdresser. But how do you know what to buy? Who to trust? What level of training and experience do the people selling these products have? These questions may be difficult to answer but the solution is simple. Only buy your skin care products from licensed medical professionals specializing in skin care, such as medical spas, dermatologists, or plastic surgeons.

Licensed medical professionals are authorized to sell medical grade skin care products and have training and experience with all types of skin concerns such as acne, rosacea, melasma, and aging skin. Other sources are not authorized to sell medical grade products and do not have the expertise to advise you which products to buy or how to use them. However, they often obtain medical grade products from resellers who buy the inventory of offices going out of business and then offer them at a discount. Combine that with the tremendous amounts of counterfeit product in the market and who knows what you actually get when you purchase your products from a non-medical source?

You don’t need to buy dozens of products. You can achieve a healthy, bright, glowing complexion with only the key products listed below.

  1. Exfoliating cleansers containing alpha-hydroxy, beta-hydroxy, or glycolic acid gently polish away impurities that make your skin appear older and dull. Exfoliating cleansers also prep your skin for the products applied next.
  2. Antioxidants protect your skin from free radicals, which are free-floating molecules that cause oxidation in whatever they touch. Oxidizing iron results in rust and the cell damage caused by oxidizing your skin is just as unpleasant. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals and prevent them from damaging your skin.
  3. Moisturizers are important because our skin provides a watertight barrier between our body and the environment. The internal hydration we get from drinking water does not penetrate to the skin’s surface, so we need to provide the skin with a topical drink. The best moisturizers are creams or serums containing hyaluronic acid (also known as HA), a substance that already exists naturally in our skin. Hyaluronic acid penetrates the skin’s upper layers and attracts moisture to boost elasticity and hydration, giving your skin a youthful appearance. These products also form a protective barrier on the surface of the skin to lock in moisture and aid in tissue repair. However, you should avoid HA products that also contain alcohol, parabens, sulfates, or other ingredients that are harmful to the skin.
  4. Retinol enhances your skin’s natural beauty. Retinol promotes cellular turnover, removing dead and damaged cells from the surface of your skin and revealing the newer, more evenly toned skin cells below. Cellular turnover minimizes wrinkles, shrinks pores, and creates a healthy complexion.
  5. Sunscreen protects you from harmful solar radiation that damages and rapidly ages your skin. It is your most important skin care product, but not all sunscreens are the same. Most sunscreens protect you from UVB radiation, which is related to sunburn and skin cancer. SPF (sun protection factor) indicates how much UVB protection is provided (SPF 15 blocks 93% of UVB rays, SPF 30 blocks 97%, and SPF 50 to 100 blocks 98%). However, SPF does not tell you anything about protection from UVA radiation, which is the main cause of the darkening and aging our skin. Always look for the term “broad spectrum” on your sunscreen’s label, which indicates that both UVA and UVB protection is provided. Water resistant sunscreen is helpful for warmer, wetter activities. Don’t forget to reapply your sunscreen throughout out the day for optimal protection.

There are many other skin care products but achieving a healthy, glowing complexion is simple with only a few products from a licensed medical skin care professional. If you have questions about your skin and what products are best for you, a quick and efficient consultation is the best option to help build a personalized skin care regimen that works for you.

Why Retinoids Still Rule

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Skin care product launches nearly doubled over the past ten years and the same active ingredient is still used in most of these products. That’s good old retinoid. Retinoid is a class of vitamin A used for skin care since the 70’s. It was developed as an acne treatment in the 60’s by Dr. Albert Kligman, a professor of dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania. Kligman noticed that his acne patients had reduced wrinkles and improved skin tones.

Retinoids are amazing multitaskers! They act directly on the DNA of skin cells, boosting cell functions that slow down once we hit our 30’s. Retinoids increase cellular turnover by sloughing off dead, damaged skin cells, which improves the health and enhances the radiance of your skin. Retinoids also thin the top layer of your skin (the stratum corneum) while thickening the lower layers of the epidermis, helping to achieve a firm and luminous complexion. The benefits continue deeper below the surface. Retinoids boost the production of collagen (the skin’s primary support structure) and prevent collagen breakdown. They also increase the levels of glycosaminoglycans such as hyaluronic acid that keep your skin plump and hydrated.

Which Retinoid is Right for You?

If you are a newbie, over the counter products are a good place to start. Look for retinoids labeled as “encapsulated” or “stabilized” and retinoids called “retinol” or “retinyl palmitate”. These ingredients convert to retinoic acid in the skin. We suggest that you purchase your retinoid in an airless pump because all retinoids are sensitive to light, heat, and air. Vitamin A is prone to breaking down and losing its potency so store your retinoids appropriately.

Prescription retinoids contain pure retinoic acid, which is up to 20 times stronger than OTC products. Higher retinoid levels mean that you will see quicker results but it’s very important not to jump right into prescription strength because of the side effects. The most common side effects include redness, burning, peeling, flaking, and dry skin.

OTC retinoids can give you a brighter, smoother complexion in just a few days but you should allow at least 6 weeks to see noticeable results. After six months, consider moving to a prescription retinoid, but only if your skin feels comfortable and can tolerate the higher strength.

 

How to Care for Your Skin

You finally achieved great skin! Now what? You need to protect your skin daily with an SPF of 30 or higher because retinoids thin out the top layer of dead skin cells, making you more prone to sunburn. So it’s best to apply retinoids only at night to avoid any discomfort during the day. Here are some quick and simple instructions to ramp up faster results:

  1. Wash your face at bedtime with a mild cleanser. You may use an alpha hydroxy acid or a salicylic acid but avoid cleansers containing rough beads. Wait about 20 minutes after cleansing before applying your retinoid to avoid stinging.
  2. Apply a dime sized amount of retinoid (total) to your face, neck, and chest. Do not apply a retinoid inside your orbital bone because it could irritate your eyes. The heat from your face will liquefy the retinoid outside the orbital bone and push it toward your eyes, addressing any fine lines and wrinkles in that area.
  3. Follow the retinoid with a night moisturizer as needed. If your skin is very sensitive, apply a thin layer of moisturizer before applying the retinoid.
  4. If you can’t tolerate the irritation, wash off the retinoid after 15 minutes. This is known as a “short contact” method, which can greatly increase your comfort while slightly lessening the benefits.
  5. Begin using your retinoid twice weekly for two weeks, then increase to three times weekly. If you encounter too much irritation, reduce the frequency until your skin can tolerate the increase. Try to work your way up to nightly applications but, if your skin is most comfortable at three or four times weekly, then stay there.

Retinoids are probably the best single product you can use to improve your skin’s health and beauty.  Follow the simple steps above to make your retinoid experience painless and effective.

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