With the amount of products, trends and influencers it can be hard to tell where to start on a skincare routine as well as what should you be doing and how often. Here are some dermatologist recommendations on the basics as well as some extra ways to pamper your skin.
Daily
For day-to-day overall skin health try:
>Using gentle, fragrance free cleansers and moisturizers
>Wearing sunscreen every single day
>Staying hydrated
It’s important to to take the time to care for your skin daily and work with your skin type for products that suit you best. For a general guide, gentle cleansers and moisturizers are products you should consider using daily to keep your skin healthy and glowing. It is also best to stay hydrated as your skin loses water throughout the day. Using gentle products reduces the amount of water lost through the skin, but keeping on top of your water intake can help make sure your skin doesn’t dry out or get flaky.
An extra measure you can add into a daily routine is to include a topical antioxidant, like a vitamin c serum. Use in the morning to prevent skin damage from the sun and help your skin detox itself from environmental factors such as pollution, infrared light, blue light and smoke. Vitamin c serum also helps to brighten the skin and promote skin cell turnover.
Weekly
While you can use the above tips for daily care, there are some products and treatments for your skin that should be limited to weekly use to prevent damage. One common mistake dermatologists see in skincare routines is over exfoliating or using harsh products, where traditional exfoliants can make microscopic injuries to the skin. It is recommended to use an exfoliant with more control like a pad with mild glycolic or salicylic acid. By using products with a more controlled and uniform application you will have more consistent results as well as an added bonus to help brighten the skin and fade dark spots.
Another product that dermatologists recommend limiting to once or twice a week are moisturizing masks. Leaving a mask dry on your face or leaving a mask on for too long can allow the ingredients to dry and irritate the skin.
Monthly
More aggressive dermatology services like facials, extractions, chemical peels, micro needling or derma planing should be limited to once a month while laser treatments for resurfacing or dark spot treatments should be even less frequent, about every three to four months. This allows your skin enough time to recover from the treatment and your skin cells time to shed, which occurs every 4-6 weeks.
Dermatologist Tips
Practicing good daily, weekly and monthly skincare routines are a great way to achieve healthy and vibrant skin however some skin conditions may need some extra care. See these tips below for how to best deal with dark circles and facial wrinkles.
Facial Wrinkles
The best dermatology recommendation for facial wrinkles is preventative care, which many of us do not focus on until we already have facial wrinkles. Your current skincare regimen will determine how your skin will look in the next five to ten years, so being proactive and staying on top of routine can help you down the line. The first key to helping with fine lines and wrinkles is skin protection with sunscreen. UV rays are the reason why skin breaks down over time and for loss of volume. Nightly retinols are the best products to minimize and reduce facial wrinkles. Overall smoking and excessive drinking can also be contributors of wrinkles, so reducing or limiting alcohol and cigarettes can also help.
Dark Circles
Dark circles can be sourced from genetics or skin pigment, but there are several other causes and ways to help reduce or improve dark under eyes.
Allergies could be the culprit behind it and taking daily non drowsy antihistamines like Zyrtec or Allegra could help reduce the appearance of dark circles.
As we age our skin thins and blood vessels become more prominent which can also be a cause. Keeping your skin hydrated with products made specifically to use around the eyes can help with discoloration. Try using an eye cream that contains caffeine to reduce puffiness or swelling or using a chilled derma roller from the fridge.
Being tired or experiencing regular fatigue can also be a root cause of dark circles. Getting more sleep can also help improve dark circles.
Overall general care topicals have not been shown to help with dark circles, however people can get benefits from under eye fillers. Being proactive about protecting yourself from the sun and reducing or eliminating tanning beds can also improve your skin health. The best advice from our dermatologists is to listen to your skin. If things are not improving get it checked out sooner rather than later.
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