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By Katie Keel- APRN-C & MidState Skin Institute
Now that January and February are behind us it’s time to ask – did you keep your New Year’s Resolutions? About 50% of adults in the US make New Year’s Resolutions but fewer than 10% actually keep them. If you were one of the 90% of those who don’t, it’s not too late to make a new one. One you can keep and reap the benefits for years to come. One you don’t have to wake up at 5am to get to the gym for or miss out on your favorite candy, chip, or baked good. Let’s pick one you can do in the comfort of your own bathroom and takes 2-3 minutes, the same amount of time you spend brushing your teeth. Let’s take care of our skin!
“You can’t help getting older, but you don’t have to get old.” – George Burns
At MidState Skin we like to change that quote a little bit – You can’t help getting older but you don’t have to LOOK old. This month we will discuss with you how to fight looking older, tooth and nail, but first we need a bit of background to discuss the pathology behind lines, wrinkles, skin discoloration and aging. Lines and wrinkles form from a combination of sun damage, gravity, smoking, genetics and muscle movement.
Although some of these things we don’t have control over, the good news is many of these factors we do have control over. First, sun damage – in case you haven’t heard, sunscreen is your friend. The key is finding one that is a physical or mineral sunscreen that contains active ingredients like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Apply it every morning even if it’s raining or you “aren’t going anywhere”. It is the little bit of sun exposure every day while driving in the car, walking to get the mail or into the store that accumulates and accelerates skin aging.
Gravity – darn you Sir Isaac Newton, can’t control this one, we will skip it.
Smoking – if you never have, never start, and if you currently smoke there are so many options to help quit. On average it takes seven times to successfully stop smoking. If you slip, get back up and try again. You are not alone.
Genetics – quite literally you can’t live without them. We all have that friend that uses only water to wash their face and Ponds Cold Cream to moisturize and doesn’t have a single spot, line, wrinkle, or acne bump. More likely than Ponds Cold Cream being a miracle product, your friend probably is just blessed with that skin genetically.
Notice we saved the best for last – muscle movement. Despite great advertising and famous paid spokespeople there is nothing topically that will decrease the muscle movement beneath the skin which is driving the collagen loss and furrows and lines. We call these dynamic wrinkles. Each muscle contraction and facial movement causes the skin to bunch together forming lines between the bulk of the muscle. Dynamic lines include the “frown” lines between your eyebrows, “crows feet” on either side of your eyes, and horizontal forehead lines. Once you see fine lines forming the damage is being done. It is time to seriously think about a sprinkle of Botox. The longer you wait because you “aren’t old enough for Botox”, the harder and more expensive it is going to be to improve those lines.
Contrary to popular belief, well placed Botox will not make you look fake or frozen. In fact, well placed Botox will result in barely perceptible decrease in expressions and amazing relaxation of the dynamic lines of your face. Your friends and family won’t be asking if you got Botox, they will be asking you if you got your hair done or what makeup or moisturizer you are using. There is a high likelihood your friend that “only washes her face with water and uses Ponds Cold Cream to moisturize” is sitting in our Botox cosmetic chair as we speak.
But – you may say – Botox is too expensive – WRONG. You can achieve a full face refreshed, natural result from Botox for about 35 – 40 units which will last 3-4 months. For $25 a week, you can have less lines on your face and look more refreshed and radiant. Remember, the deeper the line, the more Botox will be needed; therefore increased cost if you decide to wait until you are “old enough”.
There is no magic age to start but remember, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. Why is it no one bats an eye when you start eating healthier, exercising, reading more, drinking more water, highlighting your hair and getting a fun haircut, or getting a well-deserved pedicure but Botox and filler has to be such a taboo subject? Well it is 2021 and it doesn’t have to be taboo anymore if we don’t let it.
Like all great things in life, repetition, consistency and maintenance is key – whether it is exercising, relationships, eating right, parenting or keeping up with never ending laundry and housework. Your mind and your body and your health are your greatest gift and it’s time you start investing in all three if you aren’t already. You can invest in your mind by reading, meditating, praying, learning a new language to name a few. You can invest in your body and your health by eating clean, moving your body, and stopping (or at least decreasing frequency of) habits like smoking or fast food. Let’s take this a step further and discuss investing in your skin!
You owe it to yourself (and your skin) to set aside a couple minutes in the morning and before bed to cleanse, treat, and moisturize. However, walking the aisle in the personal care/beauty section of a store is overwhelming. There are so many options for cleansing, treating and moisturizing where do you start? Let’s start at the basics: cleanse, treat, moisturize and prevent.
This chart below can be printed, taken to the store as your shopping list and taped to your bathroom mirror until it becomes second nature. There are two columns – one for medical grade skincare and one for drugstore finds. Medical grade skincare is of higher potency and active ingredients and therefore is typically a bit more of an investment. If you have been trying drugstore products and not seeing results, it is probably time to run to your dermatologist’s office to pick up something a little more potent.
Good habits start young and in conclusion we will touch on adolescent issues or teenage skincare. Starting a good skincare routine early in life can make it a habit that lasts into adulthood. Good, consistent skin care can help prevent or control acne, prevent acne scarring and prevent sun damage and pigmentation. Acne scars, sun damage and pigmentation can be forever or extremely expensive to improve (note: we did not use the word cure or fix). What doesn’t bother a teen now, might when they get a little older or in adulthood. A good teenage skincare regimen doesn’t have to be complex or expensive, but it does have to be consistent. Waking up 2 minutes early each day to ensure at least a 30 second cleanse and moisturizer with sunscreen is key to good habits and clearer skin. Trying to tell a teenager this is difficult but if you buy them, number them in order of use or tape instructions to their mirror, there is a good chance they will use them. You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink is true, but if you make it easy and put it in clear line of sight, likelihood increases.
There is no more profitable investment than investing in yourself and an investment in yourself pays the highest dividends. If there is anything we at MidState can do to help your skin goals please give us a call!
Featured Products
This revitalizing cleanser effectively removes dirt, makeup and excess lipids without damaging the skin barrier.
BENEFITS
- Non-irritating foaming gel cleanser
- Slightly acidic pH
- Excellent professional cleanser that works well prior to microdermabrasion, chemical peeling, enzyme or oxygen treatments
Micro-Exfoliating Honey Cleanser
Micro-beads of natural beeswax gently cleanse and exfoliate, while absorbing excess oil. Leaves all skin types feeling fresh and revitalized.
BENEFITS
- Gently exfoliates, leaving the skin silky and smooth
- Naturally oil absorbing and hydrating at the same time
- Fragrance-free and sulfate-free
- Gentle enough to be used twice daily
