Posted October 01, 2018 in Blog
When it comes to the basics of good skin care, it can be hard to know just where to start. With numerous TV and magazine ads all promising the best “doctor-recommended” products and gadgets, how do you know what’s true and what’s just a gimmick? We’ve asked the expert aestheticians at Alchemy Aesthetics to give us their “Top 5 Tips” for skin care that actually works.
Here is what they told us.
- Get an adequate amount of sleep.
Sleep is essential for a well-rounded, healthy lifestyle. We all know that when we lose sleep or are sleep deprived, it affects our energy and active abilities. But did you know there could be more severe consequences to burning the midnight oil?
Sleep deprivation can result in bags under the eyes, skin that looks sallow, and facial sagging. When you lose hours of needed rest, your body becomes sleep-deprived. In order to compensate, the body produces higher levels of the hormone cortisol. High levels of cortisol can lead to increased stress and inflammation in the body. These high levels can affect not only the appearance of the skin, but can also increase your chance of manifesting more extreme health conditions that include: high blood pressure, diabetes, heart attack, heart failure, and stroke.
- Drink water and hydrate your body.
Most of us have seen diets that start with an 8×8 rule: drink eight 8oz. glasses of water every day. This suggestion has led many people to ask: why do we need so much water?
Think of your skin like a sponge. If you fill a sponge with water, it expands. Creases and crevices swell with fluid so that it looks full and dewy. Now, if you squeeze the sponge and drain the fluid inside, what does the sponge look like? Flat, caved in, and wrinkled up. We lose water through normal bodily activities such as breathing, sweating and digestion. Because your body uses water to help cells and organs function, you need to replenish what you use.
- Protect your skin with sunscreen every day.
Let’s go back to our sponge analogy. Imagine that you have soaked your sponge in water so that it’s full and dewy. Now, if you lay your sponge in the sun, what happens? It dries up, draws up and, in some instances, becomes discolored or “dry rots”. Our skin is much the same.
The more exposure we have to the sun’s ultraviolet rays, the more likely our skin is to become dehydrated, damaged and, in some cases, cancerous. A daily sunscreen helps to prevent some of the stress we put on our constantly sun-exposed skin. Even on cloudy days and indoors, we are still exposed to ultraviolet rays. Choose low-to-high SPF products depending on what your activities are, but always put it on.
- Apply Retinol as needed.
Now that you have rested, hydrated, and blocked your skin from the sun, what’s next? Let’s turn those old, damaged cells into new, healthy cells by applying a retinol product to your skin a couple of times a week. Retinol helps promote the surface skin to shed and develop new, fresher skin cells. As we age, we lose collagen and that increases the appearance of aged and hollow skin. A good retinol regimen helps to promote collagen retention and lessens the appearance of volume loss and wrinkles. Not all retinols are made the same; they come in different strengths for different skin types. For this tip, you will need the advice of an aesthetic partner to help match your skin to the right retinol product.
- Find a good aesthetic partner to guide you.
It is essential to find an expert aesthetic partner to guide you on your journey to beautiful healthy skin. Just like our fingerprints, our skin is unique and individual. Our approach to skin care should be as well.
While the above foundation tips are easily implemented on our own, furthering your efforts for beautiful skin may require a little more hand-holding. There are a plethora of treatments and products available to us these days. Deciding what will work for you can be intimidating. An aesthetic partner can evaluate, become familiar with, and educate you on what your individual skin needs are. As we age our skin care regime will inevitable need change; wouldn’t it be nice to have someone familiar with your unique skin to help guide you through that skin evolution?
The professionals at the Plastic Surgery Centre of Atlanta, led by board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. David B. Brothers, are dedicated to helping you find your perfect skin care routine. To see how we can assist you, contact us today and schedule your free consultation.
