It’s not the worst thing in the world to look your age; however we all know that how we look impacts how others treat us, and more importantly how we feel about ourselves.
We all want to look good. But every day our skin takes a beating from our environment, our lifestyle, our genetics, and, most cruelly of all, the sun.
There are a few steps we can take to make sure that we age gracefully so that we don’t look old beyond our years. Here are a few of my top recommendations.
1. Use sunscreen. Every day.
I harp on this one quite a bit, but only because it’s true: the sun is responsible for fine lines, premature aging, and 99% of skin cancers. Using the proper sunscreen every time you go outside during the day will help prevent this. I wrote a blog post about which type of sunscreen to choose here.
2. Maintain a good skincare regimen
Taking care of your skin doesn’t have to take a long time, but you must be consistent with it if you want to keep your glow. For myself, I maintain a routine that takes less than five minutes every morning and evening, and I vary it slightly through the year and cycle through with certain products depending on the season. I’ll be sharing more about my detailed regimen in a future post, so please go to the bottom of the page and subscribe to my blog!
3. Use the right products
Most dermatologists know that over-the-counter moisturizers won’t do much to fight aging, unless they have certain active ingredients in them. Look for products that contain Vitamin-C, retinoic acid, hyaluronic acid, and make sure you talk to a skincare professional to make sure you use them safely. I’m working on a list of my recommended products for any budget for a future post, so again... please subscribe!
4. Use Retinoic acid… but sparingly
Retinoic acid, which also goes by the names Retinol or Tretinoin, is an incredibly potent source of collagen-producing vitamin A for your skin. It can help diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, pigmentation and acne. It also helps to build collagen, minimizes pore size and evens skin tone. However, because it is so powerful, you should be careful how often you use it. Using it too often can cause redness or even cause your skin to flake off! My advice is to use a pea-sized dab and spread it around, or limit your use to two or three times a week.
5. Invest in some procedures
There are a few treatments that can make a remarkable difference in fighting aging. Dermal fillers for instance can erase fine lines and wrinkles, and lasers can erase sunspots and skin irregularities and activate collagen. Another new treatment that’s become very popular is a thread lift, which also activates your skin’s natural collagen while giving an immediate lift to sagging cheek muscles. Talk to a dermatologist when considering a treatment to find out how to get the most bang for your buck.
6. Fight your genes
It’s a sad fact that how we age is determined by our genetics. Don’t help them along. Avoiding smoking, eating healthy foods, and getting regular exercise and eight hours of sleep a night will help fight against Mother Nature’s ravages. Also carrying extra weight as we get older will stretch the skin, which will loosen and sag if you drop weight or when gravity starts to take its toll. Keep it high and tight for as long as you can, and let your genetics take a back seat to your healthy lifestyle!
Well that’s it! I hope these tips will help you maintain healthy, youthful skin far into the future. If you have any questions about anything I’ve written, please feel free to message me! And don’t forget to LIKE Derm Diva Pro on Facebook and subscribe to my Instagram feed.