None of my friends do any kind of med spa treatments, nor do they use professional skin care products. No facials, no peels, no Botox, no retinoids….Nothing! I never really bring it up because 1) I figure if they were interested, they would ask and, 2) I understand money can be a big barrier to medical spa treatments. But even just some small changes in a skin care routine can make a huge difference in your skin.
Here are five things I wish everyone knew about skincare:
1) "Shaving" your face makes a huge difference in your appearance. I was going to list dermaplaning here but then thought of the Skin Ceuticals MicroPeel. This is a fairly miraculous treatment. It’s a three-step process that leaves your skin immediately glowing. The first step is dermaplaning, which is not only a great way to exfoliate dead skin cells, but it also removes the peach fuzz from your face, leaving your skin completely smooth. The second step is a customized chemical peel, which exfoliates as well as stimulates collagen regrowth for long term improvement in your skin. The third step is a cryo ball which is an anti-inflammatory and antibacterial freezing procedure that increases cell turnover and leaves skin feeling cool and tight. This is a procedure that all of us do before any important event, simply because it really does leave you glowing.
2) Some products really do work. Professional product lines promise all sorts of results. If you’re looking for dramatic change, you will need to turn towards fillers or Botox. But quality products can definitely make changes in your skin. A few of my favorites that have great result are Skin Ceuticals CE Ferulic, tretinoin cream or Skin Better’s AlphaRet, and Elta MD’s UV Daily Tinted.
The CE Ferulic is an antioxidant. In general, antioxidants help speed up the skin's natural repair process and inhibit further damage from UV rays. They can also act as a preventative for further sun damage, and they can help your skin heal faster after laser or microneedling procedures gives your skin more elasticity. As an added bonus, I notice it gives you an immediate brightening or glowing effect.
Prescription strength tretinoin cream and AlphaRet actually change your skin quality over time. They exfoliate, help with skin cell turn over and production of newer, more pliable and healthy skin. Retinoids also increase the production of hyaluronic acid and collagen. They give the skin a more hydrated and firmer appearance. You will definitely notice a positive change in your skin when using either product.
The UV Daily Tinted is what I use instead of foundation. The tint blends any discoloration and the hyaluronic acid gives a very elegant and hydrating feeling to the product. It also has the benefit of UV protection!
3) Botox does more than smooth wrinkles. I won’t linger too long on this one as I just posted a blog all about it. But Botox has been shown to increase skin’s pliability and elasticity, making your skin appear more hydrated, supple and youthful.
4) Microneedling is miraculous. Microneedling stimulates the production of new collagen, using our skin’s ability to heal itself. The tiny needles make microscopic channels in the skin, triggering the body’s healing response: it stimulates the skin to regenerate and repair itself naturally. Your skin reacts to any injury by initiating the healing process.
The result is increased blood supply to the skin layers and the formation of more collagen and elastin (which give your skin elasticity and firmness). This treatment also allows for topical agents to be delivered directly into the deeper skin layers. Typical products used are Hyalis, a hyaluronic acid with growth factors, or your own platelet-rich plasma (PRP).
Immediately after the treatment you will be red for about one day, and then you will notice better skin quality and clarity. Doing a series of treatments can make dramatic changes to skin texture and pigmentation, even greatly diminishing acne scars.
5) Looking younger doesn’t have to cost a fortune. There are many affordable professional-grade products that will help promote healthier skin. Chemical peels and facials help exfoliate and stimulate collagen and cell turnover, and won’t break the bank. Even microneedling and the MicroPeel are quite affordable and have lasting results.