A team of experts analyzed photographs of the faces of 186 pairs of identical twins, taken at the Twins Day Festival in Twinsburg, Ohio. The twins had also filled out detailed questionnaires about their lives and daily habits. Those who smoked and spent lots of time outdoors without wearing sunscreen looked years older than the twin who avoided those habits. They had more fine lines, more and deeper wrinkles, and more mottled skin.
The results of this study should be no surprise! We have heard it over and over again. So secrets number one and two are wake-up reminders:
NUMBER ONE: NO SMOKING
Do not smoke — for the sake of your overall health as well as your appearance.
NUMBER TWO: SUNSCREEN
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Wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays with an SPF of 30 or higher, even on cloudy days.
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Reapply your sunscreen every two to three hours you’re outdoors.
NUMBER THREE: RETINOIDS
Consider the use of Retinoids. Retinoids are sold by prescription only under names that include Renova, Retin-A, and in its generic form, Tretinoin.
Retinoids unplug pores, help clear up acne, reduce fine lines, boost collagen production, lighten brown spots and freckles, and improve skin texture. They can even help treat precancerous lesions. The downside to Retinoids is that they can cause dryness, flaking, and redness at first. So start out slowly by applying a pea-sized amount of retinoid every second or third night until your skin adjusts to it. If your skin continues to overreact, Web MD suggests trying an over-the-counter cream, gel, or serum containing retinol. Although the non-prescriptive version works more gradually and gently, it is still effective in rejuvenating your skin.
NUMBER FOUR: SIMPLIFY
Noted dermatologist, Dr. Vic Narurkar, introduced me to the KISS philosophy (Keep it Simple Stupid) when writing his chapter in my book, Tick Tock, Stop the Clock ~ Getting Pretty on Your Lunch Hour. WebMD reiterates the importance of sticking to a simple routine in its current article. Not only can using a lot of different ingredients be irritating to the skin, some ingredients actually cancel out the benefits of others.
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Examples they provide include, the acid in salicylic or glycolic acid breaks down ingredients like retinol, hydroquinone or vitamin C. The products we need for beautiful skin are a simple cleanser, sunscreen, moisturizer, and a retinoid or retinol.
The simpler your skincare regimen, the more likely you are to stick with it.
NUMBER FIVE: PATIENCE
Give your products a chance to work. Finish the entire tube or bottle of a skincare product before evaluating its effectiveness. Changing your products every couple of weeks can actually be counterproductive. But if your skin reacts to a new product with swelling, redness, or burning, stop using it immediately.
You might, however consider adjusting your beauty regimen seasonally. For example, your skin might do better with an oil-free moisturizer in the summer and a more emollient one during the winter when frigid temperatures and indoor heating can rob moisture from your skin.
NUMBER SIX: LIVE HEALTHY
Practice healthy daily habits in your diet and exercise regime.
Healthy habits include regular exercise and at least seven hours of sleep each night.
A healthy diet is rich in fruits (especially berries), vegetables (especially spinach, raw veggies and salads), oily fish as salmon, and plenty of water throughout the day.
Now if you’ve already “been there done that”, and want to step up to the next level in minimally invasive professional treatments, read my article, “How Cosmetic Dermatology Can Enhance the Appearance of Your Skin” .
Enjoy the read and please let me know
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What a wounderful post. You have made a lot of good points on basic skin care solutions. There is a simple plan that I have read about in a book called The Beautiful Skin Workout.to increase your skin’s health. One should cleanse, exfoliate, activate, moisturize and protect the skin from sun exposure.
These are all basic steps to good skin care, but you need to be careful about using moisturizer. People with oily skin don’t need it and actually might cause their skin to break out. Here is a link to an article taken from, Tick Tock, Stop the Clock ~ Getting Pretty on Your Lunch Hour that I think you would enjoy. http://www.ticktockstoptheclock.com/Articles/skin_care.html
BTW: I put out a neat little newsletter once per month on beauty of the face and body and inner beauty inspiring stories. You can sign up at: http://www.sexliesandcosmeticsurgery.com/NEWSLETTER.html
Above posts and article are excellent. However, there is one aspect of skin care that we all tend to ignore and in my opinion it is the most important. Our environment and how it effects our skin and the products that we utilize on it. So if you look outside and see the white stuff, there should be a different approach to treating our skin in winter as opposed to summer: Dry weather and holiday stress can take its toll. Here are some tips to combat the effects of harsh winter conditions.
1.Use your toner regularly, it helps to balance the pH of your skin and helps your products perform better. 2. Avoid excessive sugar intake,, it tends to break down collagen in our skin 3.Exfoliate regularly to get rid of dry dead skin caused by drying 4.Don’t forget to use deep-hydrating creams and facials to ensure your skin is receiving enough moisture during this harsh, dry season. The best time to apply a moisturizer is just after getting out of the shower while your skin is still moist.
An example of why environment is important in skin care: Two Identical twins, one lives in Alaska and the other in Florida. Even though they are genetically identical, their recommended skin care plans will be totally different. Good Luck
Dr. Rucker, you have become a regular contributor here and I so welcome you and the time you are taking to add your considerable knowledge to this forum. Now I need to get with skin toner myself – a step I regularly omit!
Thanks for the reminder!
Warm regards,
Lois