By: Dr. Vassilia Young
If there is one thing I have realized over my 22 year Dermatology practice experience is that all aging skin changes are not created equal.
Much like every other trait we acquire (eye color, height, hair texture, etc.), an individual’s face, neck and hands age variably.
Although heredity predicts for many the way they will show their chronological age, this alone is not perfectly indicative.
All aging can be nicely addressed and managed with a careful planning. Avoiding unnecessary sun exposure and treating any accompanying factors (e.g. undue dryness, acne or rosacea) can often make the difference between two unrelated individuals (despite their different genes). Therefore, it is wise to begin an excellent skin care plan as early as possible.
People will often seek advice regarding skin improvement later in life when they can actually see textural changes, wrinkles and excess skin laxity. Although many or most can be helped at any stage, I often urge my young patients to begin loving their skin now! Preventing problems is always easier than treating an existing one!
So how does one win the battle against wrinkles, laxity and discoloration?
Start early!
People can benefit from starting as early as their teens.
Begin utilizing a face and neck sunblock on a daily basis
You need to be doing this. Period. Protect your skin from the sun. Aside from the anti-aging benefits, sunblock protect against skin cancer.
Non-melanoma skin cancer is the most common type of cancer. “Affecting more than 1 million people a year, skin cancer can form in the skin cells on any part of the body, though most commonly on skin that’s been exposed to the sun (1).”
Retinol
“Retinoids (the umbrella term for retinol products) are powerful enough to improve skin texture, pigmentation, and tone in just a few drops of serum or dollops of cream (2).”
Utilize calming and gentle cleansers
Daily and meticulous use of gentle cleansers can protect your skin from the damaging agents you put on it during the day. Remove all your make-up at the end up of the night and give your skin a break!
Specialized facials and Microdermabrasion
Examples of available services can be found here.
Botox and Juvaderm
Ladies after age 30 should also consider the preventative use of small doses of Botox in highly muscle driven areas such as the frown region of the glabella to keep those unsightly frown lines from forming. My personal view is that smile lines and other expression lines are not generally offensive to the gentle nature of a woman’s face but frown lines don’t seem to complement it. Frown lines should be kept at minimal expression.
Moisturize
Just be nice to your skin. It’s nice to you.
About me
My cosmetic clients always have a chance to ask me for a personalized evaluation and plan and I always address what I feel the most critical aging changes are first. Alternative comprehensive plans are available for the other less offensive aging concerns.
Complementary skin care and plans are daily available at Black Hills Dermatology Monday through Thursday. I invite all ladies to see me for a plan. All budgets are always respected.
If you live in the Black Hills area or nearby states and would like a free consultation with Dr. Young, you can call (605)341-5565.
Aphrodite's Corner 