Elizabeth Anderson's Blog

The number one cosmetic question my patient ask me is "How can I keep my skin looking healthy?".  Included in this entry are some practical, inexpensive recommendations for what you can do on a daily basis to keep your skin looking healthy and youthful.

1.  WEAR SUNSCREEN EVERY DAY

The sun is your skin's worst enemy!  Nothing ages the skin like sun damage.  I recommend that all my patients apply sunscreen with at least SPF 15 to their face every morning.  This doesn't mean you that you have to put on something greasy or have a white stripe down your nose like a lifeguard!  There are quite a few non-oily, non-comedogenic (ie doesn't clog your pores) daily moisturizers that work great.  I use Olay's Complete All Day UV Moisture Lotion.  It's a great moisturizer that is light enough to use every morning.  Make sure your sunscreen blocks both UV-A and UV-B rays.  If you are going to be outside for a long period of time or if it's a very sunny day also put on a hat for better protection.

2.  WASH YOUR FACE

Washing your face every night before bed is a great way to help your skin look its best.  Your skin accumulates a lot of environmental debris throughout the day.  Your skin's natural oils also accumulate during the day.  Washing your face every night helps to remove these substances and keeps them from clogging your pores.  Although there are a number of specialty cleansers, a simple, inexpensive moisturizing soap bar like Dove will work for most people.  Avoid harsher soaps, like Ivory, which can overly dry your skin.

3.  EASY ON THE MAKEUP

Take it easy on heavy makeup, especially foundation products.  Look for products that specifically say "non-comedogenic".  If you do wear heavy makeup for a special event, be sure to carefully wash your face that night.

4.  STOP SMOKING

Smoking is one of the worst things you can do to your skin.  Smoking causes wrinkles and makes the skin look sallow.  The toxins in smoke directly damage your skin.  In addition, the puckering motion and eye squinting people do when they smoke contributes to wrinkles around their mouth and eyes.  Do your skin and your body a favor and stop smoking.

5.  DRINK PLENTY OF WATER

Keeping hydrated is important for your body and your skin.  Staying hydrated keeps your skin  full and radiant.  Especially on hot or sunny days, it's easy for your skin to get dried out so drink extra water on those days.

6.  APPLY AN ANTI-WRINKLE PRODUCT EVERY NIGHT

This recommendation doesn't apply if you're in your teens or twenties, but most of us started to notice those "fine lines and wrinkles", especially around our eyes, mouth, and forehead once we hit our thirties.  Using ananti-wrinkle agent every night really does make a difference.  I like to use both retinoid and anti-oxidant products. The products I like the best, and use myself, are Kinerase, Tretin-X, and Revaleskin.  Don't overdo it, though, as some products can overly dry your skin.

Keeping your skin healthy doesn't require a lot of time during your daily routine and shouldn't have to break the bank either.  If you follow these simple recommendations you can help your skin stay healthy and looking its best.