Beauty may only be skin deep, as the saying goes, but maximizing the natural beauty of your skin requires digging deep into the science of good skincare. How do you get glowing skin? There are five key product categories that should be represented strongly in your skincare arsenal to fight off the effects of aging skin. The five key product categories include cleanser and hydrators, exfoliators, pigment controllers, anti-aging and restoring agents, and lastly protective agents.
Key Products to Have for Life Long Great Skincare
Cleansers and Hydrators
You have to cleanse and hydrate your skin daily with a gentle cleanser that’s pH neutral. Using a pH neutral cleanser is important because it keeps your skin supple, and it can help remove impurities, thus leading to glowing skin. Harsh cleansers may make your skin feel squeaky clean but they also may be doing more damage than good. Dehydration is a key factor in premature aging of the skin. Hydrators such as moisturizers help to topically provide the hydration that your skin so desperately needs to stay youthful and supple.
Exfoliators
How do you get glowing skin? Exfoliators aid in the removal of dead skin cells at the outmost layer of skin, thus improving the look, feel, and glow of your skin. Two main groups of exfoliators include mechanical exfoliation and chemical exfoliation. Mechanical exfoliation is attained by using products that manually remove dead skin cells. This style of exfoliation is common in most drugstore exfoliators and use small beads or crushed particles that abrade the dead skin cells off the skin. Chemical exfoliators use natural or artificial acids found in plants or food to literally dissolve the dead skin so that it can be washed off. We suggest looking for products containing 10 percent Alpha and/or Beta hydroxyl food acids, which help turn over the cells in the skin’s outer layer only.
Pigment Controllers
Pigment controllers, such as hydroquinone or Kojic acid aid in brightening the skin and reversing mild to moderate hyperpigmentation and sun damage. Pigment controllers, such as these, will even out your overall skin tone. Selective use is recommended, depending on your skin pigmentation area and problems. When using pigment controllers to reverse the effects of sun damage, it is key to make sure you use protective agents such as sunblock to prevent reoccurrence of the damage.
Anti-aging and Restoring Agents
Anti-aging and restoring agents are one of the most important items to have in your skincare arsenal. Perhaps the most important, are the anti-aging restorative agents, such as Retin-A, a topical retinoid that’s derived from Vitamin A. Retin-A is scientifically proven to work as an anti-aging product. Retin-A works by accelerating the process by which your skin cells turn over. Did you know that normally, your skin cells turn over about every six weeks on average? But with the use of a Retin-A, this process takes only six days. That’s why you get flaking when you’re using Retin-A. This faster turnover will improve the look and feel of skin by reducing the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines, as well as evening out the skin tone long-term. Another great anti-aging agent is topical Vitamin C. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant which helps to repair and reset sun-damaged skin.
Protective Agents
If you are going to spend the time repairing your skin, you need to protect it. Protective agents such as sunscreen will do more to protect your skin and keep it youthful as you age. Your sunscreen should be at least SPF, or Sun Protective Factor, 30 or higher and provide protection against both UVA and UVB rays. UVA rays can prematurely age your skin while UVB rays can burn your skin. Both UVA and UVB rays cause long-lasting skin damage and expedite the aging process.
Great skin starts with great skincare and the knowledge of how the skin works. When considering new skincare, it is important to find products that are backed by research and are proven to work. A partnership with an experienced board-certified plastic surgeon who is an expert in the field of anti-aging can be your greatest asset to fighting off the natural aging process. For your safety, we cannot stress the importance of discussing your skincare goals with a board-certified plastic surgeon who understands the aging process and can determine whether proper skincare, noninvasive procedures, or invasive surgical procedures will be required to achieve your desired results.
Dr. Rod J. Rohrich is an internationally known, highly respected and skilled plastic and cosmetic surgeon from Dallas, Texas. He is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and has led most of the key professional organizations in plastic surgery in the USA. He has received numerous honors and awards in plastic and cosmetic surgery, both nationally and internationally. In addition to his extensive surgical expertise and talent as a gifted surgeon, he is the Founding Chair and Distinguished Teaching Professor of Plastic Surgery at UT Southwestern Medical Center. He has authored hundreds of innovative academic publications in the field and he also serves as the Editor in Chief of the leading plastic and reconstructive surgery journal, the Journal of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Dr. Rohrich has also performed philanthropic work as a civic leader of organizations such as the March of Dimes, American Cancer Society and Save the Children and has established the Rod J. Rohrich, M.D. Foundation, which supports medical students in his native North Dakota. He is also a founding member and President of AiRS, the Alliance in Reconstructive Surgery, which serves to support education and reconstructive surgery for breast cancer survivors, regardless of financial status. Dr. Rohrich has repeatedly been featured as one of the best plastic surgeons in the country by US News and World Report, Harper’s Bazaar, Good Housekeeping and Texas Monthly as well as being quoted in notable publications such as the New York Times and Boston Globe. He has appeared on many television shows including Oprah, the View, and Good Morning America and is currently working to provide a reliable source of public-centered information in the fields of plastic and cosmetic surgery as well as other areas of medicine.