New Year’s Habits to begin Today

It’s that time of year when men and women who’ve resolved to turn their lives around through a few New Year’s resolutions find out that those resolutions are pretty hard to keep. Nine times out of ten, most of us don’t keep our resolutions. That’s because we usually choose resolutions that are difficult to maintain and habits that are hard to break.

Luckily, you can make a resolution any time you want — on New Year’s Eve or in mid-January or any other time of the year. The key to all successful resolutions is choosing one or two, max, and keeping them simple.

As a board-certified plastic surgeon, I’m frequently asked about the best beauty New Year’s habits. Without further ado, here is my list of New Year’s habits to begin today:

Basic skin care resolutions

If you’re not already doing these basic skin care habits, now is a great time to start! They’re easy to incorporate into your daily routine, which makes them great resolutions.

• Avoid the sun and use a real sunscreen.

We all know that the sun is one of the major sources of skin damage. Avoid too much sun exposure by wearing sunscreen, a hat, or simply limiting your time outdoors. When choosing sunscreen, be sure to find one with both UVA and UVB protection, as well as SPF 30 or higher.

• Use basic, oil free moisturizer on a daily basis.

A basic, oil free moisturizer with SPF applied every morning before you head out keeps your skin hydrated and protected throughout the day.

• Wash your face before going to bed.

While it’s often tempting to fall asleep without washing off your makeup, taking the time to cleanse your skin every evening protects your skin from the oil and dirt that builds up during the day that can clog pores and cause breakouts at night.

Scientific-based skin care resolutions

If you’re ready to move beyond basic skin care, you might want to delve into more intense skin care treatments. Resolve to do the procedures that will make your skin look and feel great, like some of these:

• Chemical peel.

With a light chemical peel, a chemical solution will be applied to your face and then peeled off, revealing fresh, smooth, and less-wrinkled skin underneath. Peels can be a light, moderate, or deep, depending on your needs. A deep peel must be performed by a board-certified dermatologist or plastic surgeon with expertise in chemical peels to maximize results and minimize the potential for complications.

• Fillers.

Fillers are a natural or bioengineered FDA approved material injected into the skin to plump it until the wrinkles soften and deflated cheeks and temple areas fill. They are fairly long lasting, some persisting up to a year.

• Botox.

Botox is a neuromodulator gently and carefully injected into the forehead and around the eyes to soften and reshape the brows and eyelids, as well as soften the movement of the muscles that causes wrinkles.

Resolutions that are all about you

At the end of the day, what matters is that you look and feel good. The best way to do this?

• Exercise regularly.

By resolving to exercise regularly, perhaps taking a long walk two or three times a week or joining a recreational sports team of your choice, you’ll not only ensure your skin and entire body and brain remain healthy, you’ll also feel better overall. The key is to exercise to your maximal age-appropriate heart rate at least five times a week.

• Eat healthy.

Eating healthy can mean a lot of different things. As mentioned above, it’s important to make manageable goals that don’t feel too overwhelming. Maybe a realistic goal involving diet means forgoing any sodas except once a week. Or, perhaps, it means adding an extra serving of vegetables to one meal a day. Or maybe you drink eight glasses of water per day, especially before meals. Remember: when it comes to eating, less is more. Your input equals your input, so be careful what you put in your mouth! Choose a reachable goal that will make you healthier in the long run.

• Spend time with friends.

One of the sure ways to a happy, full life? Spending time with friends and family who you love and who love you in return! By resolving to make your community a more prevalent part of your life, your sense of meaning and overall happiness will increase tenfold.

Want more great lifestyle and skin care tips?

Drop me a line! I’m here to answer your pressing questions and give you the truth about what really works and doesn’t work in plastic surgery. Don’t rely on faulty information — get the correct information right here right now.