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Want to avoid aging skin?
Start at infancy. Stay out of the sun, and your face will be almost as
smooth as a baby's bottom.
"Ninety percent of the changes in skin appearance that people don’t like as
they get older – the wrinkling, irregular pigmentation, bumps and growths –
are due to sun exposure," says Lynn Cowie, licensed Clinical Esthetician and
Founder of the Eastbay Acne & Skin Care Clinic.
“Aging, alone, does not cause these changes.”
Four components contribute to skin aging:
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Sunlight (and
Ultra-Violet [UV] radiation, in general), damages the skin. UV-damaged skin
creates less collagen and is drier. Those factors lead to more wrinkles;
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Muscle Movements
bring the creases associated with facial expressions, such as frowning or
squinting;
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Sleep Positions
etch lines into the skin, especially by lying on one side more than the
other.
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Gravity is
responsible for sags, folds and furrows.
Anti-Aging Tips:
- Protect yourself from UV exposure,
or stay out of the sun!
90%
of the signs of aging skin are caused by excessive UV exposure.
- Maintain a stable body weight. As
weight varies, the constant stretching and contracting of the skin leads
to saggy skin.
- Don't smoke! Smoking reduces
blood flow to the skin, thereby reducing the flow of nutrients and oxygen
that are necessary for growth and healing. That's why smokers often look
ten years older than they really are.
- Keep your skin moisturized to
provide the moisture your skin needs to stay supple and
'wrinkle-resistant!' When skin is properly moisturized, cracking and skin
infections are greatly reduced.
- Take advantage of the new skin care
products, like Jan Marini's "Age Intervention" line of skin care
products, that can actually heal and renew aging and sun-damaged skin.
Of course, we can't turn back the clock to
reverse the effect our life and lifestyle have had on our skin.
However, in the last few years, powerful new medications and techniques have
become available that actually reduce wrinkles, rejuvenate skin and wipe
years off our faces.
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Medications and ProductsVitamin
A acid, also known as Retin-A or Retinoic Acid, is the only
drug approved by the FDA for reversing skin aging due to sun damage. Extensive studies have shown that it improves fine wrinkling, uneven
pigmentation and rough skin texture. Regular daily use of retinoic acid over a period of four to six
months or longer not only improves skin appearance but also increases the
amount of collagen, normalizes skin cells that are pre-cancerous and blocks
the ability of the ultraviolet rays of the sun to destroy the underlying
matrix of the skin. Clinical
trials show that improvements remain up to four years.
Vitamin A acid is now available in a mineral-oil base called Renova,
which is less irritating to the skin than Retin-A.
Note: Pregnant women
should check with their doctors before using these products, as each one can
increase sensitivity to the sun.
In addition to Retin-A, a number of
anti-aging 'cosmeceuticals' are rapidly gaining acceptance. Among
the most popular are the Glycolic Acids or fruit acids (AHA’S), which peel
off the damaged outer layer of skin. AHA’S give you the same benefits as Renova without the side effects
and irritation. The best
results come from increasing the strength of AHA’s used over time.
While fruit acids are available in low concentrations over the
counter, Estheticians use higher concentrations (20%-40%).
Also helpful are products with Vitamin C,
which fight skin aging through antioxidant action and increase potency of
sun blocks. Products like Jan
Marini C-Esta serum, Cellex-C and Skinceuticals retain their vitamin C
potency for months, unlike earlier preparations that had no active vitamin C
left after a few weeks. Eastbay
Acne & Skin Care Clinic recommends using a vitamin C cream in the morning
along with a sunscreen, and Glycolic Acid lotion or cream at night.
Treatments and
Techniques:
MICRODERMABRASION
removes dead skin cells mechanically, rejuvenating skin tissue.
Micro-crystals are projected onto the skin, removing the topmost layer of
dead skin cells. The crystals and the skin cells are then vacuumed
back into the microdermabrasion tool for disposal. Microdermabrasion
treatments have been used in Europe for many years. Several years ago
it was approved by the FDA for use in the United States to help men and
women experience remarkable improvements in their skin texture, regardless
of skin color. Power Peels are a safe, non-surgical, comprehensive
approach to skin care. It is
used very effectively to reduce acne scarring, large pores, brown spots,
dry/oily and sun-damaged skin. This is a popular therapy due to it's
beautiful final result. This treatment is relatively inexpensive, and should
be performed regularly every four to eight weeks for best results.
CHEMICAL PEELS offer a
non-mechanical exfoliation to reveal a new layer of young skin beneath the
surface. They can also be used to clean and purify the skin, creating a
bacteria-free environment to help keep acne under control. Generally
speaking, peels are based on a particular acid or blend of acids. Several
varieties are available, including Lactic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Alpha-Hydroxy-Acid
(AHA), Glycolic Acid, and Retinoic Acid. The right peel for you depends on
your skin condition and type, and your medical condition (considering
allergies and medications you are taking) — your esthetician can recommend
one that is appropriate for you. Peels should be performed regularly every 4
to 8 weeks for optimal results. Chemical peels are relatively inexpensive
compared to alternative treatments. The
CosMedix Peels we offer at EBAC are some of the most effective and
cost-effective acne and anti-aging peels we've ever seen.
EXODERM LIFT*
Unlike conventional face-lifts, Exoderm is non-surgical — there’s no
cutting or stitching. In
addition, skin quality is greatly improved by the Exoderm Lift.
Recovery is also much quicker. For
instance, patients are generally able to return to work after only eight
days from the initial treatment.
The Exoderm Lift doesn’t produce toxic systemic reactions and loss of
pigment, as are sometimes associated with other deep-peeling techniques. Post-op Oxygen and vitamin treatments following this procedure will
rapidly reduce the redness in the skin associated with this peel. Although
it is very aggressive and expensive, we have seen beautiful results
from this peel.
HORMONE THERAPY*
Replacing the hormones that decline with age, such as estrogen and
human growth hormone, appears to have a rejuvenating effect on the skin.
Women who have used estrogen some time in their lives are less likely
to have wrinkled or dry skin. Our skin
gets thinner as we age. Human growth hormone also has been
shown in double-blind studies to increase the thickness of skin, which thins
with aging, and to help skin retain water content. This approach has
recently come under fire for apparently raising the risk of cancer in some
individuals, so please consider this option cautiously and with the advice
of your physician.
LASER RESURFACING*
Lasers vaporize wrinkles, banish age spots, get rid of unwanted hair,
remove acne scars and even lift droopy earlobes. Because the laser shrinks collagen fibers, it tightens the
skin. The best results depend
on careful patient selection and the skill of the doctor.
Scarring, redness or infection can result if it is not done properly.
Laser treatments can be expensive, and we tend to discourage laser
resurfacing because of the results we have seen where scarring and hard skin
was the result. However, some advances have been made recently with new
types and frequencies of laser.
Aging is inevitable, but now its effect on
our skin can be reduced, even apparently reversed, with these skin care
technologies.
* These treatments are offered for
information only, and are not necessarily recommended for your particular
skin condition or skin type. EBAC does not offer these treatments at our
clinic. However, we do offer post-operative Oxygen Therapy. |
