Skincare and facial aging might be the farthest thing from your mind in your 20’s and even into your 30’s. Earning a degree, landing your dream job (or at least one that you enjoy), finding love, and a busy social life might get in the way of worrying about how well you are taking care of your skin and what affect this will have on your face down the road. Practicing good skincare has lasting benefits as we age and a regimen is best started while we’re young. Read on for steps you can take now to ensure that you can enjoy your youth long after you stop counting your birthdays.
· Wear sunscreen every day: You hear it enough, but do you practice it? When our skin is exposed to the sun for a prolonged period of time, damage rears its ugly head in the form of wrinkles, dark spots, and a rough texture. While some damage can be repaired, why not stop it before it even happens?
It’s always important to use a Broad Spectrum sunscreen especially during the hours of 10am and 2pm when the sun is at its peak. Broad Spectrum sunscreens protect your skin from absorbing harmful UVB rays which burn your skin as well as block UVA rays which cause your skin to age quicker. Look for sunscreens that contain high percentages of the active ingredients Zinc and/or Titanium. Don’t forget to also protect your neck, chest, and any other exposed area.
· Use an exfoliating cleanser: Exfoliating the skin on your face removes dead skin cells and impurities. The key is doing this gently. Wash your face in the morning to start out the day refreshed.
· Wash your face every night: Each evening before you go to bed, wash your face. During the day, our skin is exposed to dirt and pollutants in the air. Along with makeup, these clog your pores. Give your skin the rest it needs and time to repair itself by using a gentle cleanser to clear your day from your skin.
· Add in an antioxidant serum: Once you reach your 30’s, now is a good time to begin using an antioxidant serum. Antioxidants serve as one of the most powerful anti-aging ingredients, helping to protect and improve the skin from damage caused by free radicals.
· Eliminate lines with Botox®: It may seem like you’re too young to start using Botox®, but it’s actually imperative to begin before the creases and lines remain when your face is at rest. Botox® restricts the movement of the muscles in the areas of the forehead, glabella (area between the eyes), and crow’s feet (outside corners of the eyes). Seek out a board certified surgeon or nurse injector who has years of experience with the muscles of the face to ensure a safe, effective result.
· Fill in lines and wrinkles with injectable fillers: Hyaluronic fillers such as Juvederm®, Restylane®, and Radiesse® are used to correct fine lines, deep wrinkles, and other signs of aging. Especially into our 30’s, we begin to see the effects of smiling and other facial movement in the form of lines and wrinkles. A board certified surgeon or nurse injector with experience in injectable fillers can correct these signs of aging with natural results that require little to no downtime.
If you are interested in learning more about a skincare regimen that is appropriate for your age, contact our office today.