Great Skin is a Process, Not an Event! (Originally Posted January 2012)
Skin is the window to the body’s overall health. Over and over I see clients hoping for — or expecting — dramatic changes in their skin immediately. It is both my responsibility and my privilege to educate patients on the process necessary for healthy skin. Beautiful skin on the outside begins with good health on the inside.
Here are some tips for healthy skin:
- Drink plenty of water. A good standard is half of your body weight in ounces of water. The body distributes water to vital organs first and the skin last, which can lead to dehydrated skin.
- Get plenty of sleep. The body rejuvenates itself while at complete rest. This makes “beauty sleep” a true concept!
- Exercise 3 times per week to reduce stress. High stress levels send the body into survival mode, which influences blood flow, cortisol production and histamine. This sometimes reveals itself in the skin as sallow complexion, acne, or inflammation of the skin.
- Protect skin daily with a broad-spectrum sunblock and minimize sun exposure (Advanced Anti-photoaging Sunscreen with SPF 45).
Most of these tips are not new, but do play a vital role in healthy skin. The skin must also be cared for on the outside. Skin care products available today can lead to amazing changes in the skin. With high performance ingredients that penetrate to the dermal level of the skin, dramatic progress really can be achieved with daily use. The process can be accelerated with in-office microdermabrasion and/or chemical peels. These treatments, when performed in a series, stimulate collagen production, increase the exfoliation process and allow repair products to penetrate more quickly. The end result is smoother more hydrated skin!
It is a very exciting time to be an aesthetician. Every face is unique, and each person is at a different place in “the process.” As I meet new faces each day, I look forward to the opportunity to be a part of the journey seeking healthy, beautiful skin – one face at a time!
In the meantime, feel free to email me your skin care questions.