The BEST thing that you can do for your skin is to start taking care of it early. Getting into a skin care routine will create good habits that will keep your skin looking youthful, glowing, and in some instances even prevent skin cancer later on in life! Are you in your 20’s? You need a sunscreen and retinoid. 30’s?…sunscreen and retinoid. 40’s?…..sunscreen and retinoid. Catch the trend?
These days everyone seems to have an opinion about sunscreen and whether or not it is good for your skin. However, what we do know is that about 90% of skin cancers are associated with sun exposure. With a strong background in dermatology and skin care, sunscreen is one thing that I recommend to ALL of my patients no matter how young or old. It’s main job is to protect us against the harmful rays that can cause skin cancer, but we also know that it helps with anti-aging as well.
The photo below has been floating around the internet thanks to Jennifer Gordon, MD. and the New England Journal of Medicine.
This is so helpful in educating us about what years of sun exposure can do to our skin! It is so striking to see the difference of this gentleman’s face from left to right. His left side, having seen years of sun exposure from driving, is significantly more aged than the right. So if I can’t convince you to start early with sunscreen to prevent skin cancer, can I convince you to start early to prevent aging and wrinkles? I typically recommend spf 30 or above daily. This comes in many different brands and colors (tinted, matte, dewy, etc.). My husband prefers one that isn’t sticky or greasy and I tend to use one that has peptides and a bit of a tint (thanks Intellishade). But trust me, there are about a million out there to choose from. Pick one and get started!
Besides sunscreen, I always recommend a retinoid to my patients. There have been numerous studies that show retinoids have anti-aging effects. So what is a retinoid? A retinoid comes in different shapes and sizes. They are a class of medications derived from vitamin-A that prompt the surface of your skin cells turn over rapidly and therefore prevent new cell growth. There are prescription medications called tretinoin, which tend to be a bit stronger than retinols. I typically recommend starting with a good retinol and getting your skin accustomed to using it nightly. You can always bump up in strength as time goes on! Visit your nearest dermatology PA for recommendations.