GET CLEAN
You’ve had a long, late night and the last thing you want to do is wash your face before bed. But think about this: those layers of makeup can not only lead to breakouts, they can cause premature lines and wrinkles by trapping skin aging free radicals underneath all that beauty. We love Skin Medica Facial Cleanser and the Clarisonic for instantly vibrant and squeaky clean skin. The Clarisonic swings dirt and debris up and out of your pores and leaves your skin feeling smooth and looking fresh.
PROTECT YOUR SKIN FROM THE ELEMENTS
Think of free radicals and youth-stealing scavengers. Think of antioxidants as the alarm system that sounds as soon as that scavenger tries to break in. The noise scares him away, and your valuables are left unharmed. Outside elements such as sun exposure, second hand smoke, and other pollutants as well as lack of sleep, lack of skin care regimen and more are constantly attacking your skin to steal its youthful appearance. Antioxidants help to restore the imbalance in your skin and prevent aging damage. We suggest Skin Medica Vitamin C+E Serum. Bonus: this serum is a silicone base and makes a fantastic makeup primer!
KNOW WHEN TO SEEK HELP
We like to think of professional treatments as your dental cleanings- you brush your teeth at home (which is your home skin care regimen), but you still visit the dentist for your regular cleanings. We recommend a maintenance series of Hydrafacial treatments at our Green Hills spa. This all-in-one treatment revives dull skin with a glycolic base peel, has painless vortex fusion extractions, and infuses essential hydration while resurfacing your skin. It is the most effective treatment on the market, and your skin will be glowing when you leave!
SPEAKING OF HYDRATION, USE A DAILY MOISTURIZER
Most of the patients at our Nashville Medi Spa in their 20’s are still a little on the oily side, so our top seller for this age group is Skin Medica Ultra Sheer Moisturizer. There are several options to choose from here but the important thing is that you’re providing your skin with the essential moisture it needs to be healthy and look great. Talk with a skin care professional about your skin to find out what weight moisturizer will hydrate you without being too heavy and causing breakouts.
USE A MEDICAL GRADE RETINOL
Retinol is a vitamin A product that is basically a miracle worker. It is consistently cited as the number one wrinkle fighting product and also boosts collagen production, smooths skin texture, fades dark spots and increases cellular turnover. This is definitely a bang for your buck product and contrary to popular belief, you should start using this product in your 20’s to help your skin keep up with the effects of aging rather than starting once the damage is done. We love Skin Medica Retinol Complex 0.25. It’s their lowest strength, but great for patients whose skin hasn’t incurred much damage and just needs a boost.
IF YOU DO NOTHING ELSE, USE SUNSCREEN
Use a sunscreen. SPF 30 or higher. Every day. Even if it’s cloudy. Or winter. Or you’re not leaving the house. The sun is the number one cause of premature aging and skin cancer. The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends SPF 30 or higher daily, and that’s our recommendation as well. I often have patients say “I don’t use sunscreen in the winter.” Or “I’m not out in the sun much so I don’t need sunscreen.” Research shows that skin cancer is more prominent on the left side of the face because that is the side of the face exposed while driving. So, if you drive, you’re getting sun exposure (Fun fact: your hands and neck are getting the same sun exposure your face is in the car. Have you ever noticed those sun spots on your grandmother’s hands and chest? Bingo.). So again, SPF 30, every day, all four seasons. You’ll thank us when you turn 35 and you are mistaken for a twenty-something.
