April 20 2020 – Nicole Nadel
8 WAYS TO REDUCE PREMATURE SKIN AGING
By Dr. Nicole Nadel
- Use a zinc-based sun protectant every day. Whether spending a day at the beach or running errands, sun protection is essential. You can protect your skin by seeking shade, covering up with clothing, and using sunscreen that is broad-spectrum, SPF 30 (or higher), and water-resistant. You should apply sunscreen every day to all skin that is not covered by clothing. We recommend EltaMD sunblock products.
- If you smoke, stop. Smoking greatly speeds up how quickly skin ages. It causes wrinkles and a dull, sallow complexion.
- Avoid repetitive facial expressions and consider Botox. When you make a facial expression, you contract the underlying muscles. If you repeatedly contract the same muscles for many years, these lines become permanent. Botox can help reduce lines caused by facial movements.
- Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet. Findings from a few studies suggest that eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables may help prevent damage that leads to premature skin aging. Findings from research studies also suggest that a diet containing lots of sugar or other refined carbohydrates can accelerate aging.
- Drink less alcohol. Alcohol is rough on the skin. It dehydrates the skin, and in time, damages the skin. This can make us look older.
- Apply a facial moisturizer every day. Moisturizer traps water in our skin, giving it a more youthful appearance. We recommend Obagi Hydrate for regular skin, Obagi Hydrate Luxe Moisture-Rich Cream for dry skin, Obagi CLENZIderm M.D. Therapeutic Moisturizer for acneic skin.
- Use Tretinoin. Tretinoin is a prescription medication that works by increasing skin cell turnover. Tretinoin is the only topical medication that has been proven to improve the appearance of wrinkles. We recommend Tretinoin Cream 0.025%, 0.05% and 0.1% and Tretinoin Gel 0.05%.
- Use a medical grade topical Vitamin C. Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that brightens dark spots, smooths fine lines, and scavenges free radicals from the environment, pollution, and UV radiation. We recommend C E FERULIC® with 15% L-Ascorbic Acid.
Tagged: anti-aging, prevention, skin, skincare
