Many people think great skin is a matter of luck: Either you’re born with beautiful skin or you’re not. But a local dermatologist begs to differ. While flawless skin is in part a gift from nature, studies now show that genetics can only take you so far. Your skin care routine and lifestyle choices ultimately can overtake your genetic fate.
“Skin wellness is just like mental or physical wellness: It is a lifelong journey,” said Dr. Shalini Bahl, founder, CEO, and practicing dermatologist at ACE Dermatology, Laser and Cosmetics. “Skin wellness does not happen overnight, because of one cream or one procedure; it is brought about by a combination of lifestyle choices and commitment to a tailored skin care regimen.”
Dr. Bahl recommends following these steps on your journey to beautiful skin:
Good Skin Care Practices
First, use daily sunscreen. Daily sunscreen use will make the largest impact on how your skin will age.
Second, have a good skin care regimen—one recommended by your dermatologist—that includes daily sunscreen and topical creams with retinoids, antioxidants, and moisturizers.
Third, ask your dermatologist about specific procedures that could help improve skin texture and appearance. Wrinkling, brown spots, and discoloration are common changes that result from chronic sun exposure and intrinsic aging. Procedures such as chemical peels, microneedling, and laser treatments can help treat them.
Fourth, eat a well-balanced, healthy diet, drink plenty of water, get regular exercise, and get adequate sleep. These are all vital to skin wellness.
Fifth, don’t smoke. Smoking is very harmful for the skin and adds years to your appearance.
Seasonal Skin Wellness
In the summer you should be vigilant about sunscreen use, protecting the skin from discoloration, brown spots, abnormal moles, and skin cancers. During the summer months, it’s also important to keep the skin cool, as increased sweating results in acne and bacterial infections of the hair follicles. Frequent washing and using appropriate medications to prevent these infections can be helpful.
In the winter many struggle with dryness and the skin conditions worsened by dryness, such as eczema and psoriasis. It’s very important to speak to your dermatologist about using the right products for every season.
Skin Wellness with Age
There are natural changes in skin over time: fat, collagen, elastin, and bone are often lost. These changes are known as intrinsic aging, which results in a loss of firmness and increased skin laxity. While some of these effects can be addressed with the addition of topical creams, others have to be addressed with procedures such as fillers, Botox, microneedling, lasers, and radiofrequency devices.
Skin Wellness and Genetics
It turns out that you don’t have to be born with beautiful skin. Adopting a good skin care routine and making positive lifestyle choices can take you further than your genetics. Someone with naturally great skin who does not use daily sunscreen may not end up with skin as nice as someone whose genetics are less enviable, but who is diligent about the use of sun protection. Someone with not-so-great skin genes can still end up with a flawless complexion.
According to Dr. Bahl, skin wellness is totally attainable. Everyone can and should be able to enjoy beautiful skin.
Schedule your appointment today, to start your skin wellness journey. ACE Dermatology, Laser and Cosmetics is accepting patients in the office under COVID-19 guidelines; but for those who are not comfortable visiting the office yet, Dr. Bahl is performing visits via telemedicine. www.acederm.com
