I have always been in pretty good health, so I was surprised one day when my doctor told me my blood pressure was a bit high. She told me to begin watching my salt intake, start exercising, and to try to relax. Well, I intended to follow her advice when I left her office, but the next day I was back to my same habits. I kept using the salt shaker and didn't begin an exercise routine like I had planned. When I went for my next check-up, she told me that my blood pressure was even higher and approaching a dangerous level. I had to begin a blood pressure medication to manage it. I wanted to create a blog to share my story and remind people to listen to their doctors' advice. If a few lifestyle changes can improve your health, then you should make them.
Aging is inevitable and surgical procedures to reduce wrinkles or other age-related skin concerns may leave you with artificial-looking results. Several techniques can prevent exacerbation of the aging process or improve any current skin issues.
Start With Skin Care
Ideally, you should start a good skin care routine early, well before you start noticing wrinkles or other aging-related concerns. Wash your face with a gentle cleanser once or twice per day. Use moisturizers based on your skin type. Thicker, water-based moisturizers work well on dry skin, whereas gel or thin, water-based moisturizers are better for oily skin. If you have combination skin, you may need to treat each area differently. Avoid being overly concerned about oily skin. Although your skin may be frustrating, oilier skin often ages better than dry skin.
Regular exfoliation can make your skin appear smoother and help your moisturizer penetrate your skin better. Manual exfoliation is the easiest, but chemical exfoliation may do a better job at exfoliating your pores and preventing blackheads and acne, which can lead to scars and hyperpigmentation. Chemical exfoliation includes products with alpha-hydroxy and beta-hydroxy acids, which can be found at retail stores, but in low concentrations of the active ingredient. Lastly, use sunscreen, since sun damage causes premature aging of the skin. If you wear makeup, try to use as little as possible to achieve the desired look.
Integrate Extra Products
There are many products that can be helpful in addressing specific skin issues. You should consult a dermatologist for an accurate assessment of your skin and for them to recommend products. Retinoids might be prescribed as a less invasive way of smoothing the skin and helping you achieve a more even texture. Since retinoids work deep in the skin and promote collagen production, issues with uneven coloration could be improved by using these products. Other products or treatments your dermatologist might recommend are certain acids that are used for deeper exfoliation. Although you can buy products containing lactic or glycolic acid, a more extensive treatment like chemical peels are a better option. After the old skin sheds and fresh skin reaches the surface, the peel can give your skin a smoother appearance, fade dark spots and scars, and improve pigmentation.
Add In-Office Procedures
Non-surgical, in-office procedures are often used to turn back the clock. Two options to minimize the appearance of lines and create smoother skin are laser treatments and microdermabrasion. Both procedures require little downtime and can be used multiple times until the desired effect is achieved or to maintain the results. Unfortunately, these procedures do not work well for deeper lines. If you have deeper lines or wrinkles, fillers can give you the best results without resorting to a facelift. A small needle is injected into the wrinkle to apply the filler and make the area flush with the rest of your skin. Botulinum injections are an alternative to fillers, depending on the location of wrinkles. The injections temporarily freeze facial muscles to prevent the appearance of wrinkles by limiting facial movements. Both fillers and injections are not permanent and require touchups at regular intervals.
As you grow older, sagging can be another skin concern, especially at the jaw line. Ultrasound therapy is a newer treatment option to reduce sagging without surgery. Since the ultrasound penetrates deep into the skin, it helps encourage collagen production, thereby tightening the skin over time. A major advantage of using ultrasound is it can be used on other areas, such as the neck and chest, to give you an overall seamless appearance of smoother, more youthful skin.
Starting with good skin care is the first step in reducing signs of aging. With several products and procedures available to minimize age-related skin issues, you can achieve your ideal skin appearance. Learn more about anti-aging skin treatments from your dermatologist.
Share4 March 2019
