Considering a change to
the image in your mirror? From temporary to permanent, from
creams to injections and surgery, there are more choices
than ever for those in search of younger-looking skin.
The two most important things that the average person can
do to prevent wrinkles are:
- Minimize sun exposure.
- Don't smoke. Smoking appears to damage the collagen in
the skin and also probably dehydrates it.
Some other preventative measures:
- Avoid large fluctuations in weight, because that
stretches the skin.
- Use sunscreen. Currently the best and most effective
sunscreens contain zinc oxide in a micronized form, which
doesn't
make your skin look pasty or white, but it gives excellent sun protection.
One example of that is Z-Cote.
- Be on a good skin management program. There are several
of those available. The key elements of this are
that it be systematized,
and it should also probably be supervised by an
aesthetician that is supervised by a physician, usually
a plastic
surgeon or dermatologist. Two of the really good
skin care programs
are Obagi and Biomedic. These programs have a balance
of all of the steps you need to cleanse, to hydrate,
to exfoliate,
to protect the skin, and to adjust its pH, so that
it makes your skin healthier and it helps protect it from
some of those
things we talked bout earlier. Proper systematic
skin care that's supervised is very analogous to changing the
oil in
your car to get your car to last longer.
Treatments such
as microdermabrasion, glycolic peels of various strengths,
and even beyond that there may
even
be the need
for TCA peels, dermabrasions, fat injections, collagen
injections, or Botox for wrinkles.
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