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Skin Care
Dr Amber Botros here, Board Certified Family Physician and owner of local Kansas City Medical Spa Plaza Aesthetics & Wellness. I have friends ask all the time about the most important items that are needed in a daily skincare routine. If it’s one thing you take away from this article, the most important anti-aging step I can recommend is starting pharmaceutical grade skincare immediately!
Pharmaceutical grade skincare is only sold at physicians’ offices governed by the FDA, but doesn’t necessarily mean a higher price tag. Many of the OTC products come with a hefty price tag have little benefit. Good skin doesn’t happen overnight and quality skincare products should be introduced during your teenage years. You are never too young to start good skincare!
Here are My Top Three Must Haves for Any Anti-Aging Skincare Regimen:
1. Vitamin C Serum
Topical Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant which protects the skin from UV damage.
The main benefit is collagen production which in turn helps fine lines, thickens skin. Other benefits include improved redness and hyperpigmentation, improved texture and tone to the skin.
My go-to topical Vitamin C is Alto Defense Serum from Skinbetter Science. It contains not only Vitamin C but 18 other antioxidants. This serum is packed with protective benefit for a moderate price tag.
2. Topical Vitamin A (retinol, retinoids, tretinoin)
Topical Vitamin A increases skin cell turnover therefore exfoliating the current layer and revealing a fresh new layer of skin. The most well known benefit is reduction of fine lines. Other benefits include unclogging pores, reducing pore size, treatment of acne, hyperpigmentation, and oily skin.
If you have been unsuccessful with retinols in the past I suggest a start low and go slow approach. There are also newer formulations compounded with hyaluronic acid which will be more hydrating for your skin.
My go-to topical Vitamin A is Skinbetter Science AlphaRet overnight cream. This retinoid is also compounded with lactic acid, glycolic acid and hyaluronic acid. Patients overall are able to tolerate application nightly without negative side effects.
3. Sunscreen
Last but not least, protecting your skin from the sun is the most important step to anti-aging. As with all the above products, I recommend only pharmaceutical grade sunscreens so you can ensure safety of your product. An SPF 50 is optimal blocking 98% of UVA & UVB rays. While in active sun it is necessary to reapply sunscreen every 2-3 hours.
There are many formulations of sunscreens, often present in makeup, liquid form, also a powder form. Ease in application and frequent application is key from protecting your skin from the elements!
My favorite sunscreen is the Obagi SunShieldTinted Sunscreen in SPF 50. In addition to protecting you from 98% of the sun’s rays, it also contains zinc oxide in a warm tinted color which is a physical block from the sun.
If you have any questions about skincare or other aesthetics needs, I offer a complimentary consultation at Plaza Aesthetics & Wellness.
Mention KC Babes to receive a special discount thru April 30th 2019!
Winter Skin Care
Winter months in cold climates, such as our weather here in KC, provide the perfect mix of cold, dry air that can wreak havoc on our skin. Throw in heaters while indoors and we have created a fierce combo to further dry out our skin.
The outermost layer of the skin, the stratum corneum, is primarily made up of dead skin cells. This layer protects the deeper layers by keeping natural moisture inside the skin. The cold dry air and artificial heat indoors damages this barrier and the natural moisture in our skin cannot be maintained. We then start to get itchy, scratchy skin making matters worse, and the vicious cycle of winter skin begins.
What to do? Moisturize!
Not all moisturizers are created equal. You will want a pharmaceutical grade moisturizer that will restore the moisture in your skin below the stratum corneum. My go-to product is the Trio Rebalancing Moisturizer from SkinBetter Science. Only found at physicians office, this product has a very unique delivery system that allows moisture to be restored at the lipid, or fat layer, of the skin.
Exfoliate
In order for moisturizers to properly penetrate the deeper layers of skin exfoliation is an important process. Exfoliants may be manual or chemical, start two to three times a week to avoid over exfoliation. Look for scrubs or exfoliants that contain wax micro beads, lactic acid or glycolic acid. Avoid over-the-counter products that contain beads that may cause micro tears which further damage the skin. My go-to exfoliant is Vivier Skin Vitamin C Scrub.
HydrafacialMD
HydrafacialMD is a non-invasive treatment that provides instant hydration to skin with no down time. This treatment is fabulous for hydration during the winter months and also year-round. The procedure removes dead skin cells and extracts impurities while simultaneously cleansing, hydrating, and moisturizing skin with patented solution. Monthly treatments are recommended in combination with physician prescribed pharmaceutical grade skin care.
Humidifier
Humidifiers replace the moisture that is pulled out of the air from heating systems. If you tend to wake up with extremely dry skin in the morning, this may be a sign that a humidifier will be a good addition to treating your dry skin.
Limit Time In Hot Shower
When you step out of a hot shower, water immediately evaporates off of your skin, taking the moisture with it. Limiting time in hot showers or turning down the temperature of the shower during the winter months will be helpful as well as immediately applying a thick moisturizer soon after stepping out of the shower to trap in the moisture.
If you have any further questions about skincare or any other aesthetics needs, I offer a complimentary consultation at Plaza Aesthetics & Wellness (www.plazamedicalspa.com). Mention KC Babes to receive a special discount thru Dec 31, 2020 (no compensation was received for this article, as a board member of Kansas City Babes Dr Botros is featured in our publication).
Dr Amber Botros
Male Skin Care
When it comes to a skincare for my male patients the most common request is simplicity. Most men want the fewest steps to achieve the best results. If there is any way to combine these steps they are more likely to follow thru. For all men I recommend a cleanser, moisturizer and sunscreen.
If men then have more specific concerns related to anti-aging, fine lines, pigmentation, acne, and redness I will commonly make additional recommendations. As mentioned with women’s skincare last issue, initiating pharmaceutical grade skincare is key.
Pharmaceutical grade skincare is only sold at physicians’ offices, governed by the FDA, and all claims are proven in clinical trials. Good skin doesn’t happen overnight and quality skincare products should be introduced during your teenage years.
Sunscreen:
Protecting your skin from the sun is the most important step to anti-aging and is necessary for any skincare regimen. All the products I recommend are pharmaceutical grade to ensure safety of product. An SPF 50 is optimal blocking 98% of UVA & UVB rays. While in active sun it is necessary to reapply sunscreen every 2-3 hours. Again, keeping with the theme of simplicity, I will often recommend that men chose a daily moisturizer that contains at least an SPF 15. This way they are restoring moisture in the skin and protecting their skin from the sun in one quick step. An great choice for men is Vivier Pharmas Daily Moisturizing Cream with SPF 15, adding a higher SPF on days of active sun exposure.
Cleanser:
It is not uncommon for men to use their shampoo and or body soap to wash their face. Again, keeping with the idea to minimize the number of steps. Why is this a bad idea? Soap disrupts the natural pH of your skin and disrupts the natural lipid barrier. Over time this will cause irritation, dryness and loss of moisture. My go to cleanser for most men is Vivier pharma Hexam cleanser. It’s gentle, will keep moisture in the skin, assists with redness and acneic skin, as well as blackheads, oily skin and pore size.
If you have any further questions about skincare or any other aesthetics needs, I offer a complimentary consultation at:
Plaza Aesthetics & Wellness
www.plazamedicalspa.com
Mention KC Babes to receive a special discount thru Dec 31, 2019 (no compensation was received for this article, as a board member of Kansas City Babes Dr Botros is featured in our quarterly publication).
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