A Skin Regimen Helps You Maintain Healthy Skin
- Posted on: Jul 2 2024
What’s your skin care routine?
Do you have a skin regimen?
How do you keep your skin looking so great?
Most of us have heard the first two questions before, especially when we visit a dermatologist’s office. And most of us want to hear the third question, but that often requires creating a consistent skin care routine – and sticking to it.
Following a skin regimen every day may sound like a high-maintenance endeavor, but the truth is that healthy skin doesn’t happen overnight. Let the skin care experts at Forefront Dermatology, formerly Asarch Dermatology guide you through the vast array of skin care products available today and create the right skin regimen for your unique skin. Trust us, the results are worth it.
Why it’s important to have a skin regimen
A regular skin care routine goes far beyond washing your face, although that is certainly part of it. Morning skin care focuses on prevention and protection for the day, while evening skin care focuses on cleansing and repair. All are equally important for maintaining healthy skin.
Some of the many benefits of a well-planned skin regimen include:
Overall skin health
A proper skin regimen helps prevent skin concerns and resolve them faster if they arise. For instance, depending on your skin type and skin goals, your dermatologist may recommend products that help treat dry, oily, or acne-prone skin.
Following a skin care routine also encourages the shedding of dead skin cells and the regeneration of new skin cells, leaving you with the healthiest skin possible.
Protection from the elements
A skin regimen that includes sunscreen protects your skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays, which are present even on cold, cloudy days. On a sunny day, fresh snow can reflect up to 90% of UV rays – that’s more reflective than water.
As your body’s largest organ, your skin is also your first line of defense against external elements like germs, infection, and airborne illnesses. Maintaining your skin’s health helps shield everything else that lies beneath the surface.
Hydration
Just like you need enough water to stay fully hydrated, your skin does as well. Without adequate moisture, your skin loses its elasticity and can no longer stretch the way it should.
Signs of dehydrated skin include dry, scaly, and/or itchy patches, dark circles under your eyes, deeper fine lines and wrinkles, and other unwanted blemishes. Moisturizing every day with the right products for your skin type can help your skin maintain the proper moisture levels.
Self-care
Healthy routines that you follow regularly benefit both body and mind. A skin regimen is an ideal opportunity to practice a few moments of mindfulness and enjoy the sensations you are experiencing, such as the soothing feeling of warm water.
Applying a mask, gently rubbing your face, and other skin care steps are simple acts of self-care that can help calm and relax you while refreshing and healing your skin.
What to include in your skin regimen
Of course, a skin regimen is only as good as the products you use. Here’s a general list of items you should include in your skin care routine.
Cleanser
In the morning, rinsing your face with warm water should suffice. However, after a full day of exposure and damage (including the inevitable build-up of excess oils and dirt), you need to take extra care when washing your face at night.
Instead of using a standard bar soap or body wash, choose a cleanser that’s intended for your face. Be sure to wash your face gently without scrubbing too hard, then rinse with warm water. (Never use hot water, which removes the natural oils in your skin and can cause dehydration.)
If you have dry skin, use a cleanser that’s alcohol-free. Cleansers that contain ceramides, glycerin, or hyaluronic acid also help hydrate dry skin.
If you have oily skin, an oil-free cleanser is likely best for you. Cleansers with benzoyl peroxide, glycolic acid, or salicylic acid help control excess oil and reduce acne breakouts.
Toner
Toner is an optional step that benefits people with dry or oily skin, depending on the toner’s ingredients. Toner should be used after washing your face in the morning and at night.
To apply, soak a cotton pad with toner and gently pat it onto your face. Focus on the “T-Zone” (the T-shaped area comprised of your forehead, nose, and chin) if you have oily or acne-prone skin.
If you have dry skin, choose a hydrating toner with hyaluronic acid or rose water.
Toners with oil-absorbing ingredients, such as salicylic acid or witch hazel, are ideal for oily or acne-prone skin.
Moisturizer
Moisturizers are a key part of any skin care routine and are most effective when applied while your skin is slightly damp, such as immediately after a shower. Moisturizers increase the water content in your skin and prevent your skin from drying out, leaving your skin hydrated and smooth.
Moisturizing also helps repair your skin barrier, which is the protective top layer of your skin (epidermis). Even oily skin needs extra moisture to stay balanced. You should moisturize your face twice a day and your whole body at least once a day.
If you have dry skin, look for rich moisturizers with ceramides, glycerin, or shea butter for extra hydration.
If you have oily or acne-prone skin, choose an oil-free or lightweight gel moisturizer that won’t clog your pores. Moisturizers with hyaluronic acid are also suitable for this skin type.
Serum
Like toners, serums are optional additions to your skin regimen. It’s best to apply a serum with antioxidant properties – such as vitamin C, vitamin E, or niacinamide – in the morning, since these ingredients help reduce UV damage.
Serums can help brighten your skin, improve texture and firmness, reduce redness, and more. To apply a serum, simply tap the product into your face and neck.
Serums that contain vitamin C work for all skin types, while serums with vitamin E and hyaluronic acid can help hydrate dry skin.
If you have oily or acne-prone skin, try a serum with niacinamide (a form of vitamin B3). Niacinamide can also help shrink pores and soften wrinkles, but should never be mixed with a vitamin C serum.
Sunscreen
Again, protecting your skin with sunscreen is imperative – especially with the high elevation in Colorado that puts us closer to the sun. Sunscreen should always be the final step of your morning skin regimen, even when it’s cold and gray outside.
Wearing sunscreen every day not only reduces your risk of skin cancer but also reduces the signs of aging. In fact, UV exposure is the top cause of wrinkles and sagging skin. UV exposure can also cause dark spots, freckles, and more.
Before you leave home, apply a nickel-sized amount of sunscreen to your face, neck, chest, and ears. Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects against UVA and UVB rays with a SPF of 30 or higher. Then reapply every two hours or immediately after swimming or sweating.
When to adjust your skin regimen
It’s natural to adjust your skin regimen as you get older. Collagen production is stronger in your 20s and 30s, which helps keep your skin looking plump and healthy. Cleansers and moisturizers will likely be fixtures in your routine. But as the signs of aging begin to appear, your dermatologist may recommend serums, exfoliators, and other products to enhance your results.
The weather can also be a factor, especially if your skin reacts to changes in temperature. For instance, in the summer you may want a lighter moisturizer and stronger SPF for your sunscreen, while in the winter you may need a richer moisturizer to fight the dry winter air.
Other elements of your personal health, from nutrition to stress management, can also impact your skin concerns.
When to see a dermatologist
There’s no need to come up with a skin regimen all by yourself! With thousands of skin care products on the market, finding the ones that work best for you can be both costly and time-consuming. Using the wrong products for your skin type can lead to breakouts, allergic reactions, or worse.
Here’s a better way: let the skin care experts at Forefront Dermatology, formerly Asarch Dermatology examine your skin, learn about your skin goals, and create a customized skin regimen just for you.
Take the first step now
Forefront Dermatology, formerly Asarch Dermatology provides skin care solutions to patients of all ages at three convenient locations in Englewood, Castle Rock, and Lakewood. To get started, schedule an appointment today!
Posted in: Skin Care
