Who doesn’t want perfect, flawless skin? Unfortunately for 99.99% of people, flawless skin is difficult to come by naturally. That doesn’t mean that you have to live with your particular skin concerns forever, though. There are products and treatments that can help.
From sensitive skin to acne and from dark spots to fine lines and creases, let’s take a closer look at some of the most common skin concerns and learn more about your options for treating and dealing with them.
Sensitive Skin
If you have sensitive skin, things that don’t seem to affect other people tend to set your skin off. You might come in from outside on a cold or windy day, look in the mirror and see angry, red skin staring back at you. Leaning over a hot stove while cooking can also make your skin red and irritated.
And then there’s the problem of skincare products. Every time you think about trying something new, you remember what happened the last time: redness, peeling, irritation, or bumps.
Sensitive skin reacts to changes in the environment, to your stress levels, and to topical products more than other skin types. Sensitivity can occur for a few reasons. Some people are born with skin that’s overly sensitive. People with topical allergies or conditions like eczema tend to have naturally sensitive skin.
In some cases, the sensitivity is due to environmental changes. Wind exposure, sun exposure, exposure to air pollution or changes in temperature can all trigger a reaction in environmentally sensitive skin.
Sensitivity can also be something that develops with age, due to changes that naturally occur in the skin. As you get older, your skin is likely going to lose some thickness. Thinner skin can become irritated more easily than thicker skin.
If you have sensitive skin, there are things you can do to calm it down. It can be a good idea to work with a board-certified plastic surgeon when choosing products for your skin. An experienced facial plastic surgeon will have a good understanding of what types of ingredients are likely to trigger a reaction in sensitive skin and what ingredients are better for it.
If you’re concerned about skin sensitivity and signs of aging, your plastic surgeon can recommend in-office treatments that are designed to be gentle on the skin, while also helping to reduce dark spots, lines and other signs of aging. For example, intense-pulsed light (IPL) is a gentle form of laser treatment that’s often recommended to people with sensitive skin.
Hyperpigmentation
Freckles, age spots, and melasma are all examples of hyperpigmentation, a term that describes the over-production of melanin in some areas of the skin. While some types of hyperpigmentation, such as freckles, can occasionally be deemed “cute,” others, like age spots and melasma, can make you feel self-conscious.
Hyperpigmentation can occur for a wide range of reasons. You can develop dark spots and an uneven skin tone after spending too much time in the sun. Some women are more prone to hyperpigmentation because of hormone levels. Taking birth control pills or being pregnant can trigger melasma in some women, for example.
Dark spots can also develop after inflammation or irritation to the skin. As a pimple heals, it’s common for a dark spot to appear in the area.
You have options when it comes to treating and preventing hyperpigmentation. If you’re concerned about dark spots forming or becoming more visible, reducing the amount of time you spend in the sun can help. Get in the habit of wearing sunscreen every day and take additional steps to protect your skin, such as wearing a hat with a wide brim and wearing long sleeves and pants.
Certain types of prescription-strength skincare products can help to fade dark spots. Your plastic surgeon might recommend products that contain hydroquinone or Retin-A to help minimize hyperpigmentation. In-office peels and laser treatments can also treat dark spots and other types of hyperpigmentation.
Acne
Acne might have been the bane of your existence during your teens. As you moved into your 20s, 30s, 40s and beyond, you might have been dismayed to find that your acne followed you. Or, it could be that you had clear skin as a teenager, only to develop pimples and spots later in life!
Adult acne often develops for different reasons than teenage acne. In adults, hormone fluctuations are likely to be the cause of acne. Stress can also be an acne trigger for some women.
If you’re dealing with acne as a 30-something, 40-something or even 50-something, you have options. Skincare treatments such as facials, chemical peels, and microdermabrasion can all help reduce pimples and improve the look of acne-prone skin.
Depending on how stubborn your acne is, you might need to try multiple treatments before you find the one that works best for you. Your plastic surgeon can recommend products and treatments to try as you battle the spots.
Wrinkles and Lines
When many people think of the signs of aging, the first thing that comes to mind is fine lines and wrinkles. Lines and wrinkles can develop for many reasons. Some form as a result of repetitive movements over a period of years. Others develop due to fat and collagen loss. They can also form as the skin becomes thinner and gravity takes its toll.
Luckily, there are many ways to cope with wrinkles and lines. You can try using topical skincare products, such as serums and lotions that contain Retin-A. You can use dermal fillers to plump up lines and fill in wrinkles or Botox to smooth creases created by repeated movements. Laser skin resurfacing treatments can also help to smooth your skin and reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles.
Discuss Your Options
What’s your primary skin concern? Whether it’s dark spots, sensitivity, acne or wrinkles, Dr. Shervin Naderi and his colleagues at the Naderi Center can help you decide on a treatment plan. Dr. Naderi is a board-certified facial plastic surgeon who specializes in injectable fillers and nasal surgery at his practice in Virginia. To schedule your virtual skincare consultation with an expert at the Naderi Center, call 703-481-0002 (Reston, VA) or 301-222-2020 (Chevy Chase, MD).
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