From our Practice in New York: Skin Secrets
You read articles about skin care; you pay attention to development of various treatments. You understand terms like collagen, elastin and cell turnover. So why can’t you find a good routine to significantly improve the appearance of your skin?
The answer lies in an important skin secret you may not know: it’s not easily penetrated. Yes, this property of your body’s largest organ — the skin IS an organ, did you know that? — can confound your efforts to brighten and tighten while it serves to protect internal tissues and other organs.
Let us tell you what we mean.
On the Surface
You’ve heard that the cell turnover process slows down with age. This means that dry, dead cells linger on the surface of your skin longer than they did when you were younger. As a result, your skin can look dull and colorless.
There are a variety of treatments you can try that will help banish the top layer of cells and reveal healthy skin underneath. Some contain an active ingredient like Retin A which assists your skin in shedding dead cells, and some rely on small scrubbing particles. These options can brighten up the skin, and, in the best cases, help even out pigmentation and smooth tiny wrinkles to some extent. But because they only impact the very top layer of skin, the effects are generally mild and don’t last.
The Alternative?
To bring about more dramatic change, we recommend a chemical peel or microdermabrasion for our clients in New York. For skin with multiple issues, we often design a custom combination to fit patients’ needs exactly. Sometimes it makes sense to target delicate skin around the lips with gentle microdermabrasion while applying a chemical peel to other areas of the face. Both these treatments penetrate much more deeply than an over the counter treatment or even a prescription cream.
Underneath the Skin
You may have learned the role that collagen and elastin play in maintaining a youthful structure for your skin. These two key proteins form the foundation that prevents your skin from sinking into hollows and crevasses. Because consumers know a bit about the way collagen and elastin keep skin youthful, cosmetic and “cosmeceutical” products often contain these ingredients and manufacturers tout them highly.
Creams containing collagen and elastin can range in price from a few dollars to more than $100, but no matter how much you pay for them, their efficacy is limited. Why? It’s back to that same property of your skin: it doesn’t readily allow the outside in.
The Alternative?
If you notice your skin sinking and sagging, a better alternative than creams may be a dermal filler. Because they are injected, fillers like Juvederm and others do introduce collagen and elastin fibers under the skin, raising superficial tissues out of hollows and wrinkles. Dermal fillers tend to last a few months, and some studies show that repeated use can help your body regenerate some of its own protein fibers.
Your Skin Care Strategy
There’s nothing wrong with trying over the counter rejuvenation treatments. In fact, the majority of our New York skin care patients have used many products before they turn to us. The truth is, as the years pass, the skin’s amazing ability to protect what’s inside becomes an ever more frustrating obstacle to turning back the clock.
Let us design a strategy that will work for your individual needs. We have thirty years of experience helping people in New York with skin care and cosmetic surgery, and we have an arsenal of tools to use. When it comes to your skin, we know the secrets!
Give us a call at 212-570-6080 and let’s start with a no obligation consultation.
