1. Sun Protection

While it’s true that the sun isn’t the only factor in the overall appearance of your skin, it does have a considerable effect on how you age. In fact, damage from the sun’s UV light is responsible for 90% of your skin’s visible signs of aging. This is because the UV rays break down the elastin in your skin, causing sagging, wrinkles, age spots, uneven skin tone, and more.

Always apply a good quality sunscreen with an SPF 30 or higher every few hours if you’re in the sun all day.

2. Hydrate Your Body

Another key to keeping your skin younger for longer is staying hydrated. You should aim for at least 8 glasses of filtered water every day to keep your skin looking radiant and help support your overall health.

3. Get Plenty of Sleep

Another key to maintaining a youthful appearance is to simply get enough rest. When you sleep, your body is able to use all of its energy to repair itself so that you can look fresh and energized the next day. You can also use this time to your advantage by using retinoids and AHA products, which are powerful exfoliants and wrinkle fights, that work especially well while you are sleeping.

4. Moisturize

You treat the inside of your skin with water and the outside of your skin with a powerful moisturizer. Look for moisturizers with anti-aging and hydrating benefits like hyaluronic acid, which draws in moisture to keep your skin plump and supple, collagen to repair and strength your skin, vitamin C to fight off discoloration and brighten your skin, and peptides that provide great antioxidants.

5. Don’t Forget Your Vitamins

Try to incorporate some skin-loving vitamins into your daily routine. Vitamins like E, C, Biotin, and Collagen will all help to fight off the signs of aging in your skin and provide you with a beautiful, healthy glow.

6. Eat a Healthy Diet

Fruits and vegetables also help to raise your intake of phytonutrients, which help your body ward off the damaging effect of free radicals found in the environment. Aim to eat a healthy dose of fruits and vegetable every day and supplement with whole grains and lean proteins.

7. Never Skip Your Cleanser

Makeup is beautiful and so fun to wear, but the golden rule to makeup is you must always remove it before going to bed. It doesn’t matter how late it is or how tired you are, to keep your skin healthy and young, you must remove all traces of makeup before going to sleep.

8. Stay Active

Staying active helps you maintain a healthy weight, but did you know that it also helps you look younger? Exercise helps increase blood flow and move oxygen and critical nutrients throughout your body, which all lead to a more youthful appearance.

9. Create a Steady Routine

Create a good skin care routine and make it a daily habit. Aim for a gentle cleanser and exfoliant, add a proper treatment and serums for your skin type and needs, and moisturize with a product that is tailored to your specific needs.

10. Limit Your Stress

Easier said than done, right? Stress is a leading cause of aging and can be incredibly damaging to the entire body. Establish healthy routines to keep yourself calm and relaxed even when busy to help keep stress at bay.

Try These Tips to Maintain Your Youth!

The way you take care of your body and skin will eventually show, so do what you can now to have a beautiful future. If you have any questions about caring for your skin, or if you would like to turn back the hands of time for a fresh start, our aestheticians at Bay Area Plastic Surgery are here for you. Learn more about non-surgical procedures to help smooth wrinkles, even skin tone, and protect your skin by calling (628)215-1617 or contact us through our website.

It’s official—we are kicking 2020 to the curb and, along with it, some of our biggest skincare mistakes. From pimple-popping, sleeping in our makeup, overusing that drugstore exfoliator, and skipping out on the sunscreen, we’re leaving behind any major skin faux pas and getting serious about our skincare routines for when we can finally ditch those face masks in 2021.

Make a pledge to yourself to make these skincare resolutions this new year, and finally achieve clear, healthy, youthful-looking skin.

Let It Be

When it comes to blemishes, look but try not to touch. Picking at your skin, as tempting as it can be, can lead to even more problems. Underneath our beautifully manicured fingernails are homes to nasty bacteria that can spread infections to blemishes that we pick or pop. That means the possibility of even more breakouts. Not to mention the scarring that will occur after the blemish has healed. When you notice a breakout, the best thing to do is gently cleanse the skin, ice it if it’s large and in charge to reduce swelling, coat it in a drying lotion or spot treatment, and let your body do the rest.

Find A Routine That Is Best for You

A skincare routine is not a one size fits all. What might work for one person does not mean that it will work for you, and more importantly, not all acne is the same. Some acne is due to a hormonal imbalance that a dermatologist will need to be seen and treated. Some acne is due to poor gut health or dietary intolerances, which will need to be treated by diet restrictions. And some acne is due to poor hygiene or products with the incorrect ingredients that are either too harsh or gentle for your skin. It’s essential to do your own research and find out what ingredients work best for your skin and find products with those ingredients.

Once you’ve found your products, construct the perfect routine for your lifestyle and concerns. It’s advised by most dermatologists to start with a face wash, add a treatment serum, then a moisturizer, and end with an eye cream. For the morning, simply skip the treatment serum and add a sunscreen after your moisturizer. Now that’s a simple and foolproof routine to take with you into the new year.  

Non-Surgical Facial Rejuvenation

If your New Year’s goals include repairing years of damage done to your skin, reversing the signs of aging, or restoring a smooth texture to your skin, then perhaps a resolution for your list should include non-surgical facial rejuvenation. These procedures can include neuromodulators (Botox, Xeomin, Dysport, and Jeauveau), dermal fillers, fractional CO2 Laser Skin Resurfacing, and FaceTite Skin Tightening.

Ready to Get Started?

Dr. Leonard Gray at Bay Area Plastic Surgery offers his patients the best in both non-surgical and surgical rejuvenation. Whether you are interested in non-surgical procedures or plastic surgery of the breast, body, or face, Dr. Gray is committed to patient satisfaction through unmatched attention to detail and emphasis on patient education. For these reasons and more, he has long been the top choice for plastic surgery in the Bay Area.

For more information on how Dr. Gray can help you achieve your aesthetic goals in the new year, contact his office here.

Many feel that summer is the worst time for one’s complexion— but that’s not always the case. Keeping your skin hydrated, healthy, and protected during the winter can be a whole other challenge. The harsh winter dryness and steely winds can cause just as much damage to our skin as the sun, if not more.

To combat the harsh winter elements, it’s important to understand and prepare yourself for the dangers that winter poses to your skin. Dr. Gray at Bay Area Plastic Surgery has put together some helpful tips to protect your skin this winter season.

Stay Hydrated

The best trick when it comes to keeping your skin supple in the winter is right under your nose— literally. Staying hydrated by drinking water continuously throughout the day can keep your skin hydrated inside and out. Once we close our windows and turn on our heating systems or start a nice fire, our homes tend to become very dry. Not to mention that winter can be an arid climate, even in the Bay Area, with a lack of rain and heavy winds. The easiest way to combat this is by investing in a humidifier, which puts moisture back into the air and, in turn, back into your skin.

Switch Up Your Products

We all have our ride-or-die products. The ones we just cannot live without. However, keep in mind that some of these products may contribute to your skin’s dryness. Take a look inside your medicine cabinet and hold off on any harsh scrubs or acid-based products, as these treatments can be too harsh for the winter season. Instead, switch up your beauty routine with calming, hydrating solutions.

Don’t Skip the Sunscreen

Just because the sun isn’t out for as long and it’s not as hot outside, this doesn’t mean that you should stop using sunscreen. And when it snows, the snow reflects the sun the same way it does on a warm beach and can sunburn your skin the same way too. So, before you hit the ski slopes or head to the mountains to play in the fresh powder, be sure to apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen to all exposed skin about thirty minutes before going into direct sunlight. 

Cosmetic Treatments for Winter at Bay Area Plastic Surgery, with Dr. Gray

When you’re doing everything right for your skin, but you’re not seeing any improvement, maybe it’s time to seek professional help. At Bay Area Plastic Surgery, we offer a variety of non-surgical facial rejuvenation treatments that work well during the winter months:

Fractional CO2 Laser Skin Resurfacing

Fractional laser skin resurfacing harnesses precise laser technology to reduce wrinkles, age spots, uneven skin texture, acne scars, crepey skin, and sun damage. Cynosure® SmartSkin™ is ideal for patients who don’t have time for a long recovery associated with most laser treatments. It is a gentle, minimally invasive treatment that resurfaces facial skin with a gentle approach.

Look and Feel Great This Winter
Ready to feel confident this winter? Bay Area Plastic Surgery offers many state-of-the-art non-surgical and surgical procedures of the breast, body, and face that can have you looking great and feeling even better. Contact Bay Area Plastic Surgery here to schedule a consultation today!