Skin Care

Facts we want our patients to know about their skin

1. Over cleansing your skin may cause irritation by stripping it of its natural oils. This allows the moisture in the skin to evaporate more quickly, thus drying it out. Well hydrated skin is firmer and smoother then dry skin, which has more wrinkles.

2. Skin moisturizers do not moisturize. They are oils that block or slow down evaporation.

3. The skin around the eyes is deficient in oil glands and would benefit from moisturizers.

4. Skin is moisturized from the fluids in your body. Despite this, drinking additional water when you are not thirsty does not moisturize you skin more than it would otherwise.

5. Pore size is genetically determined. Applying products containing retinoic acid or hydroxy acid can help keep pores from getting clogged.

6. It is more important for a skin product to be "non comedogenic" than it is to be "natural". A non comedogenic product does not cause clogged pores (also called a "blackhead", and when infected, a "pimple").

7. Retinoic acid and hydroxy acids are helpful in preventing premature wrinkles.

8. Skin treatments with rare and pricey ingredients have not been shown to be more effective than retinoic acid and hydroxy acids and may in fact be ineffective.

9. Microdermabrasion and skin resurfacing with chemical peels and lasers help correct wrinkles and age spots. The removal of surface cells allows deeper cells to regenerate more rapidly, giving the individual a fresher look.

10. The loss of collagen begins around the age of 20 with its resultant aging of the skin.

11. Smoking is second only to sun exposure in damaging your skin.

12. A facial massages increases facial blood flow for about 30 seconds far too short for lasting benefits, but can be effective in draining comedones ("blackheads").

13. After using a toner, the black smudge on the cotton ball is exfoliated skin cells as is the "ring around the collar". We normally shed one million skin cells per minute.

14. Stretch marks are scars where the dermis has been torn by pressure from below. Although there are treatments for stretch marks, none have been found to be particularly effective. The dark red of new stretch marks will improve in time without treatment.

772.335.7477

1901 SE Port St. Lucie Blvd

Port St. Lucie, FL 34952