Skin Care and Treatments at Every Age

As the years pass, our skin undergoes many structural and biochemical changes.  For example, epidermal cells don’t turnover and exfoliate as easily, the production of collagen and elastic tissue proteins slows, and these proteins also weaken becoming less supportive.  Our oil glands don’t produce as much oil causing our skin to become drier, and our skin doesn’t retain as much moisture as it did when it was younger.  These biochemical and structural changes allow gravity to take its toll and result in signs of skin laxity and aging.  Early signs of aging include the development of fine lines, particularly around the eyes and lips, deepening of expression lines in the forehead and around the mouth, brittle nails, thinning hair, and even bone loss.  The following tips can help you slow the signs of aging at every age.

Any and All Ages

Since sun exposure is the single biggest cause of damage to skin, the most important thing one can do to protect your skin is to reduce sun exposure.  Use sunscreen daily, wear sun protective clothing, and limit time outdoors when the sun is the strongest, typically between 10AM and 2PM.  Chronic sun exposure causes fine and coarse wrinkles with a leathery appearance in addition to brown spots and broken blood vessels.

Treat your skin gently and keep it moisturized and hydrated.  Always use gentle products, avoid harsh ingredients, and don’t scratch, squeeze, or pick at your skin.

Avoid smoking and exposure to tobacco smoke. Smoking decreases blood flow in smaller vessels, thereby damaging connective tissue which leads to loss of skin elasticity and the formation of wrinkles.  Smokers also suffer more damage from sunlight than nonsmokers.

Avoid tanning beds. Ultraviolet radiation from tanning beds can be 10x more powerful than the midday sun!

20s-30s

Prevention is key! In your mid to late twenties, collagen and elastic tissue production starts to slow down, and small signs of skin aging slowly become visible. The following treatments and skin care tips can help slow down the process.

Neuromodulators such as Botox Cosmetic, Dysport and Xeomin are much more popular with patients in their 20s and early 30s.  Younger people do not want to wait for lines to form before they start having neurotoxin treatments.  Dr. Isaac recommends that patients in their 20s and early 30s get treated before the expression lines are etched in the skin and apparent at rest.

Start (and stick with) a quality skin care regimen that includes a retinoid, topical antioxidants, a moisturizer, and, of course, sunscreen.  Dr. Isaac emphasizes that the single most important thing one can do for prevention of fine lines and wrinkles is sun protection.  Use sunscreen daily, even when it is cloudy and during the winter as ultraviolet light penetrates through clouds.  Dr. Isaac prefers broad spectrum sunscreens that contain physical particles like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide as they don’t rely on a chemical reaction to reduce sun damage on the skin. She suggests a daily sunscreen of an SPF30 or greater, and for holidays or more prolonged sun exposure, bump the SPF to 50+ and reapply every two hours. Wear a wide brimmed hat, use lip balm with SPF 30 or greater, and sunglasses with ultraviolet light protection.

Skin doesn’t retain as much moisture and produces less natural oils as it did when it was younger. A good moisturizer soothes dry skin, makes wrinkles less noticeable and allows for better tolerance of topical retinoids. Vitamin A, or retinoids, also increase collagen production and improve cellular turnover and improving skin color. Other vitamins and antioxidants such as vitamins A, C, E, ferulic acid, and Coenzyme Q10 reduce free radical damage and minimize photodamage. Dr. Isaac suggests that you look for these ingredients in serums, lotions or creams.

Laser Hair removal, chemical peels, intense pulsed light (IPL) and procedures that address unwanted hair, skin texture, acne along with acne scarring treatments are extremely popular treatments among men and women in their 20s at MI-Skin Dermatology and Laser Center in Washington DC.

30s-40s

The skin becomes more delicate, with lines on the eyes and forehead common. In addition to normal aging processes, harmful environmental influences are now more noticeable. The cell activity decreases and the barrier layer of the skin becomes more compromised or vulnerable. In other words, the skin reacts to these changes with irritation or allergy and redness. With a coordinated care system including supportive anti-aging products and treatments, light lines can be corrected with ease. Night care is particularly important to promote skin suppleness and regeneration during sleeping hours. In addition to her staples of retinoids, antioxidants and sunscreen, Dr. Isaac starts to implement products that contain peptides and growth factors into one’s skin care regimen during this age.

Botox, Xeomin and Dysport treatments continue to be a mainstay in wrinkle care and further prevention.  Now, Dr. Isaac artfully injects resting lines and improves facial contours by injecting soft tissue fillers such as hyaluronic acids.  Juvéderm, Restylane, Beloterro, Radiesse, Bellafill and Sculptra are tools in her toolbox to fill lines and restore facial volume that occurs during this time. Fillers also have a role in preventing further deterioration of appearance because fillers stimulate the body’s own collagen.

Microneedling and Laser treatments, such as Fraxel, stimulate collagen production, smooth fine lines and improve texture are popular with patients in their 30s and 40s.  IPL and lasers to reduce sun damage, brown spots and redness also are also popular requests.  Rosacea treatments continue to climb in both men and women patients.

45+

The skin becomes thinner and drier slowly. Due to low moisture content in the skin of both men and women, skin loses more elasticity and strength. Wrinkles are now more prominent. There is more significant loss of facial volume, necessitating the use of injectable fillers for youthful restoration. Hormone fluctuations of the menopause make women more prone to blackheads, pimples and texture changes. Hormonal changes also lead to vaginal dryness and “Mommy Makeovers” are popular consultations.  Dr. Isaac urges essential skin care regimens that help rid the skin of dead skin cells, and she prescribes creams that firm and tighten skin. Her prescribed, coordinated skin care systems can make the skin radiate again.

Lasers and Devices that tighten and lift are extremely popular as skin starts to sag due to increased laxity and volume loss.  Ultherapy, Excilis Ultra, Infini Radiofrequency microneedling, to name a few, are regularly recommended at this age.  UltraFemme 360 treatments helps restore vaginal moisture and stress-induced urinary incontinence caused by sneezing, exercise and laughing.  Lasers and devices that improve skin texture and smoothness are implemented frequently.  Dr. Isaac and her team at MI-Skin Dermatology and Laser Center may recommend and use Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) to restore your skin’s youthful appearance.

Dr. Isaac routinely recommends thread lifts, otherwise known as suture suspension, nonsurgical facelifts, during this age. Thread lifts work well for mild to moderate skin laxity, particularly in the jowl area.  The suture material also stimulates collagen production because the thread is made of a material that acts as a foreign substance to the body in order to stimulate collagen growth. Some threads have changes in the surface of the material (barbs, cones or knots) that will catch onto the skin, allowing Dr. Isaac to place the thread, position it into the skin in such a way to cause a long-lasting lifting effect that looks great immediately and over time.

 

Botox and other neuromodulators remain as an essential antiaging treatment, although Dr. Isaac now injects them in more anatomic areas including the neck and jawline.

55+

The skin becomes more complex and generally drier. Lines develop into deeper wrinkles, especially around the nose and mouth. The activity of the sebaceous and sweat glands is restricted, so the skin cannot store enough moisture. The care system must now be optimized and maintained well. Anti-aging products with retinoids, vitamin C, sunscreen, hyaluronic acids, growth factors are essential.

Dr. Isaac strategically uses and combines different modalities to deliver her best signature treatments. According to Dr. Isaac, procedures must be used in combination as no single treatment will restore youthful appearance.  Skin will continue to age. Implementing these treatments in a skilled way makes Dr. Isaac’s approach to a patient unique.  She strives to achieve age appropriate, natural looking results in her patients. Artfully injecting Botox and soft tissue fillers in addition to performing state of the art skin resurfacing, skin tightening and lifting procedures separates Dr. Isaac from other physicians.

Schedule a consultation today by visiting www.mi-skin.com or calling (202)393-7546.

The post Skin Care and Treatments at Every Age appeared first on Washington DC Dermatologist | MI Skin.

Combination Therapies are Essential for Optimal Results

Improved technologies are now available to shape, tighten, lift, and generally rejuvenate the skin. From body sculpting to fat freezing, innovations in noninvasive procedures offer patients a multitude of options to meet their desire for self-improvement. Expert dermatologist and founder of MI Skin Dermatology, Dr. Melda Isaac, typically combines numerous treatments to achieve optimal results.

One of the newer rejuvenation treatment combinations performed in her office includes the combination of a skin tightening device with a filler.  Exilis Ultra and Ulthera, both radio-frequency and ultrasound-based devices, work well to tighten slack skin, in all skin types. However, when combined with injections of Sculptra, we can expect better results for firming and improving the skin quality of the sun damaged décolletage, loose, crepey skin on the upper inner arms, anterior thighs, and abdomen.  Sculptra alone can be safely used to boost volume in the buttocks and when combined with Ulthera or Exilis can give a better lift to the derriere! Sculptra injections combined with skin tightening treatments can even improve the appearance of mild to moderate cellulite on the backs of thighs which has been extremely challenging to treat.

It is now commonplace in Dr. Isaac’s office for a patient to have CoolSculpting to freeze unwanted fat, then immediately have Ultherapy over the same area to tighten the skin. This combination is particularly effective and popular to reduce the double chin and better define the jawline. Dr. Isaac feels the combination contributes to improving tightness and better skin quality compared to either treatment alone. This dual treatment combination is also helpful to tighten and improve the sagging skin and laxity on the thighs and upper arms.

Another hit combination is the implementation of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) for an uptick in collagen building, cell growth and even better hair health when injected into the scalp. PRP is used after ablative laser resurfacing and microneedling procedures with or without radiofrequency to expedite healing, reduce downtime and improve results.  Dr. Isaac feels that when PRP is combined with microneedling, radiofrequency or laser treatments, the addition of PRP improves the appearance of acne scarring and photodamaged skin better than the results that can be achieved with only having the device or laser treatment performed.

For a safe, nonsurgical lift to reduce skin laxity, Dr. Isaac adds a Thread Lift procedure to any of her rejuvenating laser or device treatments.  Threads are made from suture material and are safely used for lifting lax skin, particularly in the face and neck. Placing threads or sutures to lift the skin is also used in combination with Botox and dermal fillers. Results from the threads compliment all other rejuvenating treatments. Threads work well because they stimulate collagen since the material of the thread is made from a material that acts like a foreign substance to the body which stimulates collagen growth.  Threads or suture materials are also manufactured with changes in the surface of the thread (barbs, cones or knots) that will catch onto the skin and anchor the thread into the dermis to hold it in place.  As Dr. Isaac places the thread and positions the skin over it, lifting results are seen immediately and continue to improve over time.

For years Dr. Isaac has combined different lasers on the same day of treatment, always striving to achieve better results in skin rejuvenation.  For example, Dr. Isaac will sequentially perform an Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) treatment or use one of her many lasers to reduce broken blood vessels, and brown spots caused by sun damage, aging, or acne scars. Then, she will use a resurfacing laser such as Fraxel or CO2 to improve the skin’s texture and then use a Radiofrequency or Ultrasound device for even better tightening and lifting.

We haven’t even touched on adding Botox, Dysport, or Xeomin along with the myriad of other injectable filler treatments to further complement the results from the lasers and devices. Dr. Isaac always reminds her patients that a youthful face is three dimensional. “Don’t underestimate volume,” she often reminds her patients. Restoring facial volume with fillers must be subtle for natural results. Placing filler strategically for its best lift and to improve a contour is what distinguishes Dr. Isaac from other injectors. It is essential for patients to remember that it is not the device, but the artistry, expertise and experience of the operator that gives the best results.

Contact MI Skin Dermatology to schedule your skin treatment consultation today or call (202) 393-SKIN (7546).

The post Combination Therapies are Essential for Optimal Results appeared first on Washington DC Dermatologist | MI Skin.

CoolSculpting Noninvasive Fat Reduction

You can only achieve so much with diet and exercise to obtain your desired body shape as we can’t control our genetics! Thank goodness for CoolSculpting noninvasive body contouring treatments.

CoolSculpting works by effectively and painlessly freezing unwanted fat cells, a process called cryolipolysis.  The cold temperature kills the fat cells and your body naturally eliminates them through your lymphatic system over the span of several weeks to months following treatment.

Coolsculpting can be used to treat your upper, lower abdomen and love handles to create a sculpted waistline or a defined six-pack abdomen. CoolSculpting can also be applied to slim your arms, inner and outer thighs, in addition to that “banana-roll’ or fat bulge between your buttock and thigh.  CoolSculpting can even improve that dreaded “double chin” or even back fat.

Double chins and “bra-fat” are nearly impossible to get rid of through diet and exercise.  CoolSculpting is one of the most popular treatments in our office so we have every size applicator and own multiple units to individualize your treatment needs to meet your goals in an efficient manner.

“Dual-sculpting” allows us to treat two areas during the same 45-minute treatment session.

We also offer complimentary Z-wave treatments following every CoolSculpting session to optimize your results. Z-wave therapy replaces manual massage by using precise regulated pulsed therapy. Z-wave treatments improve blood circulation and lymphatic drainage to expedite fat removal.

You can expect up to a 30% reduction of fat from a single session of CoolSculpting.

The majority of our patients treat the same area twice for even further fat reduction.  Nearly all of our patients treat multiple body areas because they are pleased with their treatment results and there is no recovery or downtime.

Schedule a complimentary evaluation to learn more about CoolSculpting and to see if CoolSculpting is right for you. Contact MI-Skin Dermatology at (202) 393-7546

The post CoolSculpting Noninvasive Fat Reduction appeared first on Washington DC Dermatologist | MI Skin.