skin care mistakes

younger woman and older woman, both with great skin

Could You Be Making These 4 Common Skin Care Mistakes?

It's not easy to have a glowing complexion. Just look at the statistics: 85% of people will suffer from some sort of acne in their lifetime, and around 7.5 million Americans suffer from psoriasis. Despite this, the beauty and skin care industry is doing better than ever.

So what gives? Unfortunately (and fortunately), the secret to perfect skin isn't just about buying the best skin care products for women. Rather, it takes a commitment to a certain lifestyle that will not only have your skin looking better, but will have you feeling better, too.

Here are 4 skin care mistakes to avoid:

Not getting enough sleep
During the day, your skin is working hard to protect itself from damaging free radicals, pollutants, and ultraviolet rays. Just like your mind, your skin is able to rejuvenate and repair itself overnight, keeping skin in top notch condition. However, a lack of sleep will effectively accelerate the aging process, delay healing, and will result in a number of skin problems, such as acne, dark circles, and puffy eyes. To look and feel your best, shoot for eight hours of sleep per night.

Not washing your face before bed
While applying SPF, primer, makeup and the like has your skin looking good and feeling good during the day, these products are built to last and will remain heavily on the skin, clogging your pores and leaving it susceptible to dry skin, breakouts, and sensitive areas. Instead, use a gentle cleanser before bed and an evening formulated moisturizer that will help your skin to rejuvenate as it intends to. Ask a dermatologist about what night-time routine and products are best for your skin.

Not moisturizing your skin
Many of the 50 million Americans dealing with acne believe that people with oily skin should skip the moisturizer before bed. But like previous tips have shown, the skin has a tendency to dry out as you sleep. Providing it with the essential moisture necessary will help to halt excess oil production that leads to breakouts in the first place.

Not staying informed
Ignorance is bliss, but it also makes for poor skin habits and a bad complexion. Visit your local dermatologist regularly, or schedule a dermatology appointment to find out what skin care routine is best for your specific skin type. Whether you choose in-person or online, an expert will help you to correct any mistakes that are disrupting your current skin care routine.

by Bishara Gattas

Three Ways You Can Help Your Dermatologist Improve Your Skin

Did you know that acne affects an estimated 40 million to 50 million Americans? Or that an estimated one in every five Americans will develop skin cancer over the course of their lives, causing more than 2 million people to be diagnosed with nonmelanoma skin cancer in the United States every year? Because of the prevalence of these and other skin conditions, it is extremely important that the average person visits a local dermatologist regularly to stay healthy, comfortable and confident in their appearance.

However, even after you have read all of the online dermatologist reviews and consulted with the best rated dermatologists in your area, there is still a chance that your skin might not see results. This is because the best skin care regimen is a collaboration between the doctor and the patient, which relies on communication and effort to succeed. Read on to learn how you can change your habits to help your acne treatment products and other skin care methods succeed.

Too Many Products Might Only Make Your Skin Worse
If you're like many people, you probably try product after product at the first sign of a breakout. However, combining all of these different solutions without giving your skin time to acclimate to one of them will often only cause redness, flakiness, itchiness, irritation and inflammation. Instead, if you're buying something over-the-counter, find a product with positive dermatologist reviews and try it for a few weeks while taking good care of your skin to see if it has an effect. Meanwhile, if you are using a medication your dermatologist recommended, try to wait at least 3 months before requesting something new, unless you notice a serious reaction.

Oil Isn't Always the Enemy
Many magazines, books and even doctors portray oil as the culprit behind breakouts and other skin conditions. However, our bodies produce oil naturally to protect the skin and keep it supple. For this reason, removing it with harsh solutions will only make the body over-produce the substance. Instead, the goal should be to regulate oil production with moisturizers and cleansers to keep the skin clean but still supple. Ask your dermatologist what products they recommend for basic skin care.

Your Mental Health Plays a Powerful Role
A number of patients with acne, psoriasis and other skin conditions notice that their skin gets worse when they are under a great deal of stress. They aren't wrong: studies show that our emotions can have a significant impact on our health, especially over time. For this reason, it is important that patients seeking help with their skin make healthy choices, take care of their bodies and work to establish a positive state of mind if they want to see long-term results in their skin.

Are you looking for a dermatologist who will work with you to change your skin for the better? Read local dermatologist reviews and schedule consultations with the best rated doctors in your area today!

by Bishara Gattas