Skin Maintenance

Hot temperatures are here, with sunburns and extra sweat headed your way, skin can take a toll. Sun damage is challenging to reverse and sweat can lead to clogged pores and acne, making the summer months a skincare struggle. Below are tips on how to get your most radiant skin this summer and when to seek professional help.

Sunscreens and serums can have an everlasting impact on your skin. By penetrating to provide hydration, sun damage prevention, and wrinkle reduction, there are sunscreens and serums available in all types to address any issues you are facing with your skin.

Serums are lightweight because they are made of small molecules and therefore can soak deep into the skin. You can even load up on vitamin C through a serum which helps prevent and treat UV damage. To be introduced to the best retinol or serum for your skin type, it is important to talk to a  skin care expert to get product recommendations that will address all concerns.

Your mom and medical aesthetician will always remind you about the powerful properties of a good SPF in reducing aging, sun damage and even skin cancer, and they aren’t wrong. SPF comes in many forms, from makeup products to powders to traditional sunscreen, and there are many options to fit your lifestyle. Makeup products in which SPF is added can be less effective, especially if you spend hours by the pool or on the beach. It’s important to reapply for every two hours of direct sun exposure.

Reverse The Damage

The sun’s rays can cause permanent and even life-threatening damage to the skin. According to The Skincare Foundation, having five or more sunburns doubles your risk for melanoma, a deadly skin cancer. Years of sun damage can also cause the skin to become wrinkly and spotted. There are few ways to reverse this, so prevention is key, but if you spend too much time in the sun, laser treatments can be your biggest asset. For example, a ReSurfx can take years off your complexion in one treatment. When these types of remedies are performed, the skin becomes sensitive to the sun. That means that it’s important to stay indoors and avoid sunlight as much as possible, which is an easy task for most when it’s 95 degrees outside.  Our Legend Pro’s Radiofrequency Microneedling is a safe, summertime option for all skin types to stimulate your own collagen and elastin to help correct skin laxity, sun damage, pigmentation, wrinkles and fine lines.

From The Inside Out

Drinking enough water should be a top priority. Eating in anti-inflammatory foods with high water content like celery and watermelon can help your skin look and feel its best. Also, reaching for fresh berries that are naturally packed with antioxidants can help protect skin from the damaging effects of the sun. Staying active is also important because it increases blood flow, which means your skin cells receive more oxygen and heal faster from concerns like sunburns.

Overall, good skincare comes from a good treatment team and fueling your body properly, which is why the DermaCenter at Rittenhouse Women’s Wellness is dedicated to providing a well-rounded approach to skincare and addressing all outside and inside factors. By taking some of the simple steps above, your skin can glow this summer while staying protected, providing you with lifelong benefits.

Call for your Free Medical Skin Care analysis.

By: Simone Abel, RN

I frequently get asked about what you can do to help with bags under the eyes. We are born with three fat pads under our eyes, and as we get older this fat can start to herniate. Swelling in this area can also be an issue with fluid accumulating around your eyes. The good news is, there are a few different options to treat bags under the eyes!

I always recommend starting with the least invasive treatments, and if you aren’t getting the results you wish, then you can move to the next option.

At-home Remedies that can help with bags under the eyes:

1. Cool compresses. – Put 2 spoons in your freezer, and every morning place the spoons over your eyes for 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Stay hydrated! This might mean to also cut back on your alcohol.
3. Allergies can cause puffiness around your eyes. If you suffer from allergies, trying taking a Claritin or Zyrtec during the day and Benadryl at night.
4. Sleep with an extra pillow so your head is elevated a bit more. This helps prevent the pooling of fluid in your face and around your eyes.
5. SLEEP! It’s so important to get 8 hours of sleep!
6. Cut back on the salty foods! Salt causes fluid retention and can make you puffy everywhere not just your eyes.

Next Step –> Skin treatments:

Microneedling – This treatment stimulates collagen and also helps with tone and texture of the skin. With this treatment, you won’t get instant gratification. You will need 3-6 treatments spaced about 1 month apart. The downtime is about 48 hours, in which you are red and should not wear any makeup. You also need to be careful about sun exposure after this treatment. To expedite the healing process and for better results, you can opt to include PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma), also known as the Vampire Facial.

Next Step –> Injections:

HA (hyaluronic acid) Fillers are great for bags and hollowness under the eyes. It is the only form of filler that is safe to inject in this area. My favorite product to use for under eyes is Restylane. This procedure takes about 15-30 minutes and costs roughly $600. The results last about 1 year and you can expect 40%-60% improvement. It is extremely important you are being treated by someone with the correct credentials as well as someone who has been performing this treatment for years. There is potential for bruising so you want to make sure you don’t have any events coming up within the next two weeks. Results are instant but you can have a little extra swelling from the injections, this can take a few days up to two weeks to completely go away.

Next Step –> Surgery:

If all else fails, there is a surgery that you can have done that removes these 3 fat pads under your eyes. It’s called a Lower Blepharoplasty. Some Plastic Surgeons require you to have general anesthesia for this procedure, and others perform this procedure under conscious sedation. The actual procedure itself takes roughly 10-15 minutes per eye, there are no sutures and scaring as they make the incision inside your eyelid. You can expect to have a great deal of bruising and swelling in this area that can last a few weeks. The nice thing about this treatment, the results are fantastic and they are permanent