Anti-Aging Skin Care
Wrinkles, fine lines, dryness, and pigment changes are unavoidable skin changes caused by chronological aging. However, 90% of visible skin changes, including skin cancer, are the direct result of repetitive exposure to the sun’s damaging rays. The sun’s ultraviolet radiation (UVA and UVB) creates oxidative stress in the skin which damages the DNA of skin cells. This is called photoaging and it prematurely ages the skin.
It is impossible to prevent chronological aging. It is built into our DNA. Genetics, hormones, and lifestyle also play important roles. Lifestyle choices have an impact on how well we age. A diet containing lots of sugar and refined carbohydrates can accelerate aging. Intense sun exposure at our high elevations in Utah also plays a role. A healthy diet can help reduce the signs of aging. Antioxidants can prevent free radicals from damaging the skin. Exercise improves circulation and can create a healthy glow.
You can age gracefully with an at-home anti-aging skin care regime that includes rejuvenation products and professional treatments to fight premature aging.
What is anti-aging skin care?
Anti-aging skin care is the use of products that prevent photoaging and reduce the impact of chronological aging.
- Most important is the use of sunscreen, your most effective defense against photoaging. The best sunscreen is a broad-spectrum product that protects against the sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation to prevent premature aging, wrinkles and sagging skin. A product containing zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide of at least 30 SPF is the best protection to physically block the sun’s rays. A chemical sunscreen works differently. It absorbs the sun’s rays and may be used with a physical blocking sunscreen. Newer sunscreen formulations that contain DNA repair enzymes can also help to reduce and undo damage.
- An antiaging topical creams, gels, and serums can also help to minimize fine lines, pigmentation, and dryness. Moisturizers that contain ceramides help to repair damage to the skin barrier. Other creams contain hyaluronic acid, amino peptides and niacinamide to moisturize, plump and smooth the skin. Some moisturizers contain sunscreen and are fine to use with your sunscreen. Topical products that contain certain ingredients like Vitamin C and E and green tea are antioxidants that can help to brighten the skin and discolorations.
- Over the counter products and prescriptions that contain retinols or retinoids are the most important addition to all anti-aging regimes. They prevent new wrinkles and smooth fine lines. Retinoids increases cell turnover to decrease pigmentation and shrink enlarged pores.
Anti-aging professional treatments
Anti-aging treatments include topical agents backed by science and professional office procedures that turn back the clock with minimal to no downtime.
Prescription strength retinoids protect against and treat photoaging, chronological aging and oxidative stress. They increase collagen production, minimize fine lines and wrinkles, balance skin tone and smooth skin texture.
Prescription strength Bleaching agents like Hydroquinone work by lightening the skin to improve the look of dark spots and other hyperpigmentation.
Chemical peels are minimally invasive treatments to improve skin clarity, tone, and texture. They smooth skin and refresh the appearance by removing skin imperfections including dead skin cells that make the complexation look dull, wrinkles and blotchy. It also improves dark spots, and sunspots.
Neurotoxins such as Botox®, Dysport ®, and Xeomin® are used to achieve a youthful, rested, and rejuvenated appearance. They work to temporarily soften and smooth the wrinkles of expression on the forehead, between the eyebrows, and crow’s feet among other uses. With Dr. Michael Sotiriou’s expertise, they can also be used in areas of the lower face, a skill set he learned at his time in Chicago.
Dermal injectables can fill lines and wrinkles and volumizing fillers like Sculptra and Radiesse can add back volume to replace lost collagen and fat; and some stimulate collagen production.
Microneedling also called collagen induction therapy is anti-aging treatment to reduce the signs of aging including skin laxity, sun damage, enlarged pores, stretch marks, melasma and photoaged skin, wrinkles, and discolorations. Treatment improves skin tone, and texture. Rebuilding collagen, the foundation of plump, firm skin will lift and smooth fine lines and wrinkles and improve the look of scars. For increased collagen production to enhance skin tone and firmness it is combined with radiofrequency energy.
Microdermabrasion is a procedure to exfoliate and remove the superficial skin layers to improve the skin tone and texture. It gently exfoliates to temporarily reduce the appearance of pores, minimize fine lines, and restore a youthful glow. It also improves oily and dry skin, minimizes the look of acne scars and uneven pigmentation.
IPL (Intense pulsed light) is photorejuvenation is also called a photofacial. It is effective to remove dark spots and discoloration, blotchy redness, broken capillaries, and spider veins safety and gently.
Fractional non-ablative laser treatments use light-based energy to remove discolorations and wrinkles and stimulates collagen production to tighten the skin. It can improve the look of acne scars, stretch marks, sun damage and other blemishes with minimal downtime
Ultrasound and radiofrequency (RF) treatments are noninvasive anti-aging facial tightening procedures. Both work by stimulating development of new collagen. Ultrasound treatments use high – intensity focused ultrasound to rejuvenate loose and sagging skin. Radiofrequency treatments use low energy radiation to heat the deeper layers of skin called the dermis to improve wrinkles and sagging skin.
PDT (Photodynamic Therapy) is the use of a topical sensitizing agent that is then activated with blue or red light to rejuvenate the skin. Additionally, this treatment has shown clinically proven results to reduce pre-cancers and decrease the risk of skin cancers.
Fractional Laser Skin Resurfacing takes the laser energy and breaks it into thousands of tiny beams. Tiny wounds are created, vaporizing the damaged skin, and stimulating the surrounding healthy skin to make new collagen and elastin. This procedure is versatile, customizable, but is associated with more down time. In Dr. Michael Sotiriou’s experienced hands the results can be transformative.
Dr. Michael Sotiriou is a board-certified dermatologist who grew up in Salt Lake City and has returned to run Salt Lake Dermatology & Aesthetics. He and his caring team offer the best most well researched and beneficial anti-aging treatments for rejuvenation. Contact him to schedule a consultation to discover how he can help you look your best, age gracefully, and face the day.
At a Glance
Dr. Michael Sotiriou
- Board-certified, Residency-Trained Medical and Cosmetic Dermatologist
- Sub-Specialty Board Certification in Mohs Micrographic Dermatologic Surgery from the American Board of Dermatology
- Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology
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