Is it too late to start taking care of your skin?

Hello! Welcome back! I hope everyone had a great labor day weekend. I already put up my fall decor…is it time for chilly weather yet?

For today’s topic, I want to talk about something I hear quite often, is it ever too late to start taking care of your skin? Does it reach a point of no return where it really is hopeless?

The answer in short is…no. It’s never too late! Now let’s dive into how to start taking care of your skin at any age.

I believe that skincare is one of those things that can be so intimidating and overwhelming, that a lot of people just choose to not do it at all. Some may not find it necessary until they start getting a skin disorder (acne, dryness, etc), and others need help choosing the correct products to add to their already existent regimen. No matter what age you are, once you reach puberty, it’s important to start a basic skincare routine. I tell all of my clients, no expensive serum is going to help if you’re not properly cleansing and moisturizing, which is the most fundamental part of a routine for your skin’s health. No matter the skin type, a gentle cream cleanser and light moisturizer with SPF is perfect to get started in skincare. Even if you are 60 years old and never worn sunscreen, you are still getting more damage from the sun everyday you go out unprotected!

Regular daily use of SPF 15 or high reduces risk of squamous cell carcinoma by 40%, and melanoma by 50%. People who use SPF 15 or high daily show 24% less skin aging than those who do not (skincancer.org).

Take this same 60 year old, and they will often say, “I already have too many wrinkles to fix!” Nowadays, there is so much technology to be used for anti-aging. It goes way beyond just potent skin creams, but the use of micro-needling, lasers, and strong chemical peels can take years off a person’s face. It may cost some money and take a few sessions, but the answer of “it can’t be fixed!”, is just simply untrue. You no longer have to get complete plastic surgery to look younger, and this is often done by visiting dermatology offices and medical estheticians. Below are some before and afters of chemical peel/ laser treatments.

Sometimes, people just feel like their skin already looks good and that if they start using skin care, it will make them break out. I hear this alot! Usually from women in their teens and 20s. They have never used anything on their skin before besides a quick face wash and occasionally moisturize, but they don’t break out or feel dry, so they don’t need anything. This person will most likely turn into the 60 year old who is wondering if they waited too late to start. We don’t walk in from outside, and immediately see sunspots. It takes time for this to show up, because we have many layers of skin!

This picture below is using a Wood’s Lamp device on the left. It uses UV light to detect skn disorders below what we can see on the surface.

FYI:

We often think of less aging being associated with those who have a darker complexion. The reason is that the excess melanin production, creating the darker skin pigment, is also protection from the sun. People of any ethnicity are still susceptible to skin cancer and sun damage, but it is more noticeable in lighter skin tones when sun damage has occured!

No matter your skin color or age, remember to start with the basics of a skincare routine, and then add on from there what you wish to accomplish.

It’s never too late to protect yourself from skin cancer. It’s never too late to encourage collagen production in your skin to feel more plump. It’s never too late to reduce wrinkles. It’s never too late to reduce pimples and acne. It’s never too late to work on reducing scars.

Why? Because your skin is who you are. You see it every single day. It covers your whole body and protects you from pollutants, bacteria, and weather.

Show it some love and you will see the difference!

Do you take care of your skin? Let me know below!