7 Skincare Routines for Aging Gracefully | Tips from Your Southlake, TX Dermatologist

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Everyone ages at a different pace. However, there are some steps you can take to slow down the process, such as following a strict skincare routine. Below are suggestions from Dermatologists in Southlake, TX, on how to keep your skin soft, healthy and glowing as you grow older.

Start Each Day with a Facial Cleanser

No matter your age, starting each day cleansing your face is essential to remove dirt, oils, and dead skin cells that can clog pores and lead to blackheads, whiteheads, acne breakouts, and even infections. Depending on your skin tone, it can increase oil production or lead to dry skin that’s itchy, red, and flakey. Additionally, the other products you may use in the morning and throughout the day, such as moisturizers, eye care solutions, and blemish creams can’t penetrate your skin and won’t be effective.

Also, consider using cream-style facial cleansers as you age to reduce moisture loss that occurs with more traditional, foaming ones. This type helps rehydrate your face for a more soothing feel and fresher appearance. For questions about how to improve your skincare routine, schedule a consultation with your dermatologist.

Exfoliate Regularly

It would be best if you used an exfoliating cleanser at least once a week to clean any excess oil, dirt, and dead skin cells that are on your face will clog pores. Another option is to use a physical exfoliator, such as clothes or facial exfoliating devices that gently clear the skin. As with regular cleansing, regular exfoliation allows moisturizers and other skin products to penetrate the top layer of skin and work deeper for better results.

Never exfoliate more than twice a week, especially if you have sensitive skin. Too much can leave your face red, raw, and painful to the touch. It can also leave you more susceptible to infections. If you develop these symptoms after exfoliating, contact a dermatologist, immediately.

Follow-up Cleansing with a Toner

Wrinkles, fine lines, scars, and skin imperfections increase as we age, which is why an extra cleansing step with a toner is vital before piling on the moisturizers. Toners grab the last of the dirt, oils, and makeup that cleaning may have missed, and helps restore your skin’s pH balance. Plus, when you grab every last speck of foreign contaminants from your face, it further reduces acne outbreaks.

When choosing a toner, pay attention to your skin type. If you experience regular acne flare-ups, pick one that’s alcohol-free but still offers alpha hydroxy acid, which is beneficial for skin, but won’t irritate it. To find out what toner and other facial products work best for your skin, schedule an exam today with your dermatologist.

Moisturize

After scrubbing, cleansing, exfoliating, and using toner, your face needs moisturizer. When applying moisturizer to your face, continue down your neck and chest area—Unless you live in turtlenecks, these areas are also visible, experience as much exposure to the elements as your face, and need cleansing and moisture along with the rest of your body. Additionally, you want these areas to have the same skin tone as your face. If your skin is excessively dry, there may be an underlying condition, and it’s essential to see a Southlake, TX, dermatologist as soon as possible.

Add a Serum

You should also bring a serum into your daily routine after 40. These lightweight moisturizers dive deeper into your skin than traditional moisturizers and can serve different purposes depending on the ingredients. For example,

  • Anti-Inflammatories, such as arnica (a type of mushroom extract), zine (mineral), aloe vera and goldenseal (plant extracts) offer neutralizing properties to reduce redness and prevent cell damage from inflammation
  • Antioxidants, including vitamin C, grape seed extract, and pomegranate extract help protect your skin from environmental damages like sun, which also increases signs of aging
  • Hydrators, such as amino acids, essential fatty acids, and ceramides strengthen barriers that breakdown faster as you age and lead to excessive dryness and fine lines in the skin

For questions about different serums for your skin, schedule an appointment with your dermatologist. They may recommend specific products for your tone and skin type.

Use a Targeted Eye Treatment

One of the facial areas that ages the fastest are around the eyes. Eye creams are thicker, add more moisture, and help reduce those fine lines that accompany the aging process. Ones that contain collagen can help improve the skin’s elasticity, reducing the appearance of wrinkles around the eyes or crows’ feet, which is the popular term. If you’re concerned about lines around your eyes, dark circles, or puffiness that’s not improving with over-the-counter treatments, contact your dermatologist in Southlake, TX, to schedule an exam.

Always Remove Makeup at Night

Next to not cleaning your face in the morning or skimping and even skipping the moisturizers, the most significant skincare mistake is sleeping in makeup. When you don’t remove makeup, it increases the buildup on your face and within pores, worsening acne and making it harder to clean from your face in the morning.

Use a Nightly Wrinkle Cream

Aging and wrinkles go together, but you can reduce their appearance with a nightly wrinkle cream. However, it’s important to remember that without the other steps, cleaning, exfoliating, toning, and moisturizing, adding a wrinkle cream, no matter how expensive, won’t stop or reduce wrinkles. For concerns about wrinkles, speak with your dermatologist.

Try a Weekly Face Mask

While it’s not essential or as crucial as the other steps in your regiment, a weekly face mask can reduce the signs of aging, hydrate your skin more, and be incredibly relaxing for you. There are many types to choose from that carry a variety of additional benefits, such as,

  • Brightening
  • Clay or Charcoal to remove excess oils
  • Peels to remove facial residue and dead skin cells

You can get more skincare tips and help with selecting products that work and will reduce the signs of aging by speaking to your Southlake, TX, dermatologist.

Contact Compassion Dermatology at 817-380-5911 or schedule an appointment online with a dermatologist in Southlake, TX, for a routine, comprehensive exam, or any problems or concerns about your skin.

Common Dermatology Problems Teenagers Need to Look Out For | Southlake Area

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If you are, or know a teenager living in the Southlake area, you may find this guide helpful for advice on what to do when you encounter these skin problems most teens will run into growing up. Health is wealth in this case, and caring for your skin is the first step to caring for the rest of your body.

Acne

During a teenager’s pubescent years, a teenagers pores can be clogged with sebum, a chemical that’s intended to keep your skin moisturized and protected from germs and other debris. When this happens, a common skin bacteria, called Propionibacterium acnes can cause redness, inflammation, and swelling in the pores of your skin, sometimes causing cysts and nodules to form. Dermatology centers advise not to pop your cysts yourself, as this can damage the skin and cause the cyst to reform over time. Symptoms include black and white “heads” appearing at the tip of a pore, as well as redness, and the tendency for that area to form bumps. Common treatment options include antibacterial ointments, hormone therapy, and professional acne removal for cases where the cysts get especially large and painful.

Eczema

An umbrella term for rashes, and itching that spread from the skin, it commonly occurs on the face, inside elbows, on hands, and feet. Avoiding the urge to scratch that area is imperative as dryness can spread out from the inflammation that scratching causes. Symptoms of eczema include severely dry skin, redness and irritation of the skin, sensitive skin, inflammation and swelling. Because eczema is worsened by irritation, consulting with a dermatology specialist can help identify specific treatment options such as setting up a moisturizing/bathing routine, or taking antihistamines to reduce irritation and swelling.

Dandruff

What some Southlake area residents may not know, is dandruff, similar to eczema, doesn’t have a single cause. For many teens who may worry that their dandruff is because of some hygiene problem, this isn’t based in fact, and they shouldn’t be ashamed of that, Common symptoms include white flakes in the hair or on clothing, itching or burning in the scalp, and oily skin that also has dry patches and flakes. Dermatology centers recommend a combination of skin and hair care treatments such as a more frequent hair washing routine and treating skin inflammation with a hydrocortisone cream.

Athlete’s Foot

For Southlake area residents who participate in physically demanding activities, and wear the same socks for long periods of time, they can contract a fungal infection that clings to the skin of the feet toes and ankles. Symptoms include red, inflamed rash usually starting between the toes, and itching that is especially pronounced immediately after removing shoes. Severe cases may result in blisters or ulcers on your feet. Because athlete’s foot can be chronic, dermatology centers advocate for prevention before treatment. Avoid exposing feet to fungus in places where people may contract athletes foot such as gym locker rooms, bathrooms, and swimming pools. Depending on the severity of the infection, doctors recommend treatment ranging from vigorously scrubbing the feet with warm soapy water, to prescribing antifungal medication.

Cold Sore

Cold sores are the result of an open cut in or on the mouth that are exposed to a type of herpes virus. The virus is typically contracted during childhood, but remains dormant until hormonal changes occur, causing the virus to become more active. Common symptoms include blisters, pain, swelling, and in more serious cases, high fever, muscle aches, nausea, and swollen glands in the neck and face. While the sore itself should clear itself up in a few weeks, dermatology specialists have several recommendations for treating the pain and other symptoms, such as using a cold compress, taking oral pain medication, and using topical agents to numb the sore itself.

Warts

For Southlake area teens going through puberty, their physical appearance can mean a lot to them. That’s why it may seem especially serious when they develop warts around their face, hands and arms. Caused by the human papillomavirus, or HPV, warts are relatively common blemishes that stay isolated in that part of the skin. Common treatments for wart removal include laser removal, freezing the wart, and cutting the wart off. Skin that is injured is more susceptible to getting warts, so dermatology centers agree that maintaining good hygiene, and not scratching at sores or cuts on your body can do a lot to prevent warts.

Ringworm

Similar to athlete’s foot, ringworm is a fungal infection that occurs on the skin other than areas where athlete’s foot occur, such as the arms, biceps, face, and other open parts of the body. The fungus that causes ringworm is infectious, but unlike athletes’ foot, usually occurs from direct contact that’s skin to skin as opposed to indirect contact from simply touching the same places an infected person has been. Ringworm (named for its ring/circular appearance on the skin) is can be treated by a dermatology specialist, typically prescribing antifungal treatments, and washing the infected area so it doesn’t spread, or infect other people.

Sunburns

Without proper supervision, young adults can quickly undergo the effects of both short term and long-term sun exposure. While short term side effects include skin irritation and scarring, long term side effects include the development of skin cancer and severe swelling. Dermatology treatments for sunburns include cooling the affected area with cold water and keeping the burned area moisturized with intense moisturizers such as Aloe Vera.

In Conclusion

Southlake area residents may be worried by the sudden outbreak of skin conditions like acne and warts, but aside from their physical appearance, most dermatology treatments are comprehensive enough that teenagers can still be happy and healthy.

Benefits of Exfoliating for Men and Women | Tips from Your Southlake, TX Dermatologist

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There are several steps you can take to keep your skin clear, smooth, and looking younger, even if you’re already seeing a dermatologist in Southlake, TX. Along with cleaning, moisturizing, and minimizing sun exposure, exfoliation is a safe, easy face and body care step that promotes healthier and happier skin with a natural glow.

You can exfoliate your face and body using manual tools, such as an abrasive cloth or sponge, with enzymes, and with chemical-based products. For questions on which of these methods is best for your skin type, consult with a dermatologist.

CLEARS PORES 

You have small holes all over your skin to release oil and sweat. The problem is these tiny openings clog with dead skin cells, dirt, makeup, and debris from various environmental factors. When pores fill up, it can cause whiteheads, blackheads, and dreaded outbreaks of acne. Slow cellular turnover can increase the rate of clogs, which occurs from excess stress, an unhealthy diet, and poor skincare.

If this continues to occur, speak with a dermatologist in Southlake, TX, to see if there are other solutions to reduce buildup. For specific locations, such as the chin or around the nose, there are different removal methods and products they can recommend.

REDUCES ACNE

When done correctly, removing dead skin cells and keeping your pores clear with exfoliation can reduce acne outbreaks. It’s essential to pay attention to your skin type and only exfoliate accordingly. For example, if you have sensitive skin, don’t scrub too long and limit this step in your skincare routine to once or twice a week. Many products use salicylic acid, which is excellent for clearing acne but can cause irritation for people with sensitivities.

If your skin continues to look red and puffy following a reduction in exfoliating, schedule an appointment with a dermatologist in Southlake, TX. After the acne clears, they can recommend a less abrasive exfoliator for sensitive skin.

EVENS SKIN TONE

Your outer layer of skin can vary in the shade even when your face is clean because of those clogged pores and excess dead skin cells. As people age, their skin produces less oil, leaving it drier, leading to more dead skin cells. These also cause the skin to look dull and lackluster, even after a full night’s sleep and with a healthy diet. Regular exfoliation rejuvenates the skin, making it glow and reducing signs of aging.

Patients with conditions such as eczema and psoriasis experience cell build-up at younger ages and their symptoms can worsen as they age. For help with products specific to these diseases, set up an exam to speak with your dermatologist.

IMPROVES MOISTURE ABSORPTION

When you clear away the dead cells and other dirt and oils clogging pores, your skin’s moisture absorption rate increases. The dead cells act as a barrier, blocking your skin’s ability to breathe, rejuvenate with moisture, and providing the conditions for acne and infections.

Additionally, improving absorption rates also enhances the effectiveness of skincare products. For questions on other ways to increase the efficacy, consult with a dermatologist in Southlake, TX.

SOOTHES SKIN

You want your skin to be soft and touchable from your face to your toes. Between weather and aging, this isn’t always easy, but it is possible. Regular exfoliation in your skincare routine can help soften even the most hardened skin. Use manual or chemical methods depending on your skin type, and if you have any concerns, contact your dermatologist.

Another way to keep skin smooth and improve moisture is to increase your water intake. Hydration can help your skin glow and for fewer trips to the bathroom, use a humidifier, avoid products that have alcohol, especially deodorant and soap.

BOOSTS CIRCULATION AND LYMPHATIC DRAINAGE

Exfoliating your skin regularly can help detoxify through the increase in circulation and promotes lymph drainage. This ancient technique is a form of Ayurveda medicine that removes dead cells and allows the skin to breathe, absorb moisture, and expel toxins through the body’s pores. For questions about boosting circulation through exfoliation, contact a dermatologist for an appointment.

REDUCES SKIN INFECTIONS

People that neglect skincare can develop serious inflammatory skin conditions that are both embarrassing and painful. More specifically, if you don’t wash certain areas, especially with some vigor, the dead cells that clog pores and cause pimples and other outbreaks just build up on the skin causing scaly, dark patches containing oil, moisture, dirt, sweat, bacteria, and other germs and environmental items. If this buildup gets into a cut or other open sore, it can cause dangerous bacterial infections.

Patients that have very sensitive skin and avoid cleaning all or specific areas of their face or body should schedule an immediate exam with a dermatologist that can help them reduce discomfort and get their skin, happy, healthy, and glowing again with the right care products.

On the other end of the spectrum, over-exfoliating your skin can be just as dangerous as avoiding the task. This can lead to at bare minimum, irritated skin that’s red, puffy, and painful to severe infections and even scarring from too much scrubbing or use of chemical exfoliators. To avoid this situation, don’t exfoliate daily. If you find yourself getting red and puffy, stop entirely and speak with a dermatologist.

Exfoliation is an essential skincare step for people of all ages. By perfecting this part of your routine, it’s possible to reduce acne, blackheads, and whiteheads, as well as improve your skin’s appearance and texture and minimize lines and other signs of aging.

Contact Compassion Dermatology today at 817-380-5911 or schedule an appointment online to keep your skin healthy, moist, and glowing year-round with a dermatologist in Southlake, TX.

All About Skin Care | Tips from Your Southlake, TX Dermatologist

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Concocted “Facts” About Skin Care

There are a lot of things that are considered “common information” about skin care that are actually myths and concocted “facts” that are not true. If you are receiving treatment from a dermatologist in Southlake, TX they can also debunk these myths for you. In this post, I am going to share with you some of these “facts” that are believed about skin care.

  1. The Right Skin Cream Can Prevent Your Skin from Aging: There are many skin care products on the market that claim to slow down or stop the process of aging. A lot of products that are sold over-the-counter have Retin-A in them (which is known to reduce wrinkling). Your dermatologist will also tell you that the best way to keep your skin from wrinkling is to not smoke and to use sunscreen.
  2. Antibacterial Soap Cleans Your Skin the Best: Skin typically has bacteria on it. It is basically impossible to keep bacteria off of your skin for any amount of time. In fact, a lot of experts are concerned that regularly using antibacterial soap can cause more antibiotic-resistant bacteria to appear on the body. They say that this type of soap should not be used on a daily basis. Regular and thorough washing of hands and not antibacterial soap is what will help prevent the spread of infections.
  3. Eating Chocolate or Foods with Oil in Them Causes Acne: Any dermatologist will tell you that the oily substance called sebum is one of the causes of acne. They will also tell you that there is no clear evidence to prove that any certain type of food will cause acne.
  4. Tanning is Not Good for You:  Spending a large amount of time in the sun or in a tanning booth may increase the risk of getting skin cancer. The risk of skin cancer is largely connected with how much time you spend in the sun and how often you get a sunburn. Excessive tanning can also cause harm to the skin, which can cause it to wrinkle and age before it should. If you have any questions about tanning and its effects on your skin, you should absolutely talk to your dermatologist. However, getting a gradual or light tan from ongoing, but careful sun exposure is not harmful to the skin. As long as you are putting precautions into play (such as using a sunscreen that has at least a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least thirty, applying it thoroughly, regularly reapplying it (every thirty minutes), and not being outside during peak exposure times, a light tan with no signs of burns on the skin is nothing to be concerned about.
  5. Tanning is Good for You: A lot of people believe that if a person has a dark tan, that they are very healthy. Any dermatologist will tell you that people that have pale skin are not any less healthy than a person who has a dark tan. Being out in the sun does have a benefit to the skin though. Sunlight activates Vitamin D in the skin. Vitamin D keeps the bones strong, may lower the chances of getting some types of cancer, and can also strengthen the immune system. Depending on how much Vitamin D you consume through what you eat and drink, not being out in the sun enough can increase the risk of a person not having enough Vitamin D in their system.
  6. If You Cross Your Legs, You Will Get Varicose Veins: There are many things that can cause varicose veins. Any dermatologist will tell you that crossing your legs will not cause them. Genetics is one of the most important factors-an estimated eighty percent of people with varicose veins has a parent that has varicose veins. Other things that make a person more likely to get varicose veins are smoking, not being active, having a baby, being overweight, and having a job that requires them to stand on their feet a lot.
  7. The higher the SPF a Sunscreen Has, The Better: Once it gets to a certain level, a higher sun protection factor (SPF) does not have any better sun protection that a sunscreen with a lower SPF. Experts (like a dermatologist) usually recommend using a sunscreen that has an SPF of at least 30, which blocks out 97% of UVB radiation (which is ideal for hot Texas towns like Southlake, TX) It definitely would be worth using a sunscreen with a higher SPF if you are planning to be out of doors for at least two to three hours, especially during the hours of peak sun exposure (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.). However, using a sunscreen with a higher SPF is usually not necessary.
  8. A Scar That Can Hardly Be Seen is The Sign of a Good Surgeon: The true skill of a good doctor (like a dermatologist) is proven by what they in between the time that they make the incision and the time that they close it after surgery. While surgeons regularly pay a lot of attention to incision that are on their patients faces by using thinner sutures, putting the stitches closer together (when that is possible) whether or not you have a post-surgical scar tells you very little about how good your surgeon is.
  9. Scalp Massages Can Prevent Baldness: There is no evidence that scalp massages prevent baldness.

Now that you know some of the “facts” that have been concocted about skin care, you can properly take care of your own skin so you can have good looking and youthful looking skin for a long time.

If you are looking for a Dermatologist in the Southlake, TX area look no further than Compassion Dermatology. You can conveniently set up an appointment onlineor calling 817-380-5911. Give yourself the gift of healthier, more radiant skin.