But you can take steps to limit the effects of aging and other environmental and lifestyle factors on your skin.

Skin health begins below the surface in the dermis. The dermis contains cells that give skin its smooth, firm texture and even color. As skin ages it loses its ability to renew itself. Collagen and elastin in the dermis weaken, resulting in less volume, fine lines, and wrinkles. The outer layer of skin cells, the epidermis, becomes dehydrated and old cells build up on top of the skin, making it look dry and unhealthy as well as trapping oil and particles that can cause break outs. The natural aging of skin can be frustrating but is easily minimized with proper care and preventive measures. The next three issues of this blog will discuss procedures and skin care programs that can be added to your regimen to improve skin health and turn back the hands of time while preventing future damage to skin.

There are many environmental factors that can also result in damage to skin, aggravating the natural aging process. Sun exposure is one of the most common. UV light accelerates the aging of skin and results in uneven coloring in the form of sun spots or freckles. It also contributes to laxity in the skin, meaning skin loses its normal healthy tone, causing it to sag. Tanning beds have a similar effect on skin regeneration. So though a golden glow may look nice it can wreak havoc on your skins cellular structure, intensifying the natural aging process.

Other contributors to the aging of skin can include pollutants like smog if you live in a city, smoking, and poor nutrition. Because of this it is important to take steps to protect skin. Obviously some day to day practices can include eating properly or taking supplements to get the proper amount of vitamins your skin needs for healthy functioning. Vitamin A, E and C are particularly helpful in maintaining skin health. Wearing a uva/uvb sun block when spending time outside is another important step to keep skin looking young and healthy. Sunscreen should be at least SPF 15 and should be applied half an hour before spending time outdoors. If you plan on spending a large amount of time outside sunscreen should be re-applied at least every hour. Washing your face every night before bed is a simple way to keep build-up from accumulating on the skin’s surface. Daily build-up can cause skin to look dull and contribute to acne break-outs. Cleansing the skin thoroughly each night is an easy way to remove environmental build-up, make-up and dead skin. If you suffer from break-outs and oily skin changing your pillow case more frequently can help minimize the number of break-outs.

To reverse already existing damage more extreme measures must be taken to penetrate deeper into the skin, effectively changing how the skin functions. Exclusively Faces offers three treatments that will drastically change the appearance of skin with little to no discomfort for the patient. The ViPeel is a chemical peel with all the traditional benefits of a chemical peel but little pain. The HydraFacial is like nothing you’ve experienced, using a special suction tip it deeply exfoliates and removes debris while treating skin with hydrating solutions, leaving skin smooth and glowing. The Obagi system is a skin care line that actually penetrates deep into the skin, down to the dermis, to improve skin function by increasing cell turn over, making skin act and look younger. If added to your normal skin care regimen these products and treatments will result in a lifelong youthful appearance. The next three blog posts will discuss each of these treatment options, their benefits and details about the procedures and product lines themselves. If you have any questions regarding skin health please feel free to comment or to call Exclusively Faces at 540-667-3223 and schedule a consultation with our staff regarding individual concerns. Please check back soon for our next blog post on the benefits of the ViPeel.