My Best Advice on Anti-Aging Skincare

To preserve your skin, prevent photo damage, or invest in procedures (botulinum injections, fillers, lasers, peels), it’s crucial to protect your skin (and your results) with the right products. Although not immediately apparent (usually individuals notice a difference in about 90 days), a smart line-up is essential to anyone interested in maintaining or improving the health and appearance of their skin. In fact, almost everyone over the age of 20 can benefit from education and direction towards clinically proven efficacious products.

I have made it my business to scrutinize product science to determine the very best, most efficacious choices for our skin. After twenty-five years of experience, I have concluded that the right skin care products can certainly make a difference in your appearance. It’s my job to help you navigate which products will help you look your very best.

In the world of skin lotions, potions, and supplements, there are three main classes:

• Prescriptions – This is a health care provider’s written authorization for a patient to purchase a prescription drug from a pharmacist or other authorized dispensing agent.
• Cosmetics – These are products used to cleanse and beautify the skin (what you can buy over-the-counter at Walgreens, Sephora, or Neiman Marcus). Most of the time, these are lower level anti-aging products.
• Cosmeceuticals – These are cosmetics with “drug-like” effects. However, this third category is not formally recognized by the FDA. Many of these products require supervision under the guidance of a licensed physician, as this class of products is much more potent (effective) than what you can buy over-the-counter. Cosmeceuticals are typically found in physician’s offices and some Medispas. Products in this category are generally designated as anti-aging skin care products.

The Perfect Skin Essential Youth Maintenance Program

• Sunscreen: If you use only one anti-aging skin care product for your skin, it should be a broad-spectrum, daily sunscreen. The only sunscreens we recommend are 100% mineral and are also infrared/blue light protection. Infra-red blocking agents are important to protect against heat entering your skin, ultimately causing more pigment/discoloration.

Our picks include:
Alastin HydraTint Pro Mineral Sunscreen SPF 36: This is one of our best sellers, as it is the perfect tinted moisturizing sunscreen. It’s all mineral, and it has the all-important infrared (IR) heat protection, as well. Recent studies show that melasma and other abnormal pigment production can be triggered by not only UVA and UVB rays but also by visible sunlight and infrared waves. Sunscreens with IR protection are your safest bet if you are pigment-prone.

Colorescience Flex: This mineral sunscreen adjusts to match your skin tone, providing excellent SPF and IR/blue light protection. Colorescience also makes a body shield, which is both excellent and well-priced. I keep this one with me at all times for application to my hands and arms while driving. Another worth mentioning is Colorescience’s Glow, which is different than the others mentioned as it provides a slight golden glow to the complexion. 

Colorescience Even-up: Even-up is Colorescience’s answer to broad-spectrum sunscreen (including infra-red protection), mineral fusion (improves skin texture), color coverage (but not too much), and gentle lighteners to give you the most flawless finish. This is the answer for those who want a fresh, not overdone appearance and for those over 50, where too much makeup starts to make us look a whole lot older than we are. Once you try it, you’ll never go back to your old foundation. This product is anti-aging skin care at its best, addressing multiple aspects of an aging complexion.

SkinBetter Science Sunbetter Tone Smart SPF 68 Sunscreen Compact: This includes a high level of mineral-only sunscreen with IR protection in a silky smooth compact with a hint of blendable color. I personally use this one daily.

•  Antioxidants: These offer an added degree of sun protection, repair DNA breakage that leads to skin cancer, increase collagen production, and lighten skin discoloration caused by the sun. Your skin color looks more even, and fine wrinkles are diminished. This product is also a must as preventative care for individuals with a history or at risk for skin cancers. When choosing an antioxidant, you need to be discerning. 
  
  Active ingredients of L-Ascorbic Acid at 15% or higher or tetradecyl hexyl sulfate have traditionally been the most potent choices. L-Ascorbic acid can be irritating but is in the higher, more concentrated formulas. For this reason, it may not be the best for sensitive skin. It’s also recently been determined that L-Ascorbic Acid breaks down collagen in the skin. Tetradecyl Hexyl Sulfate penetrates deeper and offers the highest percentage of vitamin C on the market (Revision C+). A brand new product from Alastin, C-Radical Defense Antioxidant Serum, containing Sodium Ascorbate, is well-tolerated by sensitive skin AND has proven to produce collagen. Alastin’s C-Radical Defense Antioxidant Serum combines Vitamin C with 14 powerful antioxidants, including ferulic acid and green tea extract, to revive and protect your skin. This lightweight serum absorbs quickly, providing deep nourishment and hydration.

Alastin C-Radical Defense, but we also love Revision C+ and SkinBetter Alto Defense (which has a blend of multiple antioxidants, brighteners, and enzymes to help the skin recover from photodamage). You can’t go wrong with one of these three.

• Retinoids/ols: Products in this category increase collagen production, normalize skin keratinization(maturation), and reduce abnormal pigment. They are important as part of any anti-skin cancer and skin care regimen. They are clinically proven to normalize skin and reverse the signs of aging by building collagen. Retinoids have traditionally only been available by prescription until more recently with the advent of a SkinBetter product, Alpha-Ret Overnight. Retinols cause less irritation than retinoids and, over time, produce similar effects to more potent retinoids.

Our pick is:

SkinBetter Alpha-Ret Overnight Intense. This retinoid from Skinbetter Science is the only true retinoid available without a prescription because, despite being a true retinoid (as opposed to retinol), it is less irritating to your skin. SkinBetter has developed technology to cause deep penetration of the product into your skin, preventing typical irritation caused by a traditional retinoid. Almost anyone can tolerate this potent formula. This Alpha-Ret retinoid is also available in peel pads, to use as a mini-peel up to three times a week.

• Collagen and Elastin Inducers: this category has come a long way in 20 years, starting with human, synthetic, and then plant-derived growth factors; progressing to snail mucin and peptides; and finally to a product that literally levels the field. Meet Alastin Skincare, a company based on TriHex technology that essentially rejuvenates aging fibroblast cells (responsible for the production of collagen and elastin), so they act younger and produce anti-aging factors to rival a 20-year old. We carry no other products in this category than Alastin, because there truly is no equal. You will see results within 6-8 weeks, and you will be hooked, so be forewarned. At Perfect Skin MD, we carry the entire line of Alastin products, from Resurface Skin Polish to Transform Body Treatment.