A chat with Dr. Brooke Jackson about skin:
A quick rundown of skin differences at 20, 30, 40?
Generally skin gets drier as it gets older. I recommend patients adjust their products when they have a "big" birthday with a "zero" behind it.
Patient issues/concerns are different as well. 20s- still concerned with acne. 30s caught between acne and anti-aging and 40s anti-aging.
It would be great if patients in their 20s would be concerned with anti-aging so they would then have to do less in 30s and 40s. The best thing 20 something’s can do is NOT tan, and wear sunscreen. One should start anti-aging routine in the 30s (retinoid and/or topical antioxidant such as vitamin c). As your skin gets drier, products need to be heavier, creamier.
How about dry, cold weather skin care tips?
Midwest winters can wreck havoc to the skin. Winters here are harsh. The wind and cold can leave you with dry, itchy, chapped skin. Here are a few tips to get you through the winter with smoother, softer skin from head to toe.
Hydration-most people are slightly dehydrated during the winter. We drink less water. Make sure you keep up your fluid intake.
Humidify your home-once the heat goes on in the house, everything dries out. Increase the humidity gage on your furnace or place a humidifier in your bedroom.
Shorter Showers-cold winter mornings mean long hot showers. Shorten the shower to 10 min or less, avoid steamy hot showers. They will dry your skin out even more.
Gentle Fabrics –avoid scratchy fabrics next to skin such as wool. Wear cotton or silk t- shirts under sweaters.
Heavier Products -moisturize immediately after showering. Pat water off then layer thick cream (from jar) over skin to trap the moisture. Because of the harsh weather here residents need two sets of products- fall /winter (heavier) and spring/summer (lighter).
Avoid the Pump- Also, during the winter months it’s best to use moisturizer from a jar vs. a pump bottle. Products that are poured from a bottle have higher water content and are less moisturizing than those you scoop from a jar.
If you were stranded with only 3 skin products/ingredients available to you, what would they be?
Depends where I am stranded-- assuming it is a sunny place…Sunblock, vaseline or aquaphor, hydrocortisone cream. If I am stranded in Paris or Florence I only need two things -- large suitcase, high limit credit card.
Brooke Jackson, MD
Medical Director
Skin Wellness Center of Chicago, SC
www.skinwellnesscenter.org