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Beautiful Skin
Awhile back, I was exiting the movie theater in Savoy, Illinois when I heard a woman’s voice. “Excuse me, Miss. Miss, excuse me.” I turned around as a lady put her hand on my forearm and said “I’m sorry to bother you but I just had to tell you that you have beautiful skin.” Clearly an extremely intelligent woman, she then turned to the gentleman whose arm I was on and said “and you sir, are very lucky!” I couldn’t have paid for a moment as fabulous as that one (lol)! I still smile and giggle a little every time I think about it.
In that instant I knew that all the nights I had stayed up an extra five minutes taking care of my skin instead of just hopping into bed had paid off. Just last week I was pushing my shopping cart through Meijer’s when a gentleman stopped, looked at me and said very sincerely, “you have the most beautiful skin.” I blushed, thanked him for his compliment and went back to the mundane task of grocery shopping, only now with a lifted spirit and smile on my face.
So am I one of the “lucky” ones, just born with great skin? I don’t think so. I had thin, dry skin most of my life. In fact, as far as luck goes, I don’t believe there is such a thing. I have always believed that “luck” is the bi-product of being prepared. It is about applying effort to those things that are important. Having “beautiful” or healthy skin is no different. I am telling you this story because I want you know that if you are bothered by the condition of your skin, it’s not too late to make an improvement that can really make you feel good about yourself.
There was a time when like many others, I wasn’t so nice to my skin. As a child and teenager (when we are exposed to much of the sun damage that haunts us later in life) I spent most of my summers at the lake or outside riding horses or playing sports. I have two older sisters that I looked up to. When I saw them putting baby oil on their skin to get the darkest tan, I followed right behind them. I even followed them into the tanning salon. I abused my skin, not knowing what kind of consequences it could cause later in life. You know, dull, lifeless skin with pre-mature wrinkles, brown spots, broken blood vessels of the face, neck, chest and legs, sagging skin that makes us resemble our mother much earlier in life than we are ready for. And let’s not forget…skin cancers.
Decades later, science has armed us with the knowledge of the kind of destruction sun exposure will cause. We now know that most of the symptoms of aging skin (lines, wrinkles, broken blood vessels, brown spots, larger pores, rough texture, even freckles) are caused from sun damage not chronological aging. We have had exciting advances in technology that allow us to now turn back time and correct some of sun damage we are marked with. Thank you science!
How Do I Get It?
So how did I change my once dull, lifeless, flaking skin into skin that makes complete strangers feel compelled to stop me just to tell me I have beautiful skin? I did it with diligence and patience. I give my skin a few minutes every morning and every night and in return it has given me back years. So much so that most of our patients would tell you they are shocked to find out I have a daughter who is a Freshmen is College.
First and most importantly, protect your skin from the sun by using a medical-grade, physical sunblock such as Tisilc 60 and limit your sun exposure. I’m not saying you can never see the light of day. Enjoy spending time outdoors, hiking, skiing, biking etc., just take advantage of opportunities to seek shade, wear a nice hat and re-apply your sunblock. Protect your skin every single day, not just in the summer, not just when it’s hot, but 365 days a year. For those of you who are reading this and are thinking “but I have to get some color on my face”…try applying a bronzer instead.
Second, depending on the condition of your skin, you may need a skin rejuvenation treatment. A qualified Cosmetic Plastic Surgeon such as G.D. Castillo M.D. can help you decide which choice is right for you. For me, it was CO2 Micro-Fractional Laser Resurfacing of the face. This procedure took my skin to a whole other level, erasing lines, pigmentation, restoring collagen and smoothing out the surface of my skin to a point that it feels much like the skin of a new born baby.
Third, MAINTAINANCE! Say it with me,” MAIN-TAIN-ANCE!” This is where consistency and dedication come in. This will require daily applications of medical-grade skin care products and possibly an occasional microdermabrasion, chemical peel or other facial treatment when needed. Apply your medical grade skincare products consistently, every morning and every night. Be sure to follow the regimen your medical skincare specialist and cosmetic plastic surgeon design for you. You must be patient! Quality, scientifically proven skincare products need time to make real changes in your skin.
Now, of course as a Medical Skincare and Laser Specialist, I have an advantage. Without the knowledge I have gained about the right combination of medical- grade skincare products and treatments needed to accomplish results, I would be as frustrated as most of the men and women that walk into the Savoy location at Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Skin Restoration and Laser Institute. The key to successful maintenance is applying the right combination of medical grade skincare and sticking with it. Avoid skipping around from product to product. This action is sure to set you for failure. Your skin needs consistent applications of scientifically proven effective medical grade skincare.
Many of our patients at Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Clinic have expressed concern that it’s too late to improve their sun damaged, aging skin. You can’t take back to hours and hours of sun exposure but your skin has an amazing ability to regenerate and repair itself with a little help from science, technology and professional experience. Most importantly, you don’t have to go on a mission of trial and error to discover how to obtain beautiful, radiant skin that make people stop you on the street. The steps are laid out right here in this blog.
It’s NEVER too late.
Roxanne Grace Hammond
Skincare and Laser Specialist
G. D. Castillo, M.D.
COSMETIC PLASTIC SURGERY
https://www.cosmeticplasticsurgery.com
800-252-7123 (within IL)
217-359-7508 Savoy (Champaign-Urbana)
