1. Wash Your Face Nightly

“The most important time to wash your face is before you go to bed at night,” says a Winter Park–based dermatologist. All the dirt, bacteria, and makeup that get left on overnight can irritate your skin, you’re your pores, and trigger nasty breakouts.

Remove this top layer of grit with a gentle face wash (your skin should feel pleasantly tight for 10 to 15 minutes after washing), which also allows the anti-agers to penetrate deeper for best results.

Because oil production decreases with hormonal changes in your 40s, cleansing twice a day can dry out your face and make your wrinkles look even more visible. To refresh your skin in the morning, splash your face with lukewarm water.

2. Get Sunscreen Savvy

Nothing is more important to protecting your skin than wearing sunscreen (at least SPF 30) each and every day if you want to maintain younger-looking skin. Even 10 minutes of daily exposure to UVA “aging” rays can cause changes that cause ugly wrinkles and sunspots in as little as 12 weeks. If your moisturizer doesn’t contain a built-in broad-spectrum SPF 30 sunscreen, be sure to apply one every day to block both UVA and UVB rays.

Dermatologist in Winter Park, FL

3. Stop Stressing Out

Emotional stress can make your skin look 5 years older than you really are, according to a prominent Winter Park, FL dermatologist. Constant anxiety increases the stress hormone cortisol, which can lead to inflammation that breaks down collagen. It also triggers a chain reaction that can lead to facial redness and acne outbreaks.

To stop the inflammation, eat antioxidant-rich foods such as berries, oranges, and asparagus. When you’re feeling under pressure, try a few minutes of deep breathing exercise (inhale through your nose, hold for 3 seconds, and exhale slowly through your mouth).

4. Use A Retinoid

Skin research shows that these vitamin-A derivatives speed cell turnover and collagen growth to smooth out fine lines and wrinkles, as well as diminish the appearance of brown spots.

Prescription-strength retinoids such as Renova provide the fastest results–you’ll start to see changes in about a month. To help skin recover from any redness and peeling, apply just a pea-size drop to your face every third night, slowly building up to nightly usage. Milder OTC versions (look for retinol) are gentler, although with these weaker formulations it can take up to 3 months to see results.

5. Change Up Your Skin Care Routine

Altering even one thing in your skin care routine every 6 to 12 months jump-starts more impressive progress in tone and texture. “When you apply products consistently, your skin goes into maintenance mode after about a year,” says a prominent Winter Park, FL dermatologist.

To keep your skin ready for renewal, substitute a cream that contains alpha hydroxy acids for your prescription retinoid twice a week to boost the skin clearing benefits. Also consider upgrading your OTC retinoid to prescription formula.

Winter Park Dermatologist Sun Care Tips

6. Eat Omega-3 Fatty Acids

These “good fats” are found in foods such as salmon, flaxseed, and almonds and boost hydration, which helps keep your skin supple and firm. The same isn’t true of the saturated fat in dairy products and meats, which increase free-radical damage that makes skin more prone to aging. Limit your saturated fat intake to about 17 g each day – the less the better.

7. Exercise More Often

Studies find that women who work out regularly have firmer and healthier skin than those who do not exercise. The reason is that exercise infuses skin with oxygen and nutrients needed for collagen production. To keep your skin toned, exercise at least three times per week, for 30-minutes per session.

Download your free Winter Park Dermatologist Skin Care Report

However, when the problem seems to be more complicated and severe, it is important to schedule a consultation with a dermatologist and seek specialized knowledge. Dermatology is simply the best treatment that will allow you to cure acne and other skin related conditions.

A Winter Park dermatologist is a medical professional that is highly skilled and he can meet all skin conditions. It is always a good idea to visit a doctor before beginning any kind of treatment because not all treatments will work for everybody, and most people don’t have the experience to know what will work for their unique skin.

There are several health conditions that may require you to go see a dermatologist other than using the home remedies that are often short-cuts and do not cure the root cause of the disease.

You should consult a dermatologist when you notice the appearance of acne on your skin for the first time. It is always best to cure the diseases at their early stages, not when they have fully developed. This explains why you should visit a dermatologist because they will be able to cure and arrest the disease completely. In most cases, acne affects the upper chest, the back and the face. With dermatology, you will be diagnosed to be sure that the disease is really acne or just another skin disease.

Another reason that can force you to go for this method is when other remedies have failed to cure the problem. In most cases when it comes to skin diseases, some home remedies can actually even make the problem worse, which may again need a health professional in order to help you treat the new side effects.

A dermatologist will be able to diagnose the root cause of your problems and provide the best treatment for your unique condition.

You can also visit a dermatologist when there is an outbreak of skin diseases. At times many people become affected when there if an outbreak of skin nodules and cysts. When this happens, it is a good idea that you visit a dermatologist in order to be diagnosed and put on preventative treatment immediately.

Cysts and skin nodules are also serious problems and at times they may become more severe and lead to inflamed skin if you do not remedy the problem quickly. Dermatology can also be the best solution to treat side effects from other medicines.

Claim your free report on Dermatology in Winter Park, FL and anywhere in the country to make sure you get the best skin treatement available.

Also, you can watch this free Winter Park skin care video.

First, make sure you always generously apply a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or more whenever you go outside. Make sure you apply to all exposed skin.

Make sure you reapply sun screen approximately every two hours, even on cloudy days, and after you have been swimming or sweating.

When you will be out in the sun, try to wear wear protective clothing, such as a long-sleeved shirt, pants, a wide-brimmed hat, and sunglasses, whenever you can.

Try to find your way under some form of shade whenever you can. Remember that the sun’s rays are strongest between 10 am and 4 pm. If your shadow is shorter than you are, seek out the shade to avoid the most dangerous rays of the sun.

Take extra care to protect children from sun exposure. Be sure to have them play in the shade, wear protective clothing, and apply strong sunscreen.

Use extra caution when you are at the beach, because the water and sand reflect and intensify the damaging rays of the sun, which will increase your chances of getting a sunburn.

Never use tanning beds to get a tan. Ultraviolet light from tanning beds can cause skin cancer and wrinkling. If you want to look like you have a tan, consider using a sunless self-tanning product, but continue to use sunscreen with it.

Check your skin regularly for warning signs of skin cancer. If you notice anything changing, growing, or bleeding on your skin, you will want to see a dermatologist right away. Skin cancer is very treatable when caught early, but the risk increases greatly when left untreated.

These tips will protect you from the harsh Winter Park Florida sun. If you have any questions about your skin, be sure to seek the advice of a dermatologist.

To claim your free guide on caring for your skin, visit our Winter Park Dermatologist web site.