Murphy’s law: most of us seem to experience skin-care problems just when we want to look their best. Luckily, there are pre-emptive measures we can take with the countdown to New Year on to ward off any party-crashing skin-care evils. We turned to Dr. Manish Shah, a Denver board-certified plastic surgeon, for guidance on what to do without breaking the bank or having invasive surgery. —Vita Daily
facial extractions. Shah says, “When done correctly extraction facials can clear closed comedones—those tiny, flesh-coloured bumps that never come to a head, yet never really go away—remove whiteheads and blackheads, and give your skin a newer, fresher foundation for your skin-care products to penetrate. Basically, extractions can be the kiss of life for your lifeless broken out skin.”
drink in moderation. If you plan on ringing into 2020 with a few glasses of bubbly, Shah recommends moderating your alcohol consumption leading up to the big day. He explains, “Alcohol can dehydrate the skin and cause it to appear less fresh and vibrant, which can certainly hinder your skin-care efforts.”
cleanse every night. You have just arrived home at 2 a.m. from a holiday party. It may be tempting to flop into bed without washing your face—don’t do it! Shah says, “Sun damage isn’t the only environmental factor you have to worry about. Small micro particles from air pollutants might just hurt your skin, too. Play it safe by remembering to take a minute to cleanse your face to remove debris that could be weakening your skin. In addition, that foundation and pressed powder you have been wearing all night can clog your pores and cause breakouts.”
start exfoliating. Want brighter, younger-looking skin? It starts with a great at home exfoliator. “As your skin replenishes itself, dead skin cells start to build up on the top layer, leaving you looking dull," Shah explains. "Exfoliating regularly removes this layer, revealing fresh, healthy skin. Regular exfoliation also allows your moisturizer and other topical products to penetrate more deeply, making them more effective.”
clean your brushes. You wouldn’t eat food on dirty dishes, would you? Applying makeup with dirty brushes is not so different. Not only will dirty brushes give you a spotty application, but they can harbour bacteria, dirt and oil, leading to acne and breakouts, which necessitates piling on even more makeup to cover it up.
don’t pop your pimples! Here’s a secret that many supermodels and actresses use: steroid shots. Shah explains that, "when we discuss treating acne with cortisone or ‘steroid’ shots, we are referring to the process of gently placing a very dilute quantity of a ‘glucocorticoid’ steroid into the cyst. Glucocorticoids are a class of steroid molecules that are naturally produced by our bodies and have numerous functions including the regulation of human metabolism, immunity, and inflammation. They have very potent anti-inflammatory effects, so they are often used to treat inflammatory diseases in medicine. They can be formulated as creams to treat skin rashes or as pills to treat systemic disease. They can also be injected directly into local areas of inflammation such as in arthritic joints and inflamed acne cysts. Within one or two days of injection into a cyst, the steroid will shrink the inflammation producing relief of pain and almost immediate cosmetic improvement."
peels, microdermabrasion, vitamin c and moisturizer. Look for AHA/BHA/PHA peels that will exfoliate the skin and help release the top layers of dead skin cells allowing for a more radiant underlay to come through. Consider a professional microdermabrasion treatment that exfoliates at a deeper level (similar to a peel), with a mechanical handheld device that buffs away the upper layers of the skin. Apply several drops of vitamin C serum underneath SPF each morning to target free radical damage, help lighten brown spots and even out your skin tone. And, finally, though it may seem obvious, when it comes to dewy, glowing skin, moisturizing is essential. "When your skin is dry, it looks dull, so hydrating ingredients can help bring back that glow," says Shah. For skin types already prone to shine, adding moisture may seem like the last thing you need, but an oil-free hydrator with ingredients like hyaluronic acid could actually help reduce your sebum production and even out slickness into a sleek glow.
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