After 27 years as a dermatologist, Jeanine Downie, MD knows a thing or two about taking care of her skin. But considering hindsight is 20/20 (and, as they say, “prevention is worth a pound of cure”), now that she’s in her 50s, there are a few things she wishes she’d learned. be sooner. Below, she shares skin care secrets she’s learned over the past three decades that could have made even more of a difference if she’d known them in her 30s (or younger). . Remember to keep these things in mind for yourself and change your routine accordingly.
4 skin care secrets of a 50-year-old dermatologist
1. Use a top moisturizer that will make a difference as you age
When your skin is dry, it stretches. And when it’s tight, fine lines and wrinkles are easier to settle and stick around. So moisturizing your face can help prevent early signs of aging.
Dr Downie, a board-certified dermatologist in Montclair, New Jersey, and founder of Image Dermatology, says: “I wish I had been more moisturizing when I was younger. “One of my favorite moisturizers right now is with Emepelle ($195). I’m not menopausal but my skin is going through hormonal changes and this cream is great for estrogen-deficient skin. But I should have been more moisturizing when I was younger.”
2. It is important to pay attention to light protection—both indoors and outdoors
This is something we hear over and over again from dermatologists because it’s so important: You must protect your skin from UV damage.
Dr Downie said: “Everyone needs to apply sunscreen every day, regardless of their ethnicity, from January to December. “I am a lifeguard and swimming coach and I have been hurt. I do a lot of damage to my skin from the sun. And since I’m African-American, I don’t take sun damage seriously. So I advise people of all races to take sun damage seriously. more sun. My skin looks good now but it could have looked a lot better.”
And sunlight isn’t the only light you need to worry about. “Light from computers, iPads, FitBit even lights in the house—we react to all of it,” says Dr. Downie. “So that makes our pore size bigger. It definitely causes wrinkles over time.” It can also lead to hyperpigmentation of the skin. She added: “I have melasma and melasma caused by blue light that is almost indistinguishable from melasma caused by UV rays.
3. You must take care of your neck
Dr Downie said: “The neck has some of the thinnest skin on the body. “It doesn’t have the same amount of oil as the face. And it’s vulnerable to the sun because of overexposure. People should pay more attention to their neck in terms of sunscreen and anti-aging products.” So, remember to take whatever you put on your face and apply it to your neck. And don’t just rub in a little excess — make sure your neck is supplied with the right amount of product to feel protected and nourished.
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4. Rubbing eyes can cause irreversible dark circles
“I’m bad [seasonal] Dr Downie said: ‘I wish I hadn’t rubbed my eyes and that could be permanent. my eyes so much. There are things you can do to improve it, but it doesn’t go away completely, and that’s extremely frustrating for a lot of people—myself included.”
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