
Dr. Anita Sethna, director of the Emory Facial Center.
The desire to look good and feel great about ourselves doesn’t disappear when we hit 50, 60 or even age 70 Caring for your skin is the most important way to impact the way you age.
Looking good does not have to involve drastic procedures, says Dr. Anita Sethna, director of the Emory Facial Center. There are small, simple and affordable ways to care for your calling card to the world: your face.
Dr. Sethna offers these tips:
- Protect yourself against sun damage. Wearing makeup or moisturizer with sunscreen daily is incredibly important, advises Sethna. The more careful you are about protecting yourself against even daily skin exposure, the less damage you will be causing your skin as you age; decreasing your chances of getting skin cancer and preserving the texture and plumpness of your skin. This applies to all skin types, genders and degrees of pigmentation. She recommends products that give at least 30 UVA/UVB protection.
- Quit smoking. Smoking is not only horrible for your health, but is also horrible for your skin, she warns. Nicotine causes a decrease in blood supply to the skin and reduces its ability to heal, eventually giving it a leathery look.
- Some products can help. Many of us are aware of the benefits of using moisturizers to maintain healthy-looking skin, especially as we age. However, what you might not know is that face oils can have active ingredients that can help to improve the appearance of your skin. While over-the-counter moisturizers can work just fine, using products containing retinol and antioxidants like Vitamin C can help to stimulate collagen production, which is essential for maintaining the skin’s elasticity and fullness.
- For even better results, prescription strength products such as Retin-A and skin lighteners like hydroquinone can be recommended by a skincare specialist like Sethna. For those who want to take wrinkle prevention a step further, Botox injections can be carefully used in certain areas of the face to reduce repetitive motion of the skin and soften lines around the eyes, between the eyebrows, and on the forehead. In some cases, these injections can even prevent the formation of new lines on the face.
Sethna also wants us to remember that perfection is fine when you’re talking about a painting or a new dress, but our face is a different story.
Perfection should not be a goal when you are talking about your appearance. Your expression, quirks and small imperfections make you – you, and also make you beautiful. You should not be embarrassed or ashamed at wanting to preserve that beauty.