Maintaining beautiful, youthful skin requires some effort and a consistent skin care regimen. Proper skincare involves daily cleansing, the application of various treatments depending on the skin type and desired benefits, sun protection, and moisturizer. At the Plastic Surgery Institute of Miami, we carry several lines of the most sophisticated, naturally-derived skin care products on the market. Our healthcare professionals will help you determine which products should be made a part of your daily skin care routine for lifelong beautiful skin.
In addition to routine skin care, mild skin conditions such as hyper/hypo pigmentation (darkening or lightening of the skin), capillary fragility (visible blood vessels), and scarring can be safely and adequately treated with high quality pharmaceutical skincare products. Visit the Plastic Surgery Institute of Miami for an evaluation with one of our plastic surgeons. They will determine which products best fit your needs and develop a comprehensive treatment plan to help you achieve your skin care goals.
Basic Types of Skin Care
Cleanse
Facial skin contains more oil glands than that of the rest of the body. Because the face tends to be oilier than the rest of the skin, there are gentle cleansers specifically designed to keep facial skin clean without stripping away all the natural oils that hydrate the skin. There are general mild skin cleansers available for sensitive or allergy-prone skin, as well as more targeted face washes. Those with acne can benefit from products that effectively break apart oils and unclog pores, helping to treat pimples and blackheads that occur when the skin cells don’t shed properly. At the opposite end of the spectrum, skin that is very dry, which can occur as we age, often needs a more moisturizing lather to form this essential initial step of the skincare regimen.
Exfoliate
There are several different ways to eliminate dull-looking surface skin with visible imperfections. Some exfoliators are formulated with granule particles to scrub away dead skin, whereas others may contain low-level acids to break apart the damaged and dead skin cells for a fresh, renewed look. Exfoliating may be recommended on a weekly basis to help patients reveal a fresh layer of skin with fewer imperfections. Because exfoliation, by its very nature, can be abrasive to the skin, overdoing it can lead to broken blood vessels, redness, and other skin issues. Proper use of exfoliating treatments should be discussed with a skin care expert before it is incorporated into the skincare routine.
Tone
After the face has been thoroughly cleansed, a liquid toner can be applied to the skin with a cotton pad. The application pads may already be saturated in the toner for easier, more convenient use and fewer products. Toners generally contain some type of treatment for the skin, and is not rinsed off after application. Because the toner remains in place, it is designed to help treat conditions like dryness and aging as well as excess oil and acne. It can also help to balance combination skin that contains oily areas, generally the T-zone (forehead, nose, and chin), and dry patches, which are common on the cheeks.
Not only does toner contain a gentle skin refreshing treatment, but it also is designed as the final step in the cleansing routine, and debris and oil can be removed from the skin by gentle manipulation of the cotton pad. Final traces of women’s cosmetics, environmental pollutants, and other irritants that can cause skin issues, are removed from the skin during toner application.
Apply Serum
The most potent skin care ingredient applied to the skin after the cleansing step of the routine is the serum, which is designed for optimal absorption. The lightweight consistency of skin serums is similar to a combination of liquid, lotion, and gel. Serum formulations are commonly water-based, and do not impact the moisture barrier of the skin, meaning hydration can freely flow into and out of the skin. This allows for concentrated active ingredients to remain on the skin without dilution. Different products contain skin-specific additives that target various skin problems. Common concerns are calming inflamed skin, lightweight moisture for oily skin, and anti-aging treatments.
Moisturize
Every skin type requires the addition of a moisturizer because cleansing products can strip natural hydration from the skin. Oily skin types may benefit from gel moisturizers and light products, whereas normal and combination skin types are more easily adapted to various types of heavier moisturizers. Dry or aging skin requires extra hydration, and many of the products designed for these skin types contain natural nut oils and other occlusive ingredients. These additives prevent moisture from leaving the skin, and contain added conditioning and hydrating agents. Moisturizer should be applied after the serum. This step not only hydrates the skin, but can also help to form a protective barrier against irritants and the weather.
SPF
Sun protection factor (SPF) is now available in many daytime skin care items, cosmetics, and in sunscreens. It is important to wear an SPF to prevent the sun’s rays from penetrating the skin. This powerful light can permanently damage the structures of the skin, leading to fine lines and wrinkles as well as hyperpigmentation. Even more importantly, SPF can help prevent skin cancer. To prevent premature aging, it is important to wear products with an SPF of at least 30. Our experts may recommend that you use an additional sunscreen, even if your products have an SPF rating.
Day Routines and Night Routines
Many skin care routines are tailored for daytime application and nighttime application. During the day, oil control and SPF are two main concerns. It is also important to ensure that certain ingredients that may react to the sun are not applied during this time. Retinol, which is common in acne and anti-aging skin care as it helps breakdown the skin to produce fresh, new skin is generally a nighttime product only.
Nighttime products are often more powerful, and act on our skin as we sleep. There is no chance for sun exposure during this time, so it is safe to use products that may be problematic in daylight.
Cosmeceuticals
Patients who visit our expert plastic surgery team at PSI Miami are able to receive prescription-grade products, sometimes known as cosmeceuticals, to care for their skin. These items are available through a doctor’s office only, and can create dramatic changes within the skin. In additional to topical treatments for the skin, the doctors can also recommend procedures for any changes that cannot be achieved through a skin care regimen alone. Skin care may be most effective when it can penetrate to deeper layers of skin following microneedling, laser skin resurfacing, or chemical peel procedures.
The Plastic Surgery Institute of Miami, FL
PSI Miami provides patients of Southern Florida with cosmetic surgical and nonsurgical procedures of the face and body. The practice features two doctors who specialize in aesthetic medicine, Dr. Jason I. Altman and Dr. Marcelo Ghersi as well as a medical team. The professionals work together to provide in-office and surgery center treatments. Those interested in learning more about skincare or cosmetic treatments at the Plastic Surgery Institute of Miami can email the office through the Patient Contact form, or call 305.446.7700 to schedule a consultation.
