UAB Medicine News

Below is a guest blog written by UAB Medicine's own Holly Gunn, MD.

1. Cleanse

Regular skin cleansing is critical to maintaining healthy looking skin. A good cleanser should remove dirt, oil, and other impurities that accumulate on the face throughout the day. However, you want a cleanser with minimal irritants and one that accelerates the removal of dead skin cells by exfoliating, giving the skin a fresher appearance. Cleansers also can improve the absorption of anti-aging products. UAB Cosmetic Dermatology’s Green Tea Cleanser and Gly-Sal Cleanser are revitalizing foaming cleansers that produce more radiant skin.

2. Tone

Toning is an essential step in any healthy skincare regimen. A toner is just as crucial as cleansing, as it restores the skin's natural pH balance. Although it should not replace a good cleanser, it can help you skip using a cleanser, allowing you to refresh the skin without over drying. UAB Cosmetic Dermatology offers a Soothing Green Tea Mist toner that conditions and adds nourishment to the skin. SkinMedica’s Rejuvenative toner is another favorite that gently refines skin, restores pH balance, and removes dirt and impurities.

3. Moisturize

Moisturizers are an absolutely must. They make the outer layer of your skin smooth and soft by utilizing a mixture of hydrators and emollients to prevent dryness. A good moisturizer also can reduce acne, wrinkles, and sun spots. UAB Cosmetic Dermatology’s Dermal Restructuring Therapy not only locks in moisture with its ceramides, it also diminishes wrinkles with a collagen-producing peptide and adds hydration with medical-grade hyaluronic acid. Another great moisturizer is Neocutis Biocream that even helps heal wounds.

4. Nourish

Moist, clear, glowing skin is a sign of a good diet, while dry, pale, scaly, or oily skin may result when your diet lacks the necessary vitamins and minerals. We can nourish our skin by eating healthy, but many skincare products also can add those vitamins the skin needs. UAB Cosmetic Dermatology’s Triple Antioxidant Therapy contains resveratrol, a potent antioxidant found in grapes that has nourishing and antiaging properties. Revision Vitamin C 30% cream also is especially good at restoring the skin’s vibrancy.

5. Protect

The sun can do much more damage than simply giving you a painful sunburn. Prolonged exposure to sunlight can cause brown and red spots, wrinkles, and – worst of all – skin cancer. Using a moisturizer daily is important to protect against the sun’s harmful rays, even on cloudy days. Many moisturizers include antioxidants and DNA repair enzymes to better protect us from the sun and other environmental hazards. UAB Cosmetic Dermatology‘s Sheer Physical Sunscreen protects against all UV rays and also includes antioxidants. Neocutis MicroDay has similar ingredients but also adds growth factors that produce both collagen and elastic fibers, helping you maintain a youthful glow.