Friday 6 January 2017

4 Things You Need to Know When Choosing Skin Care

Skin care comes in many variations, strengths and treatment applications. There are over 60 brands of clinical, consumer, luxury and organic brands in the US. How do you decide which brand is best for YOU with so many options on the market?

First, let's take a look at how skin care has changed in the last 30 years.

If you are around my age (49 years old), do you remember when your choices at the department store only addressed the concerns listed below?

  • Oily Skin
  • Dry Skin
  • Normal Skin
  • Combination Skin
When I first started to care for my skin in the 1980's, skin care addressed only the type of skin (oily, normal or dry). Yet, today's products must address multiple concerns and not just skin type. For example, you may have oily skin but are getting fine lines and wrinkles - how do you deal with that? What if you have dry skin but are concerned about sun damage? What products will address dry skin and sun damage?

Today's approach to skin care is vastly different from the 1980's.

Skin care now targets very specific concerns in addition to skin type (oily, normal or dry). There are products that help with smile lines, eyes, sun spots, sensitive skin, dullness, scaring, fine lines, etc. There seems to be a product (or maybe 10 products) for every concern that you could have with your skin!

With so many variations, strengths and treatment applications, I created a list of 4 things you need to know when choosing skin care:

1. Don't product "hop". Allow at least 60 days for a product to give results.

Having an overabundance of available products should be a good thing, but you will not get consistent results by switching products constantly. You may try a little of this product, a little of that product and end up with skin that is worse than when you began! When starting a new product, typically you will see changes in your skin in 60 days. Give products a chance to actually work!

2. Use ONE skin care brand.

There are brands that have created systems and products that work well together. In some cases, mixing brands will not help your skin at all. Rather than using products from multiple brands, find a brand that deals with multiple concerns so the products will work with each other. Skin doesn't stay the same. Today you may have adult acne and next month you may see fine lines appearing. You need a brand that have solutions that deal with multiple concerns.

3. Use a skin care brand that addresses 4 MAIN skin concerns.

Did you know that there are 4 main reasons that people visit a dermatologist? The top 4 reasons that people visit the dermatologist is to get help with the following skin issues:
  • Acne
  • Wrinkles
  • Sun Damage
  • Sensitive Skin
4. You should have access to a NURSE or skin care specialist from your skin care brand.

Some brands have specialists or representatives that you can call when you have a question or concern. There is one company, Rodan + Fields that has nurses on staff to answer your questions! Skin care products can react in unexpected ways because all skin is different. Look for a brand that gives YOU access to nurses or specialists.

In conclusion, there are many brands of skin care in the US. Select one brand, allow at least 60 days for the product to product results, make certain there are nurses or specialists who can answer your questions, and select a brand that addresses the 4 main reasons people visit a dermatologist.