Skin Care and Anti-aging
So many people ask us, what are you secrets to great skin and looking so young? Jennifer Murdock, MD is at the forefront of aesthetic medicine and can offer individualized recommendations to have you looking your best throughout your entire life. Youthful, natural results are the most important. Anti-aging begins at the surface with the skin. While none of us can turn back time, we can move forward by aging gracefully. Skin care is the first step in anti-aging and proper maintenance.
Aging Factors
Other than time, many different factors affect how our skin ages and how that shows on our faces. Some important factors to consider are:
- Genetics
- Sun exposure – This is especially a factor in Miami, FL!
- Lifestyle (diet, exercise, smoking)
- Maintenance over time
- Senescence of all layers of the face
- Effects of gravity
- Loss of collagen and elastin
- Hormonal changes
Different interventions can combat these effects of aging in all layers of the face and skin. A daily skin care routine is an essential foundation for anti-aging goals.
The Science of Skin
To understand the best components of your skin care regimen, it is also important to understand the basics of the layers of the skin.
- Epidermis: The epidermis is the surface layer of the skin. Dead skin cells at the very surface slough off to constantly get rid of dead skin cells and keep the cycle of regeneration. Melanocytes responsible for pigment, and melanocyte damage can cause hyperpigmentation and brown spots. Keratinocytes create the skin barrier.
- Dermis: The dermis is the deeper layer in the skin that has immune cells and structural proteins such as elastin and collagen. The extracellular matrix (ECM) is within the dermis and is a primary target for anti-aging products.
- Subcutaneous tissue: The deepest layer is affected by adipose cells and other stem cells.
Visible Skin Changes
Changes in the ECM and other layers of the skin with age contribute to different aspects of the face that are associated with signs of aging. As we get older, accumulate sun damage, and lose strength and elasticity of the deep layers of the face, our skin has visible changes:
- Loss of hydration
- Hyperpigmentation and photodamage
- Development of fine lines and deeper rhytids
- Thinning
- More prominent vascularity and periocular hyperpigmentation (dark circles)
- Hair loss
- Receding hair loss and elongation of forehead
- Change in skin texture
Only an appropriate and routine skin care regimen can help to combat these signs of aging.
Only an appropriate and routine skin care regimen can help to combat these signs of aging.
Skin Care Routine
Main goals of an excellent skin care routine and skin care products should first involve gentle exfoliation. Retinols and retinoids are the best options to promote exfoliation on a nightly basis. Medical grade skin care products must have technology to allow for penetration of active ingredients into the deeper layers of the skin. Old and degraded fibrin and elastin need to be removed, and cell turnover should be promoted. Regenerating collagen, elastin, and other essential proteins restore skin structure and function.
It is also important to maintain an even skin pigment. This can be accomplished by products that decrease melanin and pigment production or degrading these pigmenting cells, promoting cell turnover. Lastly, protection from future damage is essential to anti-aging of the face and maintaining youthful skin.
Like the skin has different layers and cells, your skin care routine needs to have different ingredients and actions. The morning skin care routine is focused on protection, while the nightly routine focuses on protein regeneration and promoting cell turnover. Dr. Murdock’s recommendations for skin care differ from patient to patient, medical grade skin care comprises of several key components:
Topical Morning Skin Care Routine
Cleanser: Washing your face twice a day is the essential foundation for your skin care routing, and this can be tailored specifically to your skin type. Gentle cleansers (Alastin Gentle Cleanser, Alastin Cream Cleanser) are great for sensitive skin. Oil-based cleansers (Cosmedix Purity Solution) can prevent dehydration of the skin. Exfoliants in the next step can be combined with cleansers to promote cell turnover and remove dead skin cells.
Exfoliation: Mandelic acid, alpha-hydroxy acid, and glycolic acid can help to even skin tone, treat acne, and rejuvenate the superficial layers of the skin.
Serums and Treatments: Different peptides, stem-cell derived components, plant extracts, and acid components can treat a variety of skin conditions. Hyaluronic acid serum can improve hydration by promoting moisture retention. Alastin HA Immerse serum is one of Dr. Murdock’s favorite skin care staples. Hyperpigmentation, sun spots, and age spots can be treated with products that include tranexamic acid, lactoferrin, hydroquinone, and kojic acid (Cosmedix Simply Brilliant, Alastin Aluminate).
Antioxidants: These ingredients are key components to bind and neutralize free radicals, decreasing oxidizing stress and damage. Vitamin C can increase the effectiveness of sunscreen, repair UV damage, and brighten skin (Alastin C-radical defense, Cosmedix Serum 16 and Serum 24). Vitamin E works to enhance the effects of Vitamin C and also has moisturizing properties. Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) improve’s the skin’s barrier function, improves acne by decreasing sebum production, and evens skin tone. Astaxanthin is one of the most potent antioxidants with anti-inflammatory effects. Co-Enzyme Q10 improves the skin’s ability to repair and regenerate cells.
Moisturizer: Restoring hydration decreased wrinkles and improves skin firmness. Some products have peptides and emollients (squalene) that improve skin barrier function and diminish wrinkles
Sunscreen: This daily skin care product is the most important step in the morning routine. Protecting the skin from both UVA and UVB can not only protect the skin from aging changes but also decrease the risk of skin cancer. Zinc oxide can be found in many different products that can be great for daily use (Cosmedix Hydrate+), tinted to give a glowing appearance (Alastin Hydratint, Colorescience Flex Shield), or formulated into a powder for easy application (Colorescience Brush-on Shield)
Eye Cream: As an oculofacial plastic surgeon, Dr. Murdock pays particular attention to the area around the eyes. Dark circles, fine lines, Crow’s feet, and under eye bags can be improved by different eye creams (Cosmedix OptiCrystal or Eye Doctor). Any product with SPF is an added bonus! (Colorescience Total Eye 3-in-1)
A nighttime routine is similar with a few difference. While a cleanser, moisturizer, serum, and antioxidants can be repeated in the evening, this is when the sunscreen in the morning can be substituted for a Vitamin A derivative (retinoid, retinol, retinoic acid). Retinoic acids are key to anti-aging of the skin and maintaining a youthful appearance. Retinol, retinoids, and retinoic acids have many, many benefits that include:
- Increase cell turnover and renewal
- Stimulate collagen production
- Exfoliate to unclog pores
- Even skin tone
- Reducing fine lines and wrinkles
- Antioxidant properties
- Improving skin texture
- Treating acne and breakouts
Beyond Skin Care
Advanced anti-aging treatments to rejuvenate the skin include chemical peels and resurfacing with different light devices or lasers. Addressing the deeper layers of the face also help to maintain the skin appearance. Weaking muscle movement with neurotoxins reduce dynamic wrinkles of the overlying skin. Rejuvenating the fat and volume loss and reduce tissue laxity and also help fine lines and deep wrinkles in the skin. As a top cosmetic medicine practitioner, Jennifer Murdock, MD has the extensive knowledge and skills to combine these different modalities with an advanced skin care routine to optimize your anti-aging needs.
Post-Treatment Skin Care
Skin care is very important in many other procedures performed at Jennifer Murdock MD, PLLC, like laser resurfacing and aesthetic surgery. Aftercare is pivotal for achieving the best results and minimizing complications. Jennifer Murdock, MD utilizes medical grade skin care products that have been scientifically proven to help prepare the skin for treatment and promote healing and skin rejuvenation afterwards. Dr. Murdock often recommends Regenerating Skin Nectar with TriHex Technology® by Alastin Skincare to promote cell turnover, remove degraded and old elastin and collagen, and speed up recovery time.
Aging Gracefully
A routine skin care regimen with medical grade products is the first step at achieving your anti-aging goals. Jennifer Murdock, MD will combine her specialized recommendations to optimize surgery, cosmetic injectables, targeted laser treatments, laser resurfacing, facial plastic surgery, and skin care for each individual patient. We are seeing patients all across the Miami area – from the west side of town in the Doral area to north Miami. Book a cosmetic consultation at one our location in Miami to start your rejuvenation journey.
