Skin recovery: 4 ways to reverse sun damage

You're a pro when it comes to protecting against sun damage. You've got sunscreen on your keychain, in your lip balm, and all over your skin. But you could still have plenty of sun damage left over from your youth. (Remember squirming away from your mom as she tried to coat you with sunblock?)

Unfortunately, sun damage isn't only skin-deep. UV radiation alters the actual DNA of your skin cells, causing lines, wrinkles, discoloration, and even cancer. "There's a meter in your skin. Every minute you're out in the sun, your body registers it," says Neal Schultz, M.D., a cosmetic dermatologist based in New York City and creator of DermTV.com.
But here's a ray of (UV-free) light: You can reverse the damage. "Whenever you start protecting yourself from the sun, you will stop the process of additional damage and start to reverse, to some extent, what you've already accumulated," Schultz says. Throw in this four-step treatment, and you are well on your way to some serious skin recovery.
Step 1: Exfoliate the right way You want to smooth your skin to create brightness and luster, and chemical exfoliation is the best way to do just that, Schultz says. Chemical exfoliation dissolves dead skin cells instead of scrubbing them off (usually unevenly) the way buffers and granule cleansers do.
When choosing a chemical exfoliant, opt for a product with a 5 percent to 8 percent concentration of glycolic acid, like BeautyRX Daily Exfoliating Therapy Serum ($65, drugstore.com). The active ingredient is vital in removing the extra layers of dead cells that are holding all of the brown pigment that has clumped and accumulated over the years. And whichever exfoliant you choose, follow the directions!
Step 2: Beat brown spots The next step is to rid yourself of those brown splotches. While the product you need is commonly called "skin bleach," there's nothing bleachy about it. It will have the end effect of lightening the brown areas of your skin, but it will do so by stopping the skin's uneven production of melanin (brown pigment) that your skin churns out when it tries to fight UV radiation. Look for a bleach, like Murad Age Spot & Pigment Gel ($60, sephora.com) with a 2 percent concentration of hydroquinone (the active ingredient), and apply it two to three times a day on the darkened areas.
Bonus points If you followed step 1 before jumping to step 2 — exfoliation actually helps the hydroquinone work better by allowing it to better penetrate the skin.

Step 3: Burn no more To maintain your improvement, use sunscreen every day to prevent additional damage. New FDA recommendations emphasize using sunscreen labeled as broad spectrum (meaning it protects against both UVA and UVB rays) with SPF values of 15 or higher. While new sunscreen label regulations won't take full effect until summer 2012, some are already broad-spectrum now. Try MDSolarSciences Mineral Screen Gel ($30, mdsolarsciences.com). To maximize the sunscreen's protection, apply it 30 minutes before exposure and reapply at least every two hours. "The amount of sunscreen that you need to use for your entire body, assuming you're at the beach and you're just wearing a bathing suit, is about an ounce in order to get the actual SPF value," Schultz says. Not too good at ounces? It's a shot glass's worth.

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Is a Liquid Face Lift Right for Me?

Is a Liquid Face Lift for Me? Liquid Face Lift procedures have been making a noticeable impact in aesthetic medicine during the past few years. A liquid face lift can help many individuals who are concerned with any one of a variety of Liquid Face Lift Tips issues, as well as providing an alternative for a traditional surgical face lift in a number of instances. Perhaps you are considering cosmetic surgery. Something to consider when contemplating surgery is that a liquid face lift has benefits that can't be found with surgery, such as restoring natural facial contours and volume. (A growing number of cosmetic surgeons are augmenting surgery with liquid face lift products to restore natural 3-dimensional contours to the face.) Also, a liquid face lift is typically more subtle than surgery. An increasing number of individuals are trying liquid facelift procedures before traditional face lift procedures. Maybe you are considering sticking with lotions and other skin care products. As compared with the potential for a liquid face lift, over-the-counter creams, ointments and other remedies rarely provide any meaningful lift, volume or contouring of facial features. (However, some topical applications can help slow facial features from needing a liquid face lift, and a few over the counter products - and several medical grade products - can enhance the endurance of liquid face lift procedures. Ask your physician.) Skin care products treat the skin from the outside and liquid face lift products treat the skin from the inside. The right mix of treatment regimens can be very complementary to maintain natural facial contours for a lifetime. However, a liquid face lift is not for everyone. Patients who have medical histories with hypersensitivity to medicines or foreign objects, certain types of cardiovascular disease, neuromuscular disorders, or other severe health issues, should consult their doctor before undergoing any of the procedures mentioned on this Liquid Face Lift Tips web site. A liquid face lift procedure also might not provide the type of dramatic improvement that some individuals need or desire. For those individuals, plastic surgery might be the best solution. Another thing to consider is that most liquid face lift procedures don't provide permanent results, so an individual will need to have periodic touch up treatments over time to maintain the desired outcome. That said, if an individual maintains results with touch up treatments before the products have completely dissipated from the body, then over time the patient may need far less product and experience gradually longer intervals between touch up treatments. So, you may be wondering what you should do. You want the downturned corners of the mouth lifted for a friendlier smile - you want to look more rested and energetic - you don't like the bags, dark circles or sunkenness under the eyes - you want your upper eye lids and brows more open, alluring and vibrant - you wish your jowls weren't so noticeable - you wish you had some of the natural curves and dimensions that have flattened or squared over time - you want less wrinkles -or- maybe you want a general overhaul. But, you are worried about expense, or safety, or whether you should just go ahead and invest in cosmetic surgery…or maybe you should just stick with creams and ointments…. Here is a suggestion. Most individuals considering a liquid face lift procedure have multiple concerns and desires. Many experienced liquid face lift physicians will suggest you start with one concern or desire. Correct or improve that single concern. Then maintain it regularly for a period of time. If you - like many individuals - begin to need less product, begin to experience longer intervals between touch ups, and you are happy with the outcome, then try a second area, and so forth. To learn more about the Liquid Face Lift Association visit: http://www.liquidfacelift.com/index.asp To speak with our offices about liquid face lift procedures visit www.drskellchock.com