Our skin can be telling of time – as it gets drier, thinner and more sensitive as the years go on – and in order to keep a fresh, healthy look, a proper skin-care regimen for every type of skin is needed. 

The elements of day-to-day life can affect how the skin ages and even cause damage if exposed skin isn’t protected. At Knight and Sanders Plastic Surgery, esthetician Kathleen Jennings said there is one consistent complaint when it comes to skin care in her office.  

“The most common skin-care concern seems to be sun damage, better known as hyperpigmentation, generally due to increased sun exposure,” she said. “If left unprotected, the skin can age at a much faster rate, along with the inevitable aging process – loss of collagen and elastin can be sped up by over-exposure to the sun.”

The best action in skin care is preventative action. Regimens won’t need to be as rigorous if skin is protected and maintained early on in life. The most important component in that proactive measure is protecting the skin from the sun. 

“First and foremost, sunscreen is a must in protecting the skin from damaging UVA and UVB rays,” Jennings said. 

Protection is key in preventing damage, but there are other factors that play an equally as important part in maintaining healthy looking skin.

“Antioxidants, such as vitamin C and E, also play an important role in neutralizing free radicals that speed up the aging process in the skin,” Jennings said. “Free radicals can be anything from environmental issues to lifestyle. Retinols can also be essential in creating a faster cell turnover and sloughing the skin superficially, keeping the skin’s texture smooth and tone more
even.”

Because skin loses its elasticity as the body gets older, there are products aimed at restoring some of those lost functions. Knight and Sanders offers a variety of services and products to combat those telling signs of aging skin.

“Our most popular product is the TNS Essential Serum by Skin Medica,” Jennings said. “[It’s] designed to boost your skin’s natural growth factors, antioxidants, matrix proteins and collagens it needs for optimal health, reducing fine lines, wrinkles, roughness and firms skin texture. 

“Our laser treatments are one of the most popular treatments,” she continued. “The Pearl and Pearl Fractional laser, [for example]. The Pearl treats the top layer of the skin with pulses of light to reduce fine lines, uneven texture and dark spots caused by sun damage. The Pearl Fractional is a single treatment laser removing damaged tissue and stimulating the growth of new, healthy skin.”

Jennings said Knight and Sanders offers a number of laser treatments to target a wide assortment of skin issues. The effects of the lasers aim to restoring a more healthy, fresh skin appearance. 

“We offer numerous laser treatments which include resurfacing laser and laser for improving texture, reducing redness, large pores, fine lines and wrinkles to Laser Hair Removal, along with a laser to tighten the skin by using infrared light enabling the remodeling of collagen and dermis tightening,” she said. 

They also have laser treatments for facial and leg veins and a pulsed light laser for brown spots caused by the sun. 

In addition to the more intensive skin care treatments they offer, Jennings said they also have other services in caring for the skin that include facial treatments, chemical peels, microdermabrasion, waxing and spray tans.

Skin types vary from person to person, while some may be drier than others, some may have oily or sensitive skin. Jennings said it’s best to talk skin care over with a professional before making any big decisions.

“We encourage you to consult with our esthetician to evaluate the needs of the skin and skin type,” she said. “We will customize the individual need for the client using our Skin Medica Skin Care
line.”

Just as ages change, so might the skin care regimen. You may need to revisit sunscreen protection, brands of face wash or your night time care routine. There are some basics, however, that should remain the same. 

“We like to implement our ‘GRASS’ regimen for our skin care clients,” Jennings said. “G – growth factors, R – retinols, A – antioxidants, S – sunscreen and S – specialty products as in eye creams, lighteners, moisturizer, etc. This ‘grass’ regimen will keep the skin corrected, protected and healthy.”