The Importance of Prescription Topical Skin Creams For Skin Rejuvenation
An effective daily topical skin cream regimen is one of the most important things you can do to keep your skin looking healthy and to prevent facial aging. More importantly, prescription topical Retinoids like Retin A not only exfoliate and rejuvenate the skin, stimulate the production of new collagen to replace collagen lost due to sun and environmental damage, but Retin A can actually reverse precancerous changes in your skin cells.
The effective skin health promoting and skin rejuvenation effects of the retinoids has been known for over 20 years, RetinA is the only topical cream approved by the FDA for reversing aging skin changes, yet few doctors prescribe Retin A for its anti aging effects. My feeling is that if your skin cream does not require a prescription then it is unlikely that it is scientifically proven to work. You would not take a non prescription drug for an infection, high blood pressure, or other medical condition, why is your skin health any less important?
I encourage all of my patients to use Retin A because I have seen dramatic and wonderful skin rejuvenation results in my patients. Patients who have very sensitive skin and cannot tolerate Retin A can usually use Vitamin C Serum instead of Retin A.
Over 20 Billion Dollars are spent each year on skin rejuvenation face creams to prevent facial aging yet most of them are not scientifically proven to work. As Dr. Klingman, the pioneer who developed Retin A, put it, “We have a marketplace that is absolutely crazy and the consumer is left to do her own personal clinical trial to see what works”. The most important thing I want you to remember is that there are only two treatments that have been approved by the FDA as effective for reversing facial aging changes– Retin A and laser resurfacing, the latter, of course is a surgical procedure.
Cheryl, my medical aesthetician, and I will perform a careful medical evaluation of your facial skin and recommend the products that are most effective and safe for you.
My current recommendations for various skin skin rejuvenation and treatment of other skin conditions are:
1. Fine wrinkle removal, exfoliation, new collagen production and improved skin texture: Retin A or Vitamin C serum for those who cannot tolerate Retin A. Obagi Nu Derm system is an excellent Retin A based skin care program which includes 6 products-3 at night, 3 in the morning. The results of the Obagi System are dramatic and reverse many of the superficial aging changes in the skin. There is pinkness and mild peeling for the first two weeks, but after that you will see incredible improvement in your skin
2. Pigment Control-removal of sun damage: Retin A combined with 4 % Hydroquinone. The Obagi Nu Derm System works very well for pigment control.
3. Acne and break outs: Retin A and Pro Heal Serum by Innovative Skin Care are excellent products for controlling the occasional break out. Patients with more severe flare ups and chronic recurring breakouts need the addition of Brevoxyl Washes and occasionally Differin and Clindamycin topical antibiotics. Severe Cystic Acne usually requires Accutane which I prefer to be prescribed by your dermatologist. The Obagi Nu Derm System, a combination of 6 products including Retin A produces phenomenal results for acne control once acute episodes are under control and is dispensed in our office.
4. Rosacea and facial red spots, blood vessels and telangiectasia- blood vessels on the face are a sign of inflammation most commonly secondary to years of sun exposure. Pro Heal Serum is an excellent product for patients with sensitive blotchy skin and Rosacea
Topical prescription strength skin rejuvenation creams are a very important part of your program for optimal skin health. However, good diet, hydration, exercise, and stress management will also contribute to your skin health.
One major benefit of having your skin care supervised in my office is that there are many additional treatments that will improve or enhance the results of your skin care program that can only be safely and effectively done in the office of a physician experienced in these new techniques. I have made a major commitment to effective safe skin care techniques for the past 12 years and you will not find the same level of care, experience, and dedication to your health and happiness in any other practice.
For many of you topical creams alone are not enough, and if that is the case we can provide you with the safe, effective leading edge non surgical technologies necessary to help you. These methods include:
Microdermabrasion: Microdermabrasion removes dead skin and superficial pigment and improves the penetration and thus effectiveness of Retin A, Hydroquinone and the other topical products
IPL: IPL (intense pulsed light) also called photo-facial, is the newest and most widely accepted method for removal of pigment and blood vessels from the face and Declote. IPL treatments give a wonderful head start to the Obagi New Derm System.
Non ablative “skin plumping” with the Lux1540 fractional laser: It has been 3 years since non-ablative fractional laser skin resurfacing was introduced with Fraxel, and although I was skeptical in the beginning I am seeing results that show definite improvement is skin texture. The new Lux1540 stimulates new collagen formation in the deeper skin layers and actually plumps wrinkles and acne scars. The exciting thing is that this is a non ablative procedure which means minimal down time. You are pink for a day but no open wounds or oozing. With deeper treatments there is some “bronzing” of the skin the next day but this is easily covered by make up. While your topical skin creams stimulate new collagen in the upper skin layers, skin creams cannot reach the deeper skin layers where significant wrinkle causing collagen loss has occurred. The 1540 allows us to treat the deeper layers where significant new collagen production can be stimulated.
If you would like to come in for a professional skin evaluation please call the office at 978-369-4499. Cheryl and I will give you our recommendations based on sound scientific principles and 25 years of experience. I will also give you a complimentary copy of my book Save Your Face so you can learn the basics of modern medical skin care and anti aging.
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I hope to see you soon.
2/01/08
