Where to begin?

You probably have heard of a med spa or had friends who had a Botox® treatment. You have browsed med spa social media and websites but perhaps were intimidated by strange terms or an overload of sales posts.

I started looking into “medical grade” skincare. What is medical grade skincare? Is it just a term that skincare companies use? It had seemed that everyone who had a business mindset was starting a skincare company. There were too many to choose from. I began to narrow down skincare companies that had clinical studies behind their products and were carried by physicians.

I chose the Obagi Medical skincare line due to their clinical studies as well as their prescription line. I knew that as a physician I could share my knowledge of medicine and science and help patients in their aesthetic goals.

It is never too late to start taking care of your skin. At age 41, if you had asked me 6 months ago if I would use a retinoid or even if I knew what it was, I would have probably laughed. Being of hispanic background I always thought I didn’t have to use much sunscreen. After starting my med spa I began to take a closer look at my skin. I began to notice the wrinkles and leathery appearance of my skin. As a physician, my brain began to immediately dive into the science behind aging and the remedies that were available to slow the skin aging process and heal the damage that had been done.

I initially started with a VI chemical peel. After all I knew that I couldn’t just promote skincare treatments, I also had to believe in them. I had just finished an in-depth course in chemical peels and had become well versed in the types of peels needed. Following the chemical peel I invested in a good skincare routine. What was a “good” routine. I knew my foundations: a cleanser to clean, a toner to prep the skin, a Vitamin A to repair, a moisturizer, and a sunscreen. After only a few weeks the leathery appearance had subsided and I began to see the “glow” that people talk about during skincare journeys.

So where to begin?

I had a patient come into the med spa last week who told me she honestly had no idea where to begin when it came to their own skincare. In her early 70’s she was just now realizing that she should have been taking care of her skin. This somewhat came as a surprise to me. All my posts of retinoids, neurotoxins, dermal fillers, and I realized most people probably didn't even really know what I was trying to educate them on.

Skincare is a journey. Great skin is not what we see on social media, but what is appealing to each patient. Perhaps one patient may want less acne scars. One patient may want less frown lines and another may want less wrinkles around their lips when they smile. When a patient comes into the med spa and asks where to begin, I typically recommend a good basic skincare routine. This includes: a Vitamin A product such as a retinol, a moisturizer, and sunscreen.

Skincare can be as basic or in depth as patients like. I decided to offer minimally invasive skincare treatments that could assist in many of the skincare issues that patients complain about.

• Neurotoxins such at Botox® or Jeuveau® are botulinum derived injections that help relax muscles which in turn relax wrinkles.

• Dermal fillers are hyaluronic acid gels that can increase volume and smooth out wrinkles.

• Microneedling is a minimally invasive treatment that creates micro channels in the skin that undergo remodeling to create new elastin and collagen. This in turn helps fine lines, wrinkles, and acne scars.

• Retinoids are skincare creams or gels that are derived from Vitamin A and can unclog pores, increase skin cell turnover, decrease skin pigmentation, and provide other skin benefits.

The above treatments listed are just a few ways to start your skincare journey. Perhaps you have heard of fillers but do not want the crazy lips you have seen on social media. Some people don’t want to look “frozen” so they have sworn off ever getting a neurotoxin. These negative impressions that have been spread throughout social media can be alleviated by a little education and reassurance with a physician who is willing to be part of your skincare journey, not just sell you a product or treatment. I often get the response of “wow, that looks so natural”. In using the “less is more” philosophy I tell my patients that we start with small treatments until we achieve their desired aesthetic goals. Sometimes that is met with frustration by not achieving immediate results, but is comforted by knowing they didn’t just buy a treatment at a med spa, they invested in a physician/patient relationship that will continue during their skincare journey.