Ready To ‘Glow Up’ In 2021? Tips From A Dermatologist

I don't know about you, but after months and months of (confessedly) engaging in less than ideal habits during 2020, some of us are ready to start taking better care of ourselves in the new year.

You'd think that after years of doing one's best to take care of your skin that one would be a skincare expert. Ah, but there are so many things we can't know when we're not experts in the field. There's just not enough time to know everything about everything. Thankfully, we have those who've made it their life's work to know all that we can about how to take good care of your skin.

One such expert is Dr. Paul Nassif. Not only is he a facial plastic and reconstruction surgeon, he also has a skin care line to help people do all they can to minimize the wreaking havoc of environmental factors, as well as the simple passage of time. A few of his suggestions?

Although it is ideal to start a preventative skin care regimen in your early 20's, the next best time to start is right now. He says we can do much to better the health of our skin prior to taking more invasive steps, such as surgery.

One thing I didn't know is that there is a difference between moisturizing and hydrating your skin. Costco Magazine interviewed Dr. Nassif and he said " while moisturizers serve to protect the skin's lipid (oil) barrier," which prevents moisture loss in the "unde layers" and protects your skin from dehydration, hydration serums "penetrate all layers of the skin." That means, we need to do both for our best skin.

We need to be exfoliating our skin, by the way. This helps remove dead skin cells and makes our skin more radiant while allowing the serums and moisturizers we're using to penetrate more deeply. The last thing we want is to spend all of that money on those fancy products only to prohibit their effectiveness.

When you do use these products, make sure you're applying them on your neck and all the way to your décolleté. Don't forget to include your hands and wrists, too.

We've heard it a million times: Wear your SPF. I confess, I've not been as diligent in this area. There's a misconception, too, that if it's cloudy or you're driving in your vehicle that you don't need to worry about it. Those UV rays go right through those clouds and windows. He recommends using a product with SPF 30. Granted during the winter, it may not be as crucial as those signature blazing summer months--but they still advise to wear it anyway.

AND ALWAYS, drink your water. Plenty of water. More than you think you need. Not only is water integral to beautiful skin, it also is crucial to helping all of the organs and systems in your body work well.

Ready to delve into the deeper layers of a beautiful skin care routine? This article from The New York Times outlines the steps to consider.