It’s important to take care of your skin all year, but it’s not always easy to maintain vibrant skin from season to season. Why should you refresh your skin between seasons? Because even in climates that stay fairly stable throughout the year, minor changes in the weather can do a number on your complexion.
During the winter, the air gets very dry, particularly in the Southwestern states. Dry air makes it difficult to keep skin hydrated, soft, and beautiful. While many people with oily skin struggle with acne, people with dry skin are more susceptible to early aging and wrinkles. Dry air makes this problem even worse. When combined with sun damage, dry winter air can make skin look dull and tired.
Have you noticed your skin looking a little bit dull at the tail end of winter? Then it might be a good time to consider one of these 5 powerful treatments to refresh your skin for spring.
Chemical Peel
Chemical peels are a fantastic way to refresh your skin because they can be adapted and customized for each patient. A chemical peel can range from a mild exfoliating treatment to a deeper anti-aging procedure, depending on the chemicals used. Winter skin can benefit from a chemical peel by allowing brighter, more youthful skin to emerge.
After the peel, old, damaged skin will peel off the face and new skin will form underneath. This helps to improve complexion and pigmentation, brightening up the face without significant downtime. Only the deepest peels require traditional anesthesia and extensive recovery. Most patients can get great results using a less invasive peel. Some patients love the results so much, they get on a regular maintenance schedule.
Laser Skin Resurfacing
Laser resurfacing has been a popular option in anti-aging for years. Today, the lasers used in skin resurfacing are gentler and more effective than ever. Laser resurfacing with options like the Halo laser require only topical anesthesia, and can take up to 2 hours to be performed.
Patients can look forward to healthier, more vibrant skin after the procedure, with 5-6 days of downtime. The laser can improve a range of problems, including fine lines, dull skin, enlarged pores, and sun damage. This is an ideal treatment for patients with busy lifestyles who want an all-in-one treatment option. The sessions can be fit into almost any schedule, and patients can get back to their normal activities immediately.
Intense Pulsed Light (IPL)
Intense pulsed light (IPL) treatments are also known as photorejuvenation. Gentle and versatile, this treatment is perfect for signs of aging, sun damage, and pigmentation issues. If you skin is dull, dry, and damaged from the winter’s dry air and the sun’s UV rays, IPL treatments could be a great option. It’s also an effective treatment for spider veins and broken capillaries!
Patients love how convenient IPL treatments are. Although a patient may need 3-6 treatments spaced out over several months, the treatments take no more than 45 minutes and require no downtime. Patients can even have the treatments performed at lunchtime, put on makeup to cover any redness, and be back to work immediately. The results appear gradually, with a more youthful complexion emerging over time, and brown spots and spider veins fading. IPL treatments help encourage new collagen to form, which improves skin quality and vibrancy for months.
Injectable Fillers
At the end of winter, you may be noticing some hollows and folds in your face that weren’t obvious before. Although the seasons can’t be blamed for these normal signs of aging, they can make them more obvious by drying out your skin and making it look parched. Adding volume to these areas can instantly perk up your look, making you appear more alert, awake, and youthful. Hyaluronic acid fillers are perfect for adding volume back into the face, creating results that last for up to a year or more.
There are so many different injectable fillers on the market these days because they’re so effective. In addition to the traditional hyaluronic acid fillers, there are now specific options for lips and cheeks. Fillers can smooth out deep folds, and even fill in hollows under the eyes! The injection process takes just a few minutes, and patients can get back to their lives right away. Best of all, there’s no waiting to see the results—refresh your skin right away.
BBL Ultra Peel
Combination procedures are sometimes the most effective, and the BBL Ultra Peel is no exception. It combines broadband light (BBL) treatments with Nano laser peel for more comprehensive skin rejuvenation. Like other peels, the BBL Ultra Peel reveals softer, smoother skin that looks more radiant and youthful. Because the procedure combines two powerful skin treatments, the peel does require a few days of downtime, but it offers superior results in exchange. Patients can look forward to improvements in skin tone, texture, signs of aging, and pigmentation. Best of all, collagen stimulation improves the skin’s appearance long after the treatment series has been completed.
Undecided? Talk to an Expert
All of these treatments are fantastic if you want to refresh your skin for spring. But how do you choose? The best way to find the treatment that suits your needs is to talk with a board-certified plastic surgeon. An expert can evaluate your skin and offer suggestions for how to best reach your goals.
Dr. Edward Buckingham is a board-certified anti-aging expert in Austin, TX. He offers a wide range of minimally-invasive treatments for every skin type. If you’re ready to brush away the winter blues and refresh your skin, call Buckingham Center today at 512.401.2500 to schedule your consultation.