Question:
Do you have a good skin care routine?
Hi all :). Well, I'm a month post-op and down 38 pounds (woohoo!). This last year has been a good one for me in terms of taking charge of my health. I even quit smoking about 8 months ago. Now I'm looking to start a good skin care routine. I don't really have any experience with skin care products because I've never really worried about it. The extra fat on my face hid whatever wrinkles may be lurking there ;). I'm 32, I have regular combination, "T-zone" skin, and my mother, who is 70, has really nice skin. As a kid I spent a lot of time in the sun, but I've had a sunburned face maybe only 5 times in my life. I tan really well and don't burn unless I'm out in a blazing sun for a LONG time. Right now I only have a couple very faint lines on my forehead (probably mostly from that "Mom face" I make at my kids sometimes) and no lines anywhere else. I'd like to keep it this way! Does anyone have any suggestions on products, routines, etc that they've used that work well? I would hate to lose a lot of weight and end up with a face and neck full of wrinkles! Of course, there is always plastic surgery... LOL Thanks everybody!!! SuzAnne in Utah — SuzAnne S. (posted on January 30, 2003)
January 30, 2003
Hi,
If you go to ivillage.com there are lots of skin care tips and they even
have beauty by age. There is also a message board not a whole lot there but
you may be lucky enough to get a response. I am preop and have started to
focus on improving the other aspects of my health. One thing that Ive
learned from reading is that less is more...meaning the fewer products you
use on your face the better.My new routine consists of cleansing twice a
day with a very mild cleaner (been using those daily facial cloths)followed
by ponds skin cream as a moisturizer(may be too heavy for summer or for
oily skin)I thn exfoliate twice a week with a honey almond scrub.I actually
notice a change in my complexion.I will probably start using some type of
fade cream at night beause i have acne scars and I ocassionaly use acne
medication for breakouts.And while you are improving your total body health
dont forget about youre teeth! Went to the dentist for a cleaning and
LOOOONNNGGG overdue exam...my dental work will cost almost as much as my
WLS lol oh well at least Ill finally be healthy! Hope this helps.
— Lisa F.
January 30, 2003
I have been using Bioelements for several years now and love the stuff. I
use the Decongestant Cleanser twice a day, followed in the morning by a
misting of Equalizer and Everyday (Moisturizing) Protectant that has an SPF
of 8. Monthly, I use the Restorative Clay Mask. Eating carrots every
other day, plenty of water, rest, and outdoor exercise has given me almost
perfect skin. At 44, I have the same wrinkles my mother had, the kind I
cannot avoid genetically, but my skin is clear, smooth and soft. Good
Luck!
— merri B.
January 30, 2003
I acutally use Avon's skincare line. I've spent a bunch of money on spendy
products and haven't gotten as good results as with this stuff. Get one
with a SPF in it so that will help prevent lines. You don't need to buy the
most expensive stuff out there. Alot of the ingredients are the same in
many lines.
— Kris T.
January 30, 2003
I started using produts from Orgins--in most major department stores. I
found that I had really dry skin for the first time in my life after
surgery. They gave me some insight into my skin and the right products. I
liked the way the women looked who sold the produts--very lite on the
makeup, as I'm not one for lots of makeup
— barbara A.
January 30, 2003
If I were to give you one piece of advice, its to exfoliate. You've got to
gently take off the dead skin cells every day so that they don't block your
pores and start problems. I like the cleansing clothes that are so very
popular today. I think Oil of Olay is my favorite. Also, depending on your
skins sensitivity, you might want to look into products with glycolic acid
or retinol. And remember, your moisturizer doesn't stop at your chin, it
goes all the way down. And stay out of the sun. Use a make-up with a
sunscreen. Ah heck, I love make-up, I could go on all day. Good luck, enjoy
your new found beauty routine!
— lorien
January 30, 2003
I sell Mary Kay so you'll know my answer... the only reason I started
selling was for the discount... mom, aunts etc buy from me and so I don't
do the whole party plan thing...just give them half off to get enough of an
order to get my half price... But I love the product and it works for me...
I do moisturize more... but I have dry skin around my nose and forehead...
any ideas on how to cure that? it's just started happening within the last
few weeks and I am having a bit of hair lss as well...
— MF
January 30, 2003
Hi SuzAnne, I'm an Esthetician and make-up artist. I certainly believe in
the K.I.S.S. concept (Keep It Simple, Sweety)! Now, judging by the way you
describe your skin, it doesn't seem to be very sensitive. I suggest using
an exfoliating scrub either daily or every other day depending on how
sensitive you are (I use it everyday). Using the scrub will remove all of
the dead skin cells that form a thick barrier between the surface and the
living skin underneath. Getting rid of this dead skin layer will allow any
other product you put on to penetrate deep into your skin and not just sit
on the dead skin!! So basically, the skin care routine would be like this
1) remove makeup using makeup remover such as M.A.C. Wipes (they're like
baby wipes with the best most gentle makeup remover out there) 2) use the
scrub daily in the shower. The bestttt and least expensive one that i use
is St. Ive's Apricot Scrub (regular kind not acne or sensitive) (your skin
will be sooooo smooth and you'll see how smooth your makeup will glide on)
3) Eye cream is absolutely Essential! The under eye area is the only part
of the face without oil glands or sweat glands, so it gets hydrated the
least, it NEEDS the eye cream! Use it after each time you wash your face.
some of the brands i like are MAC Moisture Eye Feed (in a tub, not the tube
kind), Aveda eye cream (in the tub not tube!), Dermalogica Intensive
Moisture Eye Cream 4) Moisturizer...i like many different ones but my
favorite brand is Dermalogica. Try either the Skin Smoothing Cream, or the
Intensive Moisture Balance. If they're too heavy for you, try the Active
Moist also by Dermalogica. It's a little lighter as far as moisture. As
far as SPF, it would be helpful, what I do is I get my SPF from my
foundation. I like MAC Studio Fix (Foundation in powder form, you brush it
on straight after you moisturize your face and it will be perfect coverage)
It has just enough of an SPF that protects skin like yours. If you were
very fair or burned easily, i would suggest getting a separate sunscreen to
put on after the moisturizer. I do NOT suggest using a moisturizer with an
spf, it's really bad for the skin. Think about it, moisturizer is designed
to penetrate deeply, sun screen is designed to sit on the top of the skin
and shield it like a film over the surface of the skin. So the only way it
works is either your blocking your pores by allowing the sunscreen to
penetrate deeply, or your keeping the moisturizer on the surface without
letting it sink in deeply enough, either way: not good!! Always use
separate sun screen than your moisturizer!! LOL Can you tell this is my
area of expertise? :) Enjoy life, email me with any questions!! Guess
what I just bought a new outfit, size large pants and medium shirt!! I
CANT FREAKIN BELIEVE THIS :) oki doki ciaooooooo
— Iris B.
January 30, 2003
My daughter sells Mary Kay & I can get it all at her cost. However
every single MK cleanser/ moisturiser I have used has broken out my
sensitive skin, so I went back to what my dermatologist recommended,
Cetaphil cleanser, very mild and gentle. they also have moisturizer that
doesn't break me out either. It is available at most large stores, IE
Walmart, Target and is about $8 for a bottle that lasts me 5 or 6 months.
When I was younger I used the St Ives scrubs, but the dermatologist told me
it iswhat caused me getting rosacea (very reddened bumpy skin) that took
months of treatment to clear up. I am 42 and no wrinkles, rather very
clear soft skin that people stop me in public to complement.
— **willow**
January 30, 2003
Hi again. It's me, the original poster. Thanks so much everyone for your
advice! When I told my husband about posting this question, his advice was
to have sex daily LOL. And no, his response did not surprise me... :)
— SuzAnne S.
January 30, 2003
I never did much for the skin care thing either until recent. I'm 30 and
last summer when I started losing weight my face started having trouble
with breaking out. I don't know if it was "adult acne" kicking
in or from the weight loss or what. I also have sensitive skin as well.
But I found a great set of products by Biore. Even if I don't do the daily
cleanser if in a total rush I still use the toner and oil free moisterizer
daily. It doesn't bother my skin at all and I've not had a single blemish
since. It works great. Unlike you I'm extra fair, NEVER tan and have
burned MANY, MANY, MANY times in my life. These products not only stopped
my blemish problems but also my skin looks so much healthier - the tecture,
skin tone, etc.
— Shelly S.
January 31, 2003
I am laughing at the "skin care person's KISS program involving the
use of *5* products. I guess it is all perspective for my lazy butt will
only use cleanser and moistureizer on my face.
— **willow**
February 1, 2003
LOL I guess that is a pretty sophisticated skin care routine when compared
to using a bar of soap!! hehe But trust me, it is "simple"
compared to what most "skin care people's" routines which involve
toners and different cleansers and masks and stuff!! No need for that!!
:)
— Iris B.
February 1, 2003
I am a medical skin therapist, so I have a bunch of advice, some pricey,
some not. First of all, it wouldn't hurt to jumpstart your skin care
program with a microdermabrasion treatment in a medical office, not a spa!
Depending on where you live, this cost will vary. Whether you choose to do
that or not, you need to use a scrub daily or every other day. I have
access to the most expensive and innovative products on the market, but I
recommend Nivea Gentle Cleansing Cream. It is a gentle scrub that you can
find at any walmart or drug store. Put it in your shower and make it part
of your shower routine, I scrub my face during the time my conditioner is
sitting on my head for a minute. Stay away from anything that says apricot
or walnut, and obviously pumice, these are way to harsh for the face and
will microscopically tear the skin with extended use. Microbeads, oatmeal,
and very fine cornmeal based scrubs are best. I also recommend 2 different
moisturizers, these can be pricey and usually obtained at a dermatologists
or plastic surgeons office. My patients and I love Active C light texture
moisturizer, cost is around $35 and lasts a long time unless you have a
huge face, lol. The other one is the medical wrinkle cream called
Kinerase, this is wonderful, it runs anywhere from $60-$90 and a little
goes a very long way, one bottle has lasted me a little over a year. It
comes in a cream or a lotion depending on what you need, the cream is
heavier than the lotion. Both absorb quickly into the skin and have no
greasy feel. It really works on wrinkles and evening out the complexion
with regular use. If you have issues with acne, a TCA chemical peel once a
month will clear that right up and smooth acne scarring as well. I know I
am giving you some medical skin advice, but you don't have to do all of
this, they are just options. I do stick by using the very inexpensive and
easily accessible Nivea Gentle Cream Cleanser daily and splurging on the
medical based skin creams Active C or Kinerase. I also recommend
Neutrogena Healthy Skin liquid foundation, it has an spf 20, and doesn't
break me out. If you have any other questions about your skin, just drop
me an email, I am happy to give free advice to WLS patients.
— Karen E.
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