You sailed through your 20s and 30s without giving much thought to the aging processes in your skin. Now that you’re in your 40s or 50s, and the effects of aging are really beginning to emerge, you want to know how to slow them down.
To help, board-certified dermatologist Dr. Vicki Rapaport and the team of skin health experts here at Rapaport Dermatology pulled together a few best practices for optimal skin care in your 40s, 50s, and beyond.
We routinely tell people about the pitfalls of too much sun exposure when it comes to your skin — ultraviolet rays are responsible for up to 90% of the visible signs of aging in your skin.
While there’s not much you can do to turn back the clock on those long days at the beach when you were younger, sun protection remains one of the best ways to prevent further damage.
This means wearing sunscreen, covering up, and avoiding outdoor activity in the high sun hours between 10am and 4pm as best you can. These efforts are well worth making at any age.
If you want to maintain a healthy glow in your skin, it’s important to cleanse and moisturize your face daily. Dirt and debris can clog your pores, preventing your skin from nourishing itself with oils.
By washing your skin at least once a day (at night, if it’s only once), you can keep your pores clear and wash away dead skin cells. We recommend that you use mild cleansers that are designed for your face.
After you thoroughly clean your face, apply a good moisturizer to help keep your skin well hydrated and supple. Here again, we recommend using products that are designed for your face.
Vitamin C is key for collagen synthesis. In addition to boosting collagen, which is the structural protein that provides support for your skin, vitamin C also protects against sun damage. Great sources of vitamin C include fruits, especially berries and citrus fruits, and dark leafy greens.
The sheer amount of anti-wrinkle products can be daunting, as any walk down a pharmacy skin care aisle reveals. Unfortunately, far too many of these products are long on promises but short on results.
To help you narrow down the choices, look for products that contain retinoids and vitamin C, two ingredients that are the most effective at restoring your skin’s health.
Please note that these over-the-counter creams can only go so far and fall short of tackling deep lines and sagging skin. Used routinely, however, they can revitalize aging skin and slow down the aging processes. Ask us about the professional skin care products we carry.
While the title of this blog is about at-home care for your skin, when you reach your 40s and 50s, your skin can use a higher standard of care than you’re able to provide on your own at home.
At this point in your life, we recommend treating your skin to regular, customized facials that can breathe new life into aging skin. As dermatologists, we understand that each person’s skin has unique needs, and we tailor our facials to meet your goals, using professional-grade products that you can’t find at the local drugstore.
If you’d like to learn more about skin care in your 40s and 50s or if you’d like to schedule a facial, call Rapaport Dermatology at one of their two locations in Beverly Hills or Culver CIty, California, today.
