With Fall around the corner, it’s time to readopt your skincare routines that were shelved for the summer. When you have a free moment in the carpool line, start thinking about how you should be maintaining and treating your skin this season.
MAINTENANCE
- Sunscreen
Summer may be over, but your social calendar isn’t empty. We know you’ll be at football games, which is exactly why you need to continue wearing sunscreen daily. Unless you want wrinkles and brown spots, daily use of a broad spectrum sunscreen with SPF 50 or more is a must for everyone. Don’t believe myths about “SPF 30” being enough for everyone, or the SPF 20 in your moisturizer being enough. IT’S NOT. If you hate layering your sunscreen and makeup, find a tinted moisturizer with SPF 50. We have a few favorites:
Soleil Toujours Tinted Fluid SPF 20 Intellishade SPF 45 Elta MD Tinted SPF 46
- Retinol
The only good thing about summer ending is the fact that you can officially use your retinoids safely. Topical retinoids, derivatives of retinoic acid (Vitamin A), promote cell turnover and exfoliation of the skin. This helps to reduce and prevent fine lines. Retinoids (Retin-A, tretinoin) make your skin sensitive to the sun, so they are usually not recommended during the summer. If you don’t anticipate being in the sun for prolonged periods of time, however, you’ll be safe to use retinoids in the fall and winter. A good retinoid can be used in combination with other products, such as lightening agents to brighten your complexion, but regimens need to be carefully selected by healthcare professionals to avoid skin irritation from these products.
TREATMENT
- Lightening Agents
Freckles are SO last season. If your freckles don’t go away anymore, they’re officially called age spots. Don’t worry, we’ll help you get rid of them with some lightening agents that will brighten your complexion. Like retinols, use of products with lightening properties are usually not recommended during the summer, so fall and winter is prime time for these treatments. If your dark spots are mild to moderate, a topical lightening cream or lightening pad may be all you need. However, if your dark spots have been accumulating for years, then you may need to do a chemical peel or laser treatment.
Zo Multi-Therapy Hydroquinone System Zo Brightamax
- Chemical Peels and Lasers
Chemical peels and laser treatments sound way more intimidating than they are. These treatments are the most effective ways to lighten brown spots or dark patches of skin (melasma) and, there is a wide spectrum of gentle to aggressive treatments based on your skin needs, schedule, etc. Sometimes people use lightening agents before a peel or laser treatment, but sometimes you can skip the creams and jump right into lasers or peels. These treatments, usually recommended in a series of 2-3, gradually lighten brown spots. You’ll want to plan these treatments around social events because you could be red or peeling depending on the type of treatment, but the beautiful skin hiding underneath your freckles is worth a night in.
Although we’re all sad to see summer end, we can take advantage of the fall and winter to repair our sun-damaged skin.
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