Aging Effects of the Sun and Wrinkles.

The condition of your skin is one of the keys to your appearance given the fact it is the first thing people see. Fortunately, there are a lot of simple steps you can take to care for it.

Preventive Care of Your Skin

Our skin is made up of three layers. The Epidermis is the outermost layer and sheds off every couple of weeks. The dermis lies under the epidermis and is where most of the action happens when it comes to caring for your skin. Finally, the subcutaneous area is the third level where skin attaches to the rest of our body through fat and fiber areas. Understanding that there are three levels is the first step to taking care of your skin.

It is important to understand that there are skin care products and then there are powerful skin care products. If you have significant skin issues such as shading or blotching that make a major difference in your appearance, most over the counter products are not going to make a major difference. Yes, this is true for even the wonder treatments touted by the media. Most over the counter treatments cover up the problem, but don’t treat it.

If you have major problems, you need to get prescription remedies that are far more powerful. You can do this by going to a skin care specialist that is either a licensed physician or skin care physician. Guess which one is cheaper?!

When dealing with major skin care problems, you should listen and follow the advice of the medical professional you select. Although treatments differ, a common method for dealing with serious skin problems is a cycle of treatments. Every medical professional is different, but you will usually be instructed to take one or all of the following in a particular sequence – Retin-A, Vitamin C creams and an acidic product. Retin-A will stimulate new cell growth in the dermis and shedding of the epidermis. Vitamin C creams will block the damage caused by the sun. Acidic problems speed up the natural removal of damaged skin on the outer layer of epidermis.

The treatment prescribed for you will not be a quick solution. It will take months. If you are patient, however, you will eventually see significant improvements to your skin.

Ricardo de Silva is with Plastic Surgeon Practices - a directory of plastic surgeons. Visit us to read more plastic surgery articles.