It is normal for teens to worry about their looks and that includes their skincare. Also, we all know there's no shortage of tips or products out there to help teenagers. When some of these tips backfire, it can make your skin worse. 
Our first tip is always to learn what type of skin you have, the best way to clean it, and how to choose products that won't trigger a breakout.

What's Your Skin Type?
The four main types are normal, dry, oily, and combination:

1. Normal Skin Care

 Normal skin has an even, smooth skin tone; soft texture; and no visible blemishes, red spots, or flaky patches. Pores are barely visible, and the skin surface is neither greasy nor dry. Normal skin has few imperfections because of the balanced amount of water and oil and good blood circulation.
 If your skin is normal, wash your face two to three times each day, with mild cleanser or plain soap and water, to remove dirt and sweat.

 2. Dry Skin Care

 Dry skin is dull, rough, scaly, and itchy, with almost invisible pores. Dry skin is usually caused by an abnormal shedding of cells from the skin's outer layer. In normal situations, lubrication from the body's natural oils helps to prevent water loss from the skin.
 If you have dry skin, wash your face daily with a mild cleanser. This will help prevent your skin from becoming drier. Moisturize with a non-perfumed, non-alcohol-containing cream after washing.
 Also, limit very hot showers, high temperatures, and low humidity, which rob your skin of moisture. Even using soap and excessive washing or scrubbing of the skin increases dryness. Many teenagers have drier skin during the winter months, when humidity is low and heaters force hot, dry air into enclosed rooms.
 If your skin is very dry, take a warm bath for about 10-20 minutes. Avoid using soap or other drying products. When you get out of the tub, barely pat your body dry, then rub mineral oil (found at most supermarkets and drugstores) or a non-perfumed, non-alcohol cream or ointment all over your skin. Pat your skin dry again. The oil or cream helps to lock in healing moisture, keeping skin supple and soft.

3. Oily Skin Care
 Oily skin is acne-prone skin with open pores, a shiny complexion, blackheads, and pimples. Because hormones affect oil production, anything that affects your hormone levels may influence your skin. Some experts believe that stress, such as from exams or not getting enough sleep, may trigger outbreaks of acne. Many teens know that acne in itself creates added stress!
 To keep oily skin clean, wash your face twice to three times a day with plain soap and water. If you need to cleanse your face at school, use an over-the-counter cleansing pad (containing benzoyl peroxide, sulfur or salicylic acid) to help dissolve oil and removes excess dirt from the skin surface. If you have pimples, never pop or squeeze them, which can spread the inflammation, worsen acne, and even cause scarring.
 Use cosmetics and other facial products that are "noncomedogenic," meaning they do not clog pores. Keep your hair off your face, and wash your hair daily to reduce oil. While it may seem illogical, using a light lotion on your skin wil help it better tolerate the drying effect of acne medications.

 4. Normal/Combination Skin Care
 With normal/combination skin, you might have an oily "T-Zone" (forehead, nose, and chin) and dry skin elsewhere. The pores on your face are large, and the skin tends to have blackheads.
 Normal/combination skin can be either overly dry or excessively oily, while cheeks may appear rough. Depending on the time of year, the oiliness and dryness can change, too. The skin is usually drier when the weather is cold.
 If you have normal/combination skin, wash your face two or three times a day with plain soap and water to remove the excess oil. Moisturize dry areas with a regular lotion and the oily areas with a light lotion.
 
 

Here are our 10 Dermatologist-Approved skin care tips to reduce your acne :

1. Wash your face twice a day and after sweating. Perspiration can make acne worse, so wash your skin as soon as possible after sweating.
2. Use your fingertips to apply a gentle, non-abrasive cleanser. Avoid using a washcloth or mesh sponge because it can irritate the skin.
3. Be gentle with your skin. Use gentle products, such as those that are alcohol-free. Our team recommends this line with great results 
4. Scrubbing your skin can make acne worse, so avoid the temptation.
5. Rinse with lukewarm 💧.
6. Maintain consistency. Results are not seen in a day and patience does pay up!
7. Let your skin heal naturally. Picking, popping or squeezing your acne, will make your skin take longer to clear and you increase the risk of getting acne scars.
8. Keep your hands off your face. Touching your skin throughout the day can cause flare-ups.
9. Stay out of the ☀️ and tanning beds. Tanning damages you skin. In addition, some acne medications make the skin very sensitive to ultraviolet (UV) light, which you get from both the ☀️ and indoor tanning devices.
10. Consult a dermatologist if: 
    1. Your acne makes you shy or embarrassed.
    2. The products you’ve tried have not worked.
    3. Your acne is leaving scars or darkening your skin.

Are you faithfully treating your acne but still 👀 new breakouts? If you have one of these 10 skin care habits you can be making things worse. Here are some dermatologists’ tips to help you change those habits:

1. Try a new acne treatment every week or so. This approach can irritate your skin, which can cause breakouts.
   
   What to do instead: Give an acne treatment time to work (6 to 8 weeks at least). It takes that long to 👀 some improvement. Complete clearing usually takes 3 to 4 months.
2. Apply acne medication only when you have a breakout. It makes sense to treat what you 👀, but this approach fails to prevent new episodes.
   
   What to do instead: To prevent new blemishes, spread a thin layer of the acne medication evenly over your acne-prone skin.
3. Use makeup, skin care products, and hair care products that can cause acne. These products usually contain oil or other ingredients that can cause acne breakouts, so If you keep using them, you may continue to 👀 breakouts.
   
   What to do instead: Use only makeup, sunscreen, skin and hair care products that are labeled “non-comedogenic” or “won’t clog pores.” These products don’t cause breakouts in most people.
4. Share makeup, makeup brushes, or makeup applicators. Even if you use only non-comedogenic products, sharing makeup can lead to breakouts.
   
   What to do instead: Make sure you’re the only person who uses your makeup, makeup brushes, and makeup applicators.
5. Sleeping in your makeup. This is a big No-No, even if you use non-comedogenic products
   
   What to do instead: Remove your makeup before you go to bed. No exceptions!
6. Wash your face throughout the day. 
   
   What to do instead: Wash your face twice a day — when you wake up and before you go to bed. You’ll also want to wash your face when you finish an activity that makes you sweat.
7. Dry out your skin. Skin with acne is oily, so it can be tempting to apply astringent and acne treatments until your face feels dry. Don’t. Dry skin is irritated skin. Anytime you irritate your skin, you risk getting more acne.
   
   What to do instead: Use acne treatments as directed. If your skin feels dry, apply a moisturizer made for acne-prone skin.
8. Scrub your skin clean. To get rid of acne, you may be tempted to scrub your skin clean. Don’t. Scrubbing can irritate your skin, causing acne to flare.
   
   What to do instead: Be gentle when washing your face and other skin with acne. Apply the cleanser lightly with your fingertips, using a circular motion. Gently rinse it off with warm water, using only your fingers. Then pat your skin dry with a clean towel. 
9. Rub sweat from your skin during a workout.
   
   What to do instead: When working out, use a clean towel to gently pat sweat from your skin.
10. Pop or squeeze breakouts.  When this happens, you increase inflammation. This can lead to more-noticeable acne and sometimes scarring and pain.
    
    What to do instead: Resist the temptation to pop or squeeze acne. You want to treat your acne with acne medication. If you have deep or painful acne, see a dermatologist is necessary to help clear your acne.

When to see a dermatologist?
Many people can control their acne by following these skin care tips and using acne treatment that they can buy without a prescription. If you continue to 👀 acne after giving these tips a chance to work, a dermatologist can help. Some people need prescription-strength acne treatment.


Source: American Academy of Dermatology

To help patients get the best results from these products, our dermatologists offer these tips.
1.) Start with one product: Using several anti-aging products at the same time can irritate your skin. 
2.) Test the product before applying it to your face or hands: Even hypoallergenic products can cause a skin reaction. 
3.) Stop using a product that stings, burns, or tingles: These sensations mean that the product irritates your skin. Irritated skin looks older. 
4.) Follow directions: Some products contain active ingredients that can cause problems if you apply more than directed. Read the instructions, and use as directed.
5.) Give the product time to work: A moisturizer can plump up fine lines in a few days, but most products take at least 6 weeks to work. Sometimes it can take up to 3 months. Be patient and give the product time to work.
6.) Continue using, if you want to continue 👀 results: People often stop using a product once they 👀 results.
7.) Protect your skin from the ☀️: ☀️ protection helps to reduce signs of premature aging on your skin. It also allows your skin to repair and renew itself and reduces your risk for getting skin cancer.
8.) To protect your skin from the ☀️, dermatologists recommend the following:- Use moisturizer: Moisturizer traps 💧 in your skin. This extra moisture can help reduce the appearance of fine lines and brighten your complexion.
9.) Forget about tanning: Tanning speeds up signs of aging on your skin. Tanning can lead to premature wrinkles, age spots, and other unwanted signs of aging.
10.) Avoid the temptation to improve results with a do-it-yourself cosmetic procedure: If you shop online, you may 👀 lasers and other products that treat signs of aging for sale. These products are often counterfeit or imported illegally. Using these products can be extremely dangerous to your health.
For a specific product recommendation, talk with a dermatologist

💛 it or hate it, Valentine’s Day is one of the biggest date nights of the year. With the holiday of 💛 around the corner, it’s time to start prepping for a romantic night out with your beau. In our opinion, the best thing to pair with your date night LBD is flawless-looking skin from head to toe. That’s why we’re sharing helpful tips on how to get your skin in tip-top shape for Valentine’s Day. Some of these steps should be done in advance (start spot-treating those pesky zits early!) while others are to be completed the night of. Without further ado, here’s how to beautify your skin before Valentine’s Day date night. 
Before Valentine’s Day : 
1. Address Break Outs: 
Break Outs aren’t part of your date night reservation, so let us help you kick them to the curb ahead of time. Since acne break outs can’t disappear overnight, it is best to be proactive to help keep them at bay. Start with cleansing your skin with a medicated cleanser formulated with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide morning and night to help remove pore-clogging dirt, impurities, ⚰️ skin cells, and excess oil.
2. Apply a Face Mask: 
Take advantage of free time you have before the big night to apply your favorite hydrating, brightening, or purifying mask. Choose one based on your  main skin concerns, be it clogged pores or lack of radiance.
3. Pamper Yourself with a Facial: 
Brighten, hydrate, and give your complexion a beautiful glow with a professional facial. Removing these ⚰️ skin cells will not only soften your skin but also improve the look and application of make up. 
On Valentine’s Day: 
1. Cleanse Your Skin
The day has come! After brushing your teeth in the A.M., cleanse your skin as you normally would. 👀 some of our dermatologist recommended cleansers at our skin shop.
2. Hydrate with Moisturizer
Moisturizer comes immediately after cleansing, but you already knew that (right!?). Reach for a formula that can hydrate your skin and provide long-lasting makeup hold. After your 🚿, moisturize the skin on your body with your favorite body butter, cream, or lotion. If you’re wearing a skirt or dress, pay close attention to your legs! Dry, scaly legs will not complement any outfit…trust us. 
3. Hide Imperfections
Some break outs may still be visible come date night despite your best attempts to address them ahead of time. Don’t fret! Conceal them in a pinch with concealer. Whether it’s dark circles, imperfections, or age spots, the right concealer can help temporarily camouflage their appearance.
4. Be Bold with Makeup
Makeup is by no means a date night must, but if you want to wear some, why not go full glamour girl? You can’t go wrong with flirty lashes, winged eyeliner, and a smokey eye. Use our special edition Glowmedica Makeup to get that beautiful and professional looking look. 

There's been a lot of hype lately about the ten step beauty cleanse to prep the skin every day.  While I think that it is nice and luxurious to do so, for me, a  mother of three young children working a full time job, taking the time to do so many steps every morning is not feasible. As a dermatologist, I observe that the more simple and easy a regimen is, the more people stick to it.  However, I do still want beautiful, blemish free skin that looks fresh and radiant.  This is one of the reasons why I developed Glowmedica™,  a skincare line with medical-grade active ingredients that is infused with natural botanical extracts that have lots of protective antioxidants and skin-soothing properties. Glowmedica combines a lot of steps to save time.

My workday morning routine consists of three steps: 

1. Wash with Cleanse & Glow. This foaming cleanser contains 10% Glycolic Acid to exfoliate your skin and give it that nice, fresh "glow." It deep-cleans your pores to improve any blemishes that you may have, and helps to control excess oil. It is also infused with rose hip extract and other botanicals for lots of antioxidant protection.
2. Protect with Morning Glow. This UVA/UVB Broad Spectrum Sunscreen has an SPF 50, and is full of antioxidants such as green tea, resveratrol, vitamin C, gooseberry, and CoEnzyme Q10.  When UV radiation hits your skin, it causes free radical formation that breaks down collagen and contributes to aging and damaged skin. This sunscreen is great because it blocks a lot of the UV damage from the sun, and has antioxidants that mops up any free radicals that form on the skin.  This formula has a moisturizing base, so you don't need a separate morning moisturizer unless you have extremely dry skin. 
3. Prime with Matte Glow.  I have oily skin, so I use this mattifying primer to absorb excess oil. This oil control mattiying primer has powerful ingredients to absorb oil, regulate excessive sebum production, and helps improve blemishes. If you don't have oily/shiny skin, you can skip this step and make your routine even more simple!

​There you have it! The morning skincare routine of a busy dermatologist. Keeping it simple makes my day more efficient. On weekends, or when I have extra time, I do add more steps to jazz up the routine, but that is the subject of another blog.


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