Life has its strong impact on our skin. This is a known fact ever since humans started to migrate between different geographic areas with climatic differences affecting lifestyle and social behaviors.. Despite the fact that our skin does actually adapt to harsh conditions, this adaptation does not completely come without a price.
Patients often experience that their skin is alive. It breathes. In cold weathers, it becomes dry and in warm weather, glands are more prone to sweating. In high altitudes, skin becomes more sensitive and dry while in coastal areas, it becomes more reactive and oily. Of course, there are many patterns through which our skin adapts to lifestyle changes and this has a lot to do with our genetic map, skin type, age, etc.
The most common changes in the skin are probably those that comes with age. Left untreated, the outer layers of the skin slowly become thicker, the deeper layers atrophic and with less blood supply and a weaker barrier – especially in smokers and UV exposure – and the pores more dilated while struggling to resist against a thicker layer of dead cells. In sensitive skin types, those changes result in acne breakouts, chronic inflammation, bacterial proliferation and black heads. In normal to dry skin types, they result in a dull skin, uneven skin tone, dilated pores, increased cellular oxidation and premature aging.
While changes in the skin are normal as the changes in our daily lives, having a thorough skin cleansing ritual is important. I do recommend a cleansing routine twice a day with an adapted make-up remover, cleanser and toner. In some cases, I do prescribe more than one cleanser depending on the situation. A weekly facial scrubbing session might come in handy especially in acne prone skin types.. this and changing bed sheets every 2 to 3 days and keeping a face towel clean and ready will save your skin from unwanted infections and infestations.
For the patients who wish to push the limits of their skin hygiene, our exclusive “Purity +” facial, done every 3 to 5 weeks at our Aesthetic Medicine department in Best Shape Clinic, will keep your pores clean and almost invisible. With steps smartly designed to enhance the appearance of the skin while remaining the safest in the market, this particular facial is, in my honest opinion, simply the best hygiene routine for everyone. To cut it short, it cleans the pores deeply then shrinks them, adds glow to the skin, prevents premature aging and chronic inflammation and controls oil production, all for the cost of a lunch meal!
By Dr. Hamid Douaihy