Does your skin really need to breathe?

We hear this every day in the office. A woman will come and in while reviewing her skin history, she will talk about breaks that she takes from products, make up or both to allow her skin to breathe.

So, do we really need to give our skin a chance to breathe?

For some people, the benefits of being able to go without make up are great. They feel that their skin stays clearer the less product that they have to apply.The biggest breakout culprits are oil, fragrances, allergens and preservatives. However, if make up is properly removed each evening, there should not be an issue with clogged pores and breakout. There is no need to allow the skin to breathe.

The top layer of skin is dead and does not require respiration. When people refer to allowing the skin to breathe, they are usually talking about not occluding the skin with heavy creams or lotions. The lower layers of skin are really the layers that we need to concentrate on feeding and nourishing with effective vitamins C and vitamin A

Do you take a break from products to allow your skin to breathe?

-Diane

What about me?

Recently, our Skin Care Kaptain was asked what a person in their 60's should do for more mature skin and the best place to start.

This was Dr Fanny's reponse:

"When we reach our 60's, it becomes more difficult to "cream" away wrinkles but it's never too late to get serious about avoiding and correcting sun damage.  It's important that you discuss your goals face to face with a physician who is experienced in both surgical and non-surgical procedures.  I would recommend you seek out board certified plastic surgeons and/or board certified dermatologists in your area.  Make a few calls first to get a feel for the office and to determine whether the physician's practice is predominantly cosmetic or general.  Pick the cosmetic practice(s) of your choice and set up an appointment for an evaluation.  You should be able to discuss multiple options with the doctor during your visit.  And there is definitely more than one way to skin the cat, so don't be taken in by the "best and newest machine/procedure", you should be given a range of possible solutions with a range of costs.  This should give you a basic idea of where you may want to start"

-Dr Fanny Louton, MD