Simple Skincare, Beautiful Skin: A Back-to-Basics Approach

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PREFACE

There is little doubt that skincare has become downright confusing. Just look in your medicine cabinet and you’ll see what I mean. If you’re like most people, you’ll find a dizzying array of cleansers, toners, moisturizers, serums, exfoliants, eye creams, scrubs, masks, wrinkle creams, brightening gels, pore minimizers, fade creams, and more. Look a bit closer and you’ll find product labeling that touts new ingredients sure to erase your skin concerns. But are you satisfied? I assume you wouldn’t be reading this book if you were.

Given that the needs of our skin are relatively simple, it’s hard to believe that skincare ever got so complicated. But considering the dollars the industry spends on marketing, it’s no wonder. Advertising campaigns have created an overwhelmed consumer who spends far more money than they should in an attempt to improve their skin.

So why this book? First, let me tell you what it is not. It won’t give you a magic solution for taking years off your face. I firmly believe the last thing people need is yet another new beauty regimen that delivers disappointing results. Rather, this book is about undoing everything you’ve learned about skincare and paring down your knowledge to the vital facts, while giving you scientific and sound solutions to ensuring optimal skin health. Essentially, it’s about going back to basics—a concept that is easily lost in this industry. While some of the information included here you’ve undoubtedly heard before, there’s much that I’m certain will be new. Regardless, this book is intended as a compendium of the proven steps that, if followed faithfully, will most assuredly result in improved skin health and, thus, aesthetics.

Since becoming a plastic and cosmetic surgeon nearly twenty years ago, I’ve learned that healthy skin does more than simply enhance the natural beauty of an individual; it also improves their confidence and overall happiness. With this book as a guide, I’m determined to help you do both.

Ahmed Abdullah, MD, FACS, FICS

RECONSIDER WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT SKINCARE; IT MAY BE ALL WRONG

For centuries, humans have been searching for the exact formulation of ingredients that will erase the signs of aging from their faces. Today, that pursuit has hit record proportions, with Americans spending nearly $1.6 billion on anti-aging skincare products alone.¹ Yet, ask these individuals if they’re happy with the results they’re getting from these products and you’re certain to get a lukewarm response. In fact, of those who use anti-aging products, only 3 percent claim to have used them because they found them effective.²

This statistic comes as no surprise to me. Throughout my nearly twenty years in practice as a plastic and cosmetic surgeon, countless patients—both women and men—have told me stories of spending hundreds and even thousands of dollars on products that promised to deliver a youthful appearance but did little more than smell good. Despite this, the number one question I’m asked remains, What product do you recommend I use to remove wrinkles? As consumers, we continue to hold out hope that the fountain of youth really can be found in a jar.

Motivated by a consumer willingness to spend dollar after dollar on skincare that promises to turn back the hands of time, cosmetic companies have sent their product development teams into overdrive. The result: Thousands of products are launched each year featuring revolutionary new ingredients or miracle formulations and accompanied by marketing campaigns that feature scientific claims and flawless models. Who can blame people for being convinced?

When my patients tell me about the disappointing products they’ve used, they inevitably defend their purchase by referring to the science that backed the products’ claims. You know what they’re talking about: clinically proven to reduce wrinkles in seven days, or after four weeks, 90 percent reported that fine lines had faded away. While many companies do cite justifiable, independent research to back product ingredients, of concern are the organizations that tout biased findings. We need to be certain that the claims are founded on good science and are, thus, valid.

COMMON MYTHS

While commonly accepted myths are prevalent in many consumer industries, they run particularly rampant in the skincare category. Given the emotion that accompanies the desire to improve one’s appearance, marketers have been able to convince consumers of many factors that, at face value, don’t make much sense. It’s as though the trendy product design and incredible before and after photos erode one’s better judgment.

Some of my favorite skincare myths are outlined below. You’ll also find the facts that debunk them.

PRODUCTS CONTAINING COLLAGEN AND/OR ELASTIN CAN REJUVENATE SKIN CELLS

Countless advertisements in recent years exclaim a product’s use of collagen and/or elastin. These are major structural proteins in our skin that are often advertised to have magical qualities when applied topically. However, the reality is that, when added to a product, collagen or elastin has absolutely no benefit to the skin whatsoever. At most, they may make the product consistency feel more silky and smooth.

Here’s why:

Collagen and elastin are proteins found in our skin and in that of all animals. These proteins comprise the structure of the dermal layer of the skin. However, collagen and elastin cannot be absorbed into the skin because their moleculer size is too large, a step that would be essential if they were to do any good whatsoever. What’s more, if you take them out of a human or animal source, the proteins are dead. Therefore, even if the skin could absorb them, they’re completely inactive and would not provide any benefit. The only collagen or elastin our bodies can use is that created by our own cells and tissues. That from another human or animal source is completely useless.

Say for a moment, however, that collagen and elastin did have some beneficial properties when applied topically to the skin. It would then be important to note the type of collagen or elastin that is used. Most collagen and elastin found on ingredient lists is referred to as soluble collagen or hydrolyzed elastin. This means the manufacturer has actually cut the molecule into tiny pieces. Therefore, even if they were beneficial, you aren’t getting true collagen or elastin in these products—only pieces of these proteins.

The only benefit of using collagen and elastin in skincare products is the improvement it brings to the consistency of the product. In other words, they make the product feel nice on the skin.

PRODUCTS CONTAINING OXYGEN ENSURE YOUTHFUL-LOOKING SKIN

Given that oxygen is essential to life, its usage on our skin must be beneficial, right? Wrong.

Simply put, we need approximately 23% oxygen in the air we breathe to live. Anything more than that may be converted into O3, otherwise known as oxidants or free radicals. This fact alone demonstrates that oxygen in skincare products isn’t beneficial. However, let’s go a step further and look at a few additional realities. First, humans cannot absorb oxygen through the skin; it is only absorbed through the lungs. From an evolutionary standpoint, if our skin could absorb oxygen, our lungs wouldn’t have developed. Second—and here’s the real catch—oxygen cannot even be put into a skincare product because it’s a gas. It simply won’t mix with the product’s other added ingredients. Even if it could be contained in a product formulation, it would release into the atmosphere rather than penetrate the skin when applied, due to its gaseous state. Therefore, any marketing that claims a product contains pure oxygen is little more than false advertising.

FACIAL SKIN REQUIRES MULTIPLE MOISTURIZERS

It is a common misconception that skin needs numerous, separate moisturizers for different areas of the face. The skin does need a good moisturizer, the type of which is dependent upon skin type. For instance, oily skin requires a moisturizer with less oil-based humectants, while very dry skin needs a moisturizer with heavier humectants. However, there is no absolute need to buy separate moisturizers for different parts of your face.

SEPARATE EYE CREAM IS ESSENTIAL

The skin around the eyes is thinner and has fewer oil glands. Therefore, it does require extra care. However, use of a hydrating moisturizer works just fine if carefully applied around the eyes. Skin is skin, so what works on the rest of your face works in this area, as well.

If trying, specifically, to improve the appearance of fine lines, puffiness, and dark circles, then a separate eye product such as a serum or gel-formulated product with extra emollients may be considered.

THE CONCEPT OF GENTLE EXFOLIATION,

There is no such thing as gentle exfoliation. By its nature, exfoliation requires force or strong acid to remove dead and damaged skin cells. Only by being aggressive with exfoliation will it give the desired effect of collagen stimulation and dermal rejuvenation. Although rubbing the skin with granules or microspheres may give a temporary polished feel to the skin, it will not provide the necessary force to slough dead skin cells and boost collagen production.

PRODUCTS THAT ARE DERMATOLOGIST RECOMMENDED OR DERMATOLOGIST TESTED ARE PROVEN TO WORK

Phrases like dermatologist recommended or dermatologist tested simply mean that as few as one dermatologist has tried the product or used it on a patient with no negative results. It is in no way valid proof of a product’s performance.

MEN AND WOMEN REQUIRE DIFFERENT SKINCARE PRODUCTS

In recent years, there has been an