Unlocking the Surprising Gateway to Youth: The First Step in Anti-Aging That Will Defy Your Expectations!

We want to look younger, better, and healthier forever!

Welcome to the weekly newsletter "SkinCare 3.0-From Zero To Hero," where you will find tips and tools backed by science to make an excellent first impression and to have personal and professional success! Please subscribe to my newsletter to have weekly the latest news!

One of the most exciting and true affirmations about skin is attributed to the zoologist Desmond Morris: "Flawless skin is the most universally desired human feature." This declaration—from 1967—is about humanity's need to "advertise" health, well-being, and even fertility with beautiful skin.

As a Senior Dermatologist with almost thirty years of experience, the most frequent question that I receive is, ?When do we start to age?? And here, the correct answer is when we are born! So, I have two news for you! The bad news is that we become older each day, and the good news is that we are the younger of our lives!

The face is the primary source of information in social perception, and there are few more pleasurable sights than a beautiful face; attractive faces activate reward centers in the brain, motivate sexual behavior, and elicit positive personality attributions (the "what is beautiful is good" stereotype)!

We must not forget that in our social media explosion days, for social media, it is vital to have a face ?that is camera ready.?

The face is critical in social perception, affecting people's judgments of everything from trustworthiness and aggressiveness to competence and likeability in as little as 100 ms. So, for your first impression, you only have 100 milliseconds!

About first impression, backed by science, we have three essential things (the old rule of three):

-????? First impressions are made very fast,

-????? Face is involved in the generation of the first impression,

-????? First impressions play a significant role in social situations.

But before we go deep into this article, I want to highlight the main factors with a negative impact on our skin—my own formula, ?The Seven S of Skin?—sun, smoking, sugar, skin care, stress, sleep, and second!

Also, we cannot talk about anti-aging programs without talking about collagen and the functions of this crucial protein for us!

In this article, we will discuss the aging process of the skin and the skincare process, what cleansing is and what importance correct cleansing has for our health and beauty, how to choose and use the right cleanser for you, what are the main mistakes associated with the cleansing process, and how to incorporate cleansing into your routines!

Understanding the Science Behind Aging

Skin plays a protective role due to its barrier function and microbiota; it is our first defense line! For this reason, the essence of skin care must be protecting our barrier function!

Skin aging is a natural, complex, and continuous biological process characterized by cellular and molecular changes. It leads to cumulative structural and physiologic alterations, progressive changes in each skin layer, and changes in skin appearance, especially in light-exposed skin areas.

We have two different processes, intrinsic (natural) and extrinsic (chronic exposure to environmental factors like sun and ultraviolet exposure, pollution, diet, smoking, and stress). Extrinsic aging is responsible for 80% of the visible signs of skin aging and depends directly on skincare habits!

You'd be amazed to know that on any given day, a quarter of all women use 15 or more products on their skin. It's a testament to their dedication to self-care and the power of feeling good in one's own skin.

I want to give you some stunning things about collagen. The first is that starting at age 21, collagen in the skin decreases linearly by 1 % per year. The second is that the appearance of glycated collagen is first observed at the age of 20!

I believe that the wheel, fire, and cleaning are the most important inventions in the history of humanity, with the most significant impact. Their contributions have changed the course of human progress and enabled us to achieve great things.

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I want to highlight the significance of proper cleansing as the foundational step in any anti-aging regimen—even if it seems a bit counterintuitive; we have to remove the harmful factors and allow the positive factors to penetrate deep into our skin!

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Cosmetic products have some essential functions: protect the skin and have effects on beauty and attractiveness! According to the FDA, cosmetics represent “articles intended to be applied to the human body or any part thereof for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness, or altering the appearance.”

The Vital Role of Cleansing

The skin care formulation can improve the external aspects of the skin while protecting its health, texture, and integrity, providing moisture, nutrition, and photoprotection.

Protection, prevention, cleansing, and moisturizing are the critical components of an effective skincare routine. Daily use of sunscreens is significant because most sun damage results from everyday, incidental ultraviolet exposure.

Cleansing is an essential daily practice crucial for skin health and preventing skin diseases.

Maintaining clean and healthy skin is a critical daily activity that should not be taken lightly. Regular cleansing plays a crucial role in preventing skin diseases and promoting overall skin health. Don't neglect the importance of cleansing - prioritize it in your daily routine.

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Cleansing is a critical factor for improved personal hygiene, reduced cutaneous infection,? less spread of contagious disease, and

beautification of the skin.

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Please remember that cleansing is associated with a delicate balance between skin hygiene and stratum corneum barrier damage. Cleansing is a complex physical and chemical interaction between water, detergent, and the skin.

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But how many times must we clean our skin? Here, we have a firm, science–backed answer: the cleansing regimen should be reduced to twice a day because of the known effects of repeated water exposure to the skin.

I want to remind you that using too much water on your skin can actually cause some problems like dryness, irritation, and changes in pH levels. This is because it can disturb the Stratum corneum, which is the outermost layer of your skin and acts as a protective barrier. So, it's always a good idea to be mindful of how much water you're using and try to balance it with moisturizing products.

Another frequent issue that I find daily in my office is that people using harsh cleansers, such as true soap and cleansers with high alkaline pH, will have multiple? adverse effects:

????? negative effects on the skin by increasing skin pH,

????? impairing the stratum corneum (SC) permeability barrier function,

????? altering skin bacterial flora (the microbiota),

????? desiccating the SC,

????? increasing erythema (skin becomes red),

????? inducing symptoms of subjective irritation (pain, itch, discomfort, etc.).

In general, the best routine is a combination of cleansing in the morning and cleansing at night!

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My practical advice to my patients is to apply the following principles to skincare:

????? personalized and individualized,

?????? holistic and integrative,

?????? complex and complete,

?????? modulated and adapted,

?????? sequentially and continuously.

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When selecting a skincare regimen, it's important to consider our individual needs and any health concerns, such as acne, rosacea, enlarged pores, or melasma. We should not base our choices solely on trends or external influences.

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We don't have the perfect cleanser for everyone! We have the best cleanser for the season and age, for specific skin diseases (acne, rosacea), and for specific goals!

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But we have universal rules about cleansing:

-????? Don't do to your skin what you do not want to do to your eyes,

-????? Don't be aggressive with your cleansing (too strong products or too strong maneuvers),

-????? If your skin reacts to your cleanser (red skin, irritation, itch, pain etc.), it is the best red flag to choose another product,

-????? Cleansing is not an isolated routine – it must be integrated with skin moisturizing and sun protection.

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In conclusion, I want to emphasize the importance of cleansing as the foundational step in any anti-aging program and the fact that proper cleansing has many benefits for maintaining youthful, radiant skin.