Written By: Kelsie Matthews, L.E.
Skincare, why start young? I will tell you why. One of the most common things I hear from people who come into our office and see me is, “You are so young, I wish I would’ve started that early!” Which, yes, I am definitely younger than the main demographic of people who are in this industry and get aesthetic treatments done. But why is that a good thing? There is a big difference between prevention, and correction.
As a 24 year old girl who lives in Texas, I would be lying if I didn’t love being in the sun. Growing up, the only times I wore sunscreen were when I was at a baseball tournament all day, or at the beach. Wearing sunscreen on a daily basis to protect yourself was almost unheard of in my younger years. Once I was introduced to the skincare world, that changed immediately. I used to think that skincare was only important once you start getting wrinkles and your face starts sagging, but that is very much not the case. Here are a few things I think are important for your skin to start as young as you can:
- Medical Grade Skincare- Using good quality products on your skin that don’t have a bunch of junk in them is important so you keep your skin as healthy as possible. When you’re young, you don’t have to have a 10 step morning and night routine, but consistency is key. Starting when you’re a kid, cleansing your skin and at least wearing an SPF is the best favor you can do for yourself in the long run. As you get older and your skin starts to change, that’s when you can start adding skincare into your routine that targets your concerns.
- Sunscreen- Oftentimes, when you’re in your teens and 20’s, you tend to stay out in the sun longer and get burnt more often. Although vitamin D is great, skin cancer is not. If you start wearing sunscreen daily when you’re young, it can typically prevent future skin problems like potentially cancerous spots and also slow down the aging process.
- “Baby Botox”- Baby Botox is when you get low doses of Botox at a young age before the visible signs of aging start to appear. Doing this will help prevent deeper fine lines and wrinkles longer, because you’re not able to use those muscles that create those lines as much as you would naturally.
- Vitamin A- Vitamin A skincare products, also known as “retinols” or “retinoids” help keep your skin turning over as quickly as it naturally does when you’re really young, as you get older. This is important because normally our skin stops regenerating itself as quick over time, so this can help keep your skin looking young and vibrant.
- Stop sleeping in your makeup- It’s such a minuscule thing, but taking off your makeup at the end of the day and washing your face is a lot more important than most people think. I know first hand how easy it is to just fall asleep after a long day or a fun night out, but removing the makeup as well as the dirt and oil trapped in your pores can make the world of a difference for your skin long term.
Once I started doing these 5 things every single day, I saw a huge difference in my skin. I used to be the girl to lay out at the pool for hours on end trying to get a nice golden tan, and I was notorious for sleeping in my makeup so it would make getting ready in the morning faster…until I realized what kind of long term damage I was doing to myself. These small things add up fast, and getting into a good consistent routine when you’re young, allows you to age gracefully and save some money and damage later down the road. Your future self will thank you, start early!
Interested in more information about preventing skin damage and wrinkles? https://lalongevity.com/sun-damage-prevention-and-correction/
Want to know how red light can help your skin? https://drnatalieledbetter.com/f/the-benefits-of-red-light-therapy