Your skin’s health, and its vibrancy, is under your control!
We’ve enlisted the help of our very best to help you look and feel better, and more vibrant in the skin you’re in.
1. Food – What are the best foods for healthy skin?
“We have heard that you are what you eat and that can certainly be true when we need to eat to keep our largest organ functioning properly and healthy. Eating the right foods that help your skin regenerate itself and revitalize the vital nutrients can leave you looking more youthful and feeling more renewed.
Studies have shown that eating an anti-inflammatory diet is beneficial not only for anti-aging purposes, but also for many skin conditions that we treat at Apex dermatology everyday including eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis and acne.
Some of the foods that contain the highest levels of anti-inflammatory benefits that we should be including into our daily diet are avocados, walnuts, salmon, green tea, turmeric, berries and chia seeds.
How much water should I drink each day?
Staying properly hydrated is an absolute must for healthy skin as well. I recommend drinking half of your body weight in ounces a day. For example, if you weigh 145 pounds you should drink 72.5 ounces a day.”
2. Lifestyle – Can a healthy lifestyle give you glowing skin?
Dianne Goodbar, Hudson
“Moving toward healthy behaviors can definitely have a positive influence on your body, mind and skin. You can make a difference from the inside out by eating whole foods packed with antioxidants, getting 7-8hours of sleep, drinking plenty of water and exercising regularly. Your skin will have a healthier and more glowing appearance when your body is functioning optimally. I always recommend topical antioxidants in skincare regimens but it’s important to feed your body the same types of free radical fighting foods.”
3. Botox/Neurotoxins – Is Botox the best way to instantly reduce wrinkles?
Felicity Allen, Solon
“I do think Botox or another neurotoxin is the most effective way to reduce fine lines and wrinkles. Each wrinkle is kind of like a tiny scar from muscles being overworked and overused in the same way over and over again! The only way to stop that process is to relax the muscles. In other words, it’s basically a muscle relaxer for your wrinkles. It’s a great way to instantly slow down the aging process.”
4. Fillers – Do fillers create a “mini facelift”?
Dana Baker, Medina
“I absolutely love Voluma or Lyft to the cheeks to mimic a mini facelift. By adding volume or returning volume to the cheeks the skin on our face that, unfortunately, over time loses its plumpness and elasticity gets lifted ever so slightly. In doing this you will, not only, notice a more supple cheek, but also the nasolabial folds will soften as the skin is lifted. Some will see enough result from just adding the filler to the cheeks, but others may want a little more softening of the nasolabial folds. By adding to the cheeks the amount needed to reduce these folds reduces significantly. No one ever wants the area around the mouth to feel “heavy”, so it is always best to work from the top down whenever possible with filler.”
Why are lip fillers becoming so popular?
Dianne Goodbar, Hudson
“Lip filler is on the rise due to the advanced techniques used for creating the perfect pout. The fear of looking ducky is non-existent when your injector is able to strategically place filler that compliments, not changes, your lip shape.”
5. Chemical Peels – Which chemical peels do you recommend most?
Chelsey Urankar, Mayfield Heights
“My most commonly used chemical peel is the Vitalize by SkinMedica. It is a medical grade peel that can be used on all skin types to rejuvenate the skin. This peel uses a proprietary blend of ingredients to help improve hyperpigmentation, skin tone & texture, anti-aging, and superficial scarring with little downtime. Another peel I use frequently is a salicylic acid peel to help patients prevent and reduce the appearance of oily, acne prone skin. Another very popular peel is the ZO Skin Health Stimulator Peel. This is a deep exfoliation peel that is used for all skin types, even the most sensitive. It’s a great “lunchtime” peel with no downtime.”
6. Lasers – Are laser results worth the downtime?
Dianne Goodbar, Hudson
“CO2 laser at higher intensity may require up to 2 weeks of recovery downtime for optimal healing which may be worth the long-lasting results. When it comes to resurfacing, it is the gold standard for treating acne scarring, wrinkles, deep pigment and photodamaged skin. Once the skin is healed you can expect smoother, tighter, softer and more radiant skin.”
Felicity Allen, Solon
“Fraxel is non-ablative, which means it’s not cutting into the skin, so it really doesn’t have much downtime. It creates “micro-injuries” which kickstart collagen production that our bodies wouldn’t normally be producing on their own. Thanks to this increase in collagen, we can rewind the clock a few years to return to the youthful skin of our past!”
7. Microneedling – What is microneedling?
Chelsey Urankar, Mayfield Heights
Microneedling is a device that uses tiny needles that controllably puncture the skin to naturally heal and promote new collagen and elastin. We use a topical numbing cream so the treatment is not painful. Microneedling helps improve most textural concerns such as acne scarring, scars, pore size, fine lines & wrinkles, stretch marks, and hyperpigmentation. Here at Apex, we also infuse a Growth Factor Serum during the treatment for maximum anti aging benefits and encouraging cellular renewal. Typically multiple treatments are recommended (4-6) depending on the concern and outcome we are trying to achieve.
What is the difference when you use microneedling with PRP?
PRP with microneedling is used for the same concerns, only with your own blood rather than a serum. A syringe of blood will be drawn from your arm and the blood will be spun separating the platelet-rich plasma from the other components.
8. Skin Care Regimen – Does it really matter what skincare line I use?
Dana Baker, Medina
“Absolutely! With that being said, not everyone will benefit from the same skin care line. I will never tell a patient to change skin care lines if they are sitting in my room expressing how much they love their skin care line. However, I am happy to help them add in a product or two to really take their regimen to the next level. The difference between over the counter and medical grade products is really about the potency and quality of the ingredients. I am a firm believer in a simple effective routine, so why not use the best of the best to accomplish this? Medical grade products reduce the overall time needed to achieve desired results.”
9. Makeup – Any tips on applying makeup to look more youthful?
Betsy Goodrum, Concord
‘It’s a cruel irony that the older we get, we may feel the need for more makeup, but applying less makeup actually gives a more youthful look.
The following are suggestions for a full-face of makeup if that’s what you like to wear, although any of the steps give a beautiful look on their own. Starting with moisturizer is key to a soft, dewy look, then sunscreen because 80-90% of aging is sun-related, then always a primer to smooth the surface and blur imperfections. The prep is worth it! Apply foundation then smooth and pat off excess with a sponge to avoid a cakey, overdone look. It’s best to apply concealer after foundation because less will be needed. A lightweight, liquid concealer instead of a cream-based concealer is less likely to settle into lines. Skip powder, or use light diffusing powder, think luminous, not matte. Curl your lashes and focus more on the top lid for applying mascara, eyeliner and eyeshadow. Gravity is already bringing our eyes down, so no need to emphasize the lower eye area. Switching to a brown or gray eyeliner instead of black gives a softer look and feel free to skip eyeshadow completely for a more awake eye appearance. Apply a medium toned, creamy lip color, not too light or glossy and not too dark or matte. Wait until you’ve applied your eye and lip makeup before applying blush, bronzer and/or highlighter because you’ll have more color on your face and therefore you’ll need less blush. A quick rosy blush on the apples of your cheeks will suffice, but feel free to apply a bronzer where the sun would hit your face, temples, cheekbones, jawline. If you’d like to add a bit more glow, lightly apply highlighter below your brows, above your cheekbones and along the cupids bow of your upper lip. Creamy or liquid formulas are your friend!”
10. CoolSculpting – Does CoolSculpting really work?
“The answer is YES! But this non-invasive, non-surgical permanent fat reduction treatment is not for everyone. CoolSculpting is most effective when treating the right candidate. The ideal patient who will obtain the greatest results are recommended to be within a normal weight for their height, healthy and active. CoolSculpting is a very customized and personalized procedure. A complimentary assessment is required to develop a treatment plan that would be the most successful for the patient.”
Want to get in on some of this fun to help you look and feel more vibrant? Book an appointment with one of these talented skincare specialists today!
