There is a Solution for Most Every Skin Problem
You Just Need to Find It.
Ella’s Story
I am an extremely active person. I spend a lot of time outdoors, gardening, playing tennis and, I must admit, basking in the sun. I always liked the way I looked with a tan and achieved a beautiful tan easily. In my younger days my skin was great, so I never thought much about the long-term effect of my lifestyle. But when I was mistaken for a senior citizen, I knew it was time for action. I experimented with a variety of over-the-counter products, but nothing seemed to help. Finally, I consulted with a leading cosmetic dermatologist to help revitalize my appearance.
Ella’s Skin Problems
- Dry, mature and sun damaged skin
- Thin, flaking skin
- Dark spots on face, chest, arms or hands
- Wrinkles around eyes, mouth and forehead
Here is the skin care treatment plan that helped Ella reverse her sun damage, improve her skin texture and even her skin tone to restore some of her youthful glow.
Problem #1 Skin discoloration on her face, neck and chest
Treatment plan for this problem
Ella’s dermatologist prescribed nightly application of Retin-A and prescription strength hydroquinone. The Retin-A acted to exfoliate her skin and stimulate new collagen. (Retin-A helps treat wrinkles by increasing cell renewal and preventing the breakdown in collagen – key contributors to skin aging.) The hydroquinone worked to lighten her dark pigmentation spots. To help Ella tolerate the dryness and flaking that resulted from the combination of these products, her dermatologist also recommended that she apply anti-oxidants and a hydrating moisturizer with good water binding ingredients, including both ceramides and hyaluronic acid following morning and evening cleansings.
Problem #2
Fine lines and wrinkles
Treatment plan for this problem
Ella’s dermatologist explained that the single most important step in treating fine lines and wrinkles is the consistent use of sunscreen, but that the combination of Retin-A and prescription strength hydroquinone will make the skin more sensitive to sun. He stressed the critical importance of wearing sunscreen every day, recommending a micronized zinc oxide sunscreen SPF-30 to provide a high level of broad-spectrum protection from the sun. He added a product rich in peptides to Ella’s daily regime, to stimulate collagen and elastin production.
Problem #3
Dry skin
Treatment plan for this problem
In addition to the antioxidant moisturizer rich in water binding agents (i.e. ceramides, and hyaluroic acid) already included as part of Ella’s daytime protocol, her dermatologist recommended the use of some hydrating ingredients such as Borage seed oil, lactic acid or Linoleic acid.
The combination of products prescribed above also helped prepare Ella’s skin for the IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) treatments that followed. Six IPL treatments helped to greatly diminish her deep pigmentation problems, along with her fine lines and wrinkles. She is considering undergoing an alternating series of in-office microdermabrasion treatments and glycolic acid peels, also suggested by her dermatologist.
Now also available in all e-reader formats with full color pictures.
In chapter four of Tick Tock, Stop the Clock ~ Getting Pretty on Your Lunch Hour, Madeleine Arena presents a number of different, typical real life skin problems and how to best resolve them.
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