A majority of people are born with clear, blemish-free skin. Then we get older. As we age, our skin can develop many common skin problems, including acne, rough patches, and scars. When your skin texture changes for the worse, your self-esteem can plummet. You may develop deep insecurities that negatively affect the quality of your life. All hope is not lost, however. There exist a range of non-surgical cosmetic techniques that can improve your skin texture as well as your confidence.
Keep reading to learn about the most common forms of skin texture issues. We will discuss why these problems form, common solutions posed by dermatologists, products that can help, and the non-surgical cosmetic treatments that can have you looking better than ever without surgery or downtime.
Don’t want to wait until the end? Get help for your skin texture concerns by calling Moein Surgical Arts in Los Angeles, California, to schedule a confidential consultation with one of the country’s leading cosmetic specialists, Doctor Babak Moein.
The most ideal skin texture is smooth and soft with a healthy glow, which indicates good hydration and the support of firm elastin and collagen. The contrast to this is uneven skin texture, which both appears and feels rough, coarse, and dry. Your skin can also form the following issues, which right now affect millions if not billions of people worldwide.
Bumpy skin is usually caused by a buildup of dead skin cells. The result is an uneven complexion and ruddy appearance. Skin bumps can also be caused by acne scarring and aging. Genetics could be another reason you have so many bumps on your skin.
A smooth complexion has tiny pores that can hardly be seen. When the pores become enlarged, depressions open in the skin. These holes contain one or more openings on the ducts carrying oil and sweat from sebaceous and eccrine glands. People of all ages can form enlarged pores, though they tend to get larger the older you get. Other than age, bigger pores can be caused by increased oil production, hair follicle size, the use of comedogenic products, and sun damage.
Rough skin patches feel dry and scaly. These unattractive patches can appear on the face, knees, feet, elbows, and elsewhere on the body. These patches can be caused by contact dermatitis (a skin reaction to perfumes, latex, or poison ivy), psoriasis, eczema, and dehydration.
Acne comes in a variety of types that include whiteheads, blackheads, tender bumps, pimples, and cystic lesions. These unfortunate red bumps can appear on the face, chest, shoulders, and upper back. Acne can be caused by excess oil, bacteria, clogged hair follicles, and inflammation. This common skin texture issue can also be caused by hormonal changes, certain medications, diet, and stress.
Scarring is typically caused by previous trauma or inflammation. When the skin tries to repair itself, new collagen fibers are produced. This activity binds the skin back together. Instead of healing uniformly, the skin appears as a different texture. Common scar textures include ice pick marks, bumps, and box scars.
Psoriasis is characterized as itchy, inflamed, and painful skin patches. Experts are unsure why psoriasis forms. The theory is that the body’s T cells, which are part of your body’s defense system, mistakenly think that the body is under attack. This causes your body to produce proteins that promote inflammation. This common skin texture issue can worsen at times, which dermatologists refer to as flare-ups. Flare-ups can be caused by stress, dry skin, lifestyle choices like smoking, and sunburn.
Eczema (atopic dermatitis) is a skin texture condition that causes itchiness, dryness, and inflammation. Young children are particularly susceptible to eczema, but the condition can occur at any age. The problem is usually chronic and tends to worsen during flare-ups.
Sun damage occurs from overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) light, which causes DNA changes at the cellular level. Dermatologists also refer to this condition by several names, including solar damage, photodamage, and photoaging. This skin texture condition takes some time to become visible since the damage occurs at the deepest layers of skin – the dermis. Symptoms of sun damage include wrinkling, loss of skin tone, uneven skin texture, redness, and blotchiness.
When asked, most dermatologists will tell you that your skin’s health is influenced by a variety of factors, including stress, pollution, and sun damage. They will also tell you that genetics plays a part, and that age is a major factor, since your body produces less elastin and collagen the more the years tick by. When asked for solutions, a majority will give you the following advice.
The more processed foods you eat, and alcohol you drink, the worse your skin can get. It is far better for your skin to consume foods rich in healthy vitamins and minerals. Your body relies on vitamins A, C, and zinc specifically to repair your skin’s texture and health. Instead of reaching for fast food and a White Claw, choose fruit, vegetables, dairy, poultry products, legumes, and meat instead. If you need a sweet treat, dark chocolate is also good for improving many skin texture issues.
Your body repairs itself while you sleep. The less you sleep, the worse your skin can appear. Make sure you are getting seven to eight hours of sleep per night to avoid skin texture issues, that sunken-in look, and undereye bags.
Working out consistently induces more blood volume to be pumped to the blood vessels of your skin. The enhanced circulation leads to more micronutrients and healing properties of the skin. The fitter you are, the less inflammation you will have, and the better your skin will look.
Regularly exfoliating your skin wipes away dead skin cells that can accumulate on your skin. Removing this dead skin can make your skin look clearer. If you have enlarged pores, cleansing and mild exfoliation can shrink your pores and improve your skin texture.
Drinking plenty of water removes toxins from your skin and makes your skin cells plumper. The more water you drink, the more efficiently your skin cells work. When combined with a healthy diet, properly hydrating yourself can improve your skin texture from the inside out.
Chronic sun damage destroys the collagen and elastin that makes up the skin’s connective tissues. Consider wearing sunscreen or covering your skin with a hat or umbrella to preserve the youthfulness of your skin.
Some products can provide minimal help for skin texture problems. These include sunscreen, retinoids, vitamin C, and hydroxy acid cleansers. These products will need to be used consistently for maximum effect, but there is no guarantee they will work. The best defense against skin texture issues is to see a specialist who can help with advanced cosmetic techniques. We are not talking about surgery. Instead, these techniques use chemical solutions and specialized equipment to rejuvenate the skin, reducing the effects of the sun, pollution, age, and more.
When skin texture problems have you feeling down, your local cosmetic specialist has a range of procedures that can immensely enhance your life. These techniques do not involve surgeries. Cosmetic surgeries like facelift, eyelid surgery, and brow lift can help with aging, but they do little good for the most common skin texture problems. If you want your skin texture to improve, med-spa techniques like the following are just what the doctor ordered.
Read our article: Morpheus 8 – The Non-Surgical Alternative to the Facelift
IPL also goes by the name photofacial. The medical spa technique improves the color and texture of your skin without incisions or surgery of any type. Intense pulse light therapy uses flashes of pulsating light that can treat a range of skin conditions including sun exposure, fine wrinkles, redness, scars, broken blood vessels, and more. Each session takes around 20 minutes and costs between $700 and $1200.
Advancements in laser technology make it possible to improve skin texture using ablative laser skin resurfacing. The technique works by delivering an intense wavelength of light to the treatment area. The ablative laser removes the outer layers of damaged skin. This, in turn, stimulates the underlying skin which results in new collagen formation. Laser treatments can improve sun-damaged skin, uneven skin tone, acne scars, and wrinkles. Ablative laser treatments cost $2,500 on average.
This skin improvement technique involves coating the skin with a special chemical solution. Once applied, ingredients in the solution remove the top layers of the skin. The skin that grows back is healthier and smoother in appearance and touch. There are three types of chemical peel. A light peel is used to treat fine wrinkles, uneven skin tone, dryness, and acne. A medium peel is used to treat deeper wrinkles, uneven skin tone, and acne scars. A deep chemical peel removes scars, precancerous growths, and even deeper wrinkles. The average cost of a chemical peel is $519.
Dermabrasion uses a numbing cream followed by a fast-spinning device that removes the outer layer of skin. The layer that grows back is then healthier and smoother. Dermabrasion can remove many skin defects including scars, age spots, wrinkles, and acne scars. The average cost of dermabrasion is $1,786.
Microneedling is a non-surgical skin treatment that involves pricking the treatment area with tiny needles. The wounds caused by the sterilized pin pricks cause your body to make more elastin and collagen. The results make your skin look younger and healthier. Microneedling can help with acne, dark patches, large pores, scars, stretch marks, fine lines, and wrinkles. The average cost of microneedling is between $600 and $4,200, depending on the size of the treatment area and the severity of the skin issues treated.
You don’t need cosmetic surgery to enjoy healthier-looking skin. In fact, many cosmetic surgeries are useful for reversing age, but not so much for improving skin texture. When you want smoother, healthier, and younger-looking skin, non-surgical cosmetic treatments can help.
Non-surgical cosmetic techniques offer natural-looking results. These methods are also cost-effective, have fewer risks than surgical treatments, and require minimal downtime. With the right treatment, you could reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. You can add volume and firmness to your skin. Best of all, you can improve your skin’s texture and smoothness without general anesthesia or major incisions.
If you suffer from common skin texture issues, you can find help for those problems at Moein Surgical Arts in Los Angeles, California. Doctor Babak Moein has vast experience treating skin texture and age problems for patients of all adult ages.
Learn more by scheduling a discreet consultation with Doctor Moein by calling our downtown Los Angeles office at (310)694-4486.