Good skincare is at the forefront of aesthetic medicine and with so many options it can be difficult to find the regimen that best suits your skin type and lifestyle. Many board certified plastic surgeons are taking skincare to a whole new level by encouraging extensive, detailed consultations so patients can receive optimal results.
By Louis P. Bucky, MD
and Beverly Brooks
The Plastic Surgery Channel
Why it’s Important to Have Your Skin Evaluated by a Doctor
Consultations for surgical procedures should be standard operating procedure, and now consultations for skincare are becoming mainstream. The advantage? Board certified plastic surgeons and their staff can offer a wide range of solutions from moisturizer or microdermabrasion — to more invasive procedures.
“Skincare consultations should be treated like a surgical consultation, we’ve had too much trial and error in the past,” says Louis P. Bucky, MD. “Today we have technology that can determine a program to individualize a series of products to address specific problems, from sun damage to wrinkles or pore size.”
What Happens During Consultation
When patients visit Dr. Bucky’s office in Philadelphia for a consultation regarding skin concerns, various treatments are discussed to address their unique situations. It’s priority to review each patient’s options for beginning or improving his or her daily skin care regimen. A full line of cosmetic skin care products complement in-office treatments, which can make facial procedures such as microdermabrasion and chemical peels more lasting.
“By implementing a preventative approach to skin care, we hope to address many common skin concerns before they affect your skin,” says Dr. Bucky.
Antioxidants, emollients, and sunscreens actively work to prevent future damage while retinols stimulate cell turnover and slow the signs of aging. By remaining proactive about the health of your skin, we can help you look your best all year long.
Cosmetic Skincare Products
Dr. Bucky uses a wide range of products at his practice, including the following:
- SkinMedica®
- iS Clinical®
- PrecisionMD®
- Revision® Skincare
- Derma MD®
- Teoxane®
- Revision®
Oftentimes, these products are used in conjunction with plastic surgery procedures to nourish the skin of the treated area as well as aid in the healing process.
For more intense treatments of skincare, plastic surgeons offer non-surgical devices a bit more invasive than product to really restore skin texture and color. Some of these include:
- Lasers with less downtime
- Microdermabrasion (exfoliation and skin rejuvenation procedure that leaves skin looking softer and brighter)
- Micro Pen (tiny needles are used to create controlled micro-injuries to the skin in order to produce collagen and elastin)
Men and Skincare
“Men don’t like a lot of products and want simple regimens,” says Dr. Bucky. “Many times their skin looks tired and lasers can be helpful.”
Simple steps for men include cleansing, toning and moisturizing in that order. Applying sunscreen every morning for both men and women can be a wonderful preventive measure and keep the wrinkles at bay. While men may not be as concerned with lines on their faces, taking precautionary measures to protect against further sun damage can go a long way.
Help Yourself
With so many creams, lasers and other treatments available it can be overwhelming, yet prevention and following the regimen that is provided to you can go a long way toward beautiful skin.
“The patient needs to understand that if you don’t use the products we suggest, it won’t work,” says Dr. Bucky. “We try to tailor products to fit the patient’s lifestyle; we want the trial and error attitude to go away.”