A dermatologist in Tucson encounters unique skincare concerns that specialists in many other parts of the country may not face. Most obvious is sun damage from our relentlessly sunny skies, which is one of the reasons we love living here. But constant sun means that whether it’s July or January, it’s important to always take precautions regarding sun exposure.

For our patients getting injectable treatments, such as dermal fillers, Dysport® or BOTOX® Cosmetic, the Tucson sun can shorten the life of your results if you neglect to protect your skin. In this blog post, we’ll explain how you can get long-lasting injectable results by following a few simple tips.

Once Is Not Enough

Applying sunscreen once in the morning and then never again throughout the day won’t provide the protection your skin needs from the sun. Even during the shorter days of winter, the Southwest sun’s harsh UV rays can cause skin to lose its elasticity, develop wrinkles, and become discolored. Reapplying a broad spectrum sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 throughout the day is one of the simplest and most effective steps anyone can take to keeping their skin looking more youthful. This is especially true for our patients who get injectable treatments to minimize wrinkles.

You should also wear a broad-brimmed hat and sunglasses when you’re outside. Shading your eyes from the sun helps prevent the frequent squinting that creates “dynamic” wrinkles around the eyes. These are the types of wrinkles that BOTOX injections can reduce.

Carry Water

Drinking water throughout the day is something most Arizona residents do as second nature. But it’s important enough that I’ve included a reminder in this blog. Staying hydrated, eating a healthy diet, and getting enough sleep all influence the look of our skin. Late nights and too much fast food can cause our skin to look blotchy and puffy. These habits also can lead to dark under-eye circles and sabotage the results of cosmetic injectable treatments.

Skin Repair While You Sleep

Using retinoic acid every night encourages the turnover of skin cells, which helps smooth fine lines and minimize brown spots. Retinoic acid also helps boost the production of new collagen, resulting in improved skin texture and tone. Retinoic acid directly affects skin cells, and, in its pure form, is excellent for stimulating collagen production and preventing and reducing wrinkles. But pure retinoic acid can irritate the skin of some people and is a prescription-only product.

Retinol and retinoids are Vitamin A derivatives that produce a weaker form of retinoic acid, however, many women and men who want to prevent the development of fine lines and wrinkles use them nightly. But it’s important to understand what you’re purchasing when buying these products. When applied to the skin, over-the-counter products such as retinol and retinaldehyde convert into retinoic acid at the cellular level. But because of the conversion process, the resulting retinoic acid is weaker than pure retinoic acid, which is why some patients prefer to use the stronger, prescription-only version.

Follow these tips throughout the year to extend the effects of your cosmetic injections. You can see samples of results we produce at Skin Spectrum by viewing before-and-after photos of our BOTOX and filler patients. You can also contact us using the online form to discuss your skin care concerns or call our office at (520) 797-8885 to schedule an appointment.

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