Common Questions
I’m using the ANTI-AGE Regimen as directed and my skin has recently become dry and a little flaky. Should I stop using the Daily Cleansing Mask?
Skin and skincare needs change over time. Dryness could be the results of a few things: changes in diet, hydration, weather or activity levels. The ANTI-AGE Regimen helps to increase cell turnover. As new cells push up toward the skin’s surface, the old cells are forced to fall off and unfortunately some cells won’t let go. As a result, skin appears dry and flaky. We suggest that you gently massage the ENHANCEMENTS Micro-Dermabrasion Paste on wet skin one to three times a week as tolerated in place of the ANTI-AGE Daily Cleansing Mask to lift off flaky skin.
If your skin still feels dry, we recommend applying ESSENTIALS Moisturize with Melaslow several times a day, as needed.
My sister told me to wear sunscreen in the winter but it’s snowing and cloudy—what’s the point?
The aging rays of the sun, UVA rays, are present 365 days a year, rain or shine, sunup to sundown. They are as strong at 7 a.m. as they are at noon and even 7 p.m. They are so powerful they can penetrate clouds, rain, snow, glass, some plastics and clothing (especially loose cotton weaves and wet fabrics).
UVA rays destroy our collagen and elastin, causing wrinkles and sagging over time. UVA rays also stimulate pigment-producing melanocytes to release brown melanin, resulting in “liver spots” on the face, hands and chest—a true hallmark of aged skin.
Take your sister’s advice and protect your skin year-round with a Rodan + Fields broad spectrum sunscreen that is designed for your skin type every morning before you leave the house, and reapply throughout the day.
January 27, 2012 at 11:23 pm Mary Radford, RN Leave a comment
Habits that Haunt
Scrubbing Away Good Skin
Great skin starts with clean skin. The wrong cleanser can undo all the right things you’re doing and make your skin drier and more oil-prone than before you lathered up. In fact, a bevy of bubbles is an obvious indication that your cleanser is likely stripping away your precious moisture barrier.
Gentle, low sudsing cleansers are best because they effectively remove dirt and oil without disrupting your delicate stratum corneum (top layer of skin). To exfoliate deeper, simply apply your cleanser longer, not harder. Over scrubbing is just as bad and can create small abrasions or leaks where germs and dirt can sneak in.
Skinpact Spotlight
Skincare X-tremes
The Winter X Games are upon us, bringing avid sports fans and casual spectators together to watch extreme winter sport competitions in Aspen, Colorado. Whether you’re competing in these dare-devil activities or watching safely from your sofa, the adrenaline rush is enough to keep thousands of people coming back for more each year. However, while extremes may be exhilarating, when it comes to your skin, you are better off taking a more balanced approach. Tune in to the newest webisode of Skinpact News, “Skincare X-tremes” to hear from Dr. Katie Rodan and Dr. Kathy Fields on why you should leave extreme activities to the X-game competitors. Watch more Skinpact News webisodes on the Rodan + Fields Facebook page.
The Doctor is In … The Inside Scoop on Beauty
By Dr. Katie Rodan
In January, bookings in my medical practice reflect a common New Year’s resolution—to improve our overall health and well-being. According to a recent New York Time’s article, as well intentioned as we are, come January’s end, one-third of us break our commitment(s). By July, the majority of us have long abandoned our resolutions altogether.
Why do we fail? The answer is complicated, seeming to stem from a desire for a quick fix coupled with a lack of a realistic strategy to achieve our goals. When it comes to reversing the signs of past skin sins, there is no magic laser chemical peel, or injection, providing a quick fix. A healthy, beautiful complexion requires daily commitment. Devoting a few minutes twice a day to a targeted skincare routine that addresses your specific issues, plus, making a few dietary changes are two steps to set you in the right direction.
So, if you were seeing me for a so-called “vanity visit,” here’s where I’d ask you to start:
First, look in the mirror (3x magnification will do) examining your skin without makeup. Determine your one or two top complexion concerns, i.e. discolorations, enlarged pores, wrinkles, broken capillaries, facial redness or acne. Once identified, we would discuss a straightforward skincare program, most likely containing a low dose OTC medication, to address your issue that would demonstrate visible improvement in a matter of weeks.
Second, I would ask you about your daily habits, including your diet. Our skin is more than just “window dressing” for the rest of our body. It’s a living organ that needs a constant supply of nutrients to do its job. Fortunately, making smart food choices often yields three huge benefits—a pretty complexion, a healthy body and weight loss.
So here are a few clinically-proven tactics to consider:
Subtract pro-inflammatory foods by cutting out high fat, high sugar and overly processed foods that accelerate aging. To help you resist temptation, clean your cupboard of “junk food.”Avoid more than the equivalent of 3 glasses of wine per week and eliminate added salt even if you don’t have high blood pressure (for more on why it may be time to throw away the salt shaker, visit http://www.udel.edu/udaily/2012/sep/salt-blood-pressure-092911.html).
Add foods rich in antioxidants like blueberries, blackberries and raspberries along with foods high in fiber and lean proteins. Not only will they act as skin beautifiers, they’ll fill you up and slim you down and help protect you from environmental aging factors.
Don’t get overwhelmed by making massive changes overnight; just tackle it a day at a time. And instead of thinking about what you’re giving up, just think of every meal or snack as an opportunity to improve your skin’s appearance and your overall health! Wishing you all the best in 2012!
Common Questions
Do you have some tips to correct “bacne”? I always get it when I start working out on a more regular basis.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Since breakouts are related to workouts and not usual for you, the following tips can be incorporated into your routine to keep skin clean and clear.
- Protect your skin: Place a towel over the back of the weight machines so you don’t pick up what someone else left behind.
- Don’t stew in your sweat: Shower immediately after exercising. Use the ENHANCEMENTS Body Micro-Dermabrasion to exfoliate, clean and condition skin in one invigorating step for all-over renewal, revealing smooth, touchable, youthful-looking skin.
- Prevent with Skincare: Three times a week apply the UNBLEMISH Acne Treatment Sulfur Wash as a 15-minute mask because sulfur clears pores by shedding dead skin cells and helps to heal pre-existing blackheads and whiteheads. It also provides an immediate benefit by reducing acne’s telltale redness and swelling. Rinse and pat dry.
In winter months, my eye lids become dry and irritated … help!
Because your eye area is so delicate, it is more susceptible to weather changes and you will need to make subtle changes to avoid irritation. Here’s what we recommend:
- Use Rodan + Fields® ANTI-AGE Eye Cloths to gently remove eye makeup while simultaneously providing the sensitive eye area with powerful overnight anti-aging and restorative benefits without any residue or stinging, leaving skin feeling clean and refreshed.
- Use ANTI-AGE Multi-Function Eye Cream twice daily. This formula contains powerful collagen-stimulating and anti-inflammatory peptides to reduce irritation, minimize the appearance of crow’s feet, help reduce puffiness, and diminish dark under eye circles while special optical diffusers instantly brighten the eye area.
- Stay away from glittery frosty eye shadow as mica can irritate delicate skin.
- Wear sunglasses to reduce sun damage and wear sun goggles when skiing to reduce tearing and windburn.
Skinpact Spotlight
Sundance-Ready Skin
The stars, the films and plenty of faux-fur fashion will be coming out in full force as the Sundance Film Festival kicks off this weekend in Park City, Utah. But in the midst of all the glitz and glamour, the high elevation, frigid temperatures, increased sun exposure and desert-dry conditions can be a recipe for a skintastrophe. Whether you’ll be hitting the slopes this weekend or just this winter, don’t miss the newest webisode of Skinpact News: “Sundance-Ready Skin” for tips from Dr. Katie Rodan and Dr. Kathy Fields on how to enjoy yourself while keeping skin safe. Watch more Skinpact News webisodes on the Rodan + Fields Facebook page.
Habits that Haunt
Skipping Skin-healthy Opportunities
Skipping rope may be good for you, but skipping meals will only trip you up. When you skip breakfast or work through lunch, you’re more likely to crave and indulge in carbohydrate-rich snacks that are high in sugar, salt and fat. Loading up on high glycemic index foods like potatoes, milk, white breads and fried foods accelerates aging and causes skin conditions like rosacea and acne to rear their ugly heads.
Instead eat a healthy, nutrient rich breakfast, lunch and dinner and have skin-friendly snacks at the ready like fresh antioxidant rich fruits and veggies (the more colorful, the better).
So, does your food regimen complement your skincare regimen?
Common Questions
My cuticles get so dry that they crack and become painful in the cold winter months. Even petroleum jelly doesn’t help. Do you have a cure?
We suggest a creamy cleanser instead of soapy, sudsy gels that can rob the skin of natural oils. Follow with the two step ANTI-AGE Hand Regimen on a daily basis as directed to replenish skin’s natural moisturizing factors to improve elasticity and resiliency. It also includes skin brighteners to even skin tone and immediately improve the appearance of hands.
As an added treatment for dry cuticles, glide the ESSENTIALS Lip Shield SPF 25 on the nail bed and massage in to hydrate, soothe, soften and protect skin.
My winter clothing is cozy but always feels prickly and makes my skin itchy and dry. Is there a treatment for this?
Your winter wardrobe usually contains wools that can irritate dry skin when you move throughout the day. Here are a few tips to treat and prevent irritated, frenzied skin.
- Be sure to bathe in water that is warm but not hot. Use a gentle, creamy cleanser that can hydrate as it cleans—the less suds the better.
- Pat your skin dry and apply the ESSENTIALS Daily Body Moisturizer to retain moisture and remain comfortable when challenged by climate and other environmental aggressors. Allow to dry down before dressing.
- Wear a soft cotton shirt under the wool sweater and tuck a scarf inside the neck.
Ingredients of the Month
RF-Dcell
You moisturize daily anyway. Why not go beyond mere hydration to actually managing your skin’s cell proliferation? When skin cell renewal becomes too fast or too slow, your skin looks and feels unhealthy and your moisture barrier is unable to function as it should.
RF-Dcell is an RF exclusive ingredient that helps to regulate and normalize skin cell turnover, allowing only healthy mature cells to reach the surface when they’re fully ready to do their job.
Take your daily moisturizing to the maximum with the following products featuring RF-Dcell: ESSENTIALS Daily Body Moisturizer and Foaming Sunless Tan.
Fragrance
There’s really no such thing as fragrance-free. Even products without added fragrances still carry an odor. And while it’s true that some fragrances can be irritating, the right fragrance at the right level is one of the most powerful ways to influence a positive mood, create a good experience and increase product usage compliance.
To create the best possible product experience, we’ve made selecting fragrances for our products a science and an art, including safe, gentle low-level fragrances that experientially enhance your regimen and keep you looking and feeling great.
Skinpact Spotlight
Retro Trends
Retro trends ruled the runways at fall fashion shows and continue to line the pages of fashion magazines. Our vintage obsession isn’t limited to the runway — even phone accessories are paying homage to the past. Tune into this week’s webisode of Skinpact News: “Retro Trends” for the 411 on this latest smart phone gadget and insights from Dr. Katie Rodan and Dr. Kathy Fields on why this blast from the past may harm rather than help. Watch more Rodan + Fields Skinpact News webisodes on the Rodan + Fields Facebook page.
Derm RF
Mary Radford, RN
Dr. Katie Rodan
Dr. Kathy Fields
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