FORT WASHINGTON, PA DERMATOLOGIST DISCUSSES THE IMPORTANCE OF USING MOISTURIZERS

Our skin needs to be hydrated daily, just like we need water every day for our bodies. By hydrating the skin daily, you can help keep it looking youthful, firm, and vibrant for many years. Here are some of the important reasons to moisturize and the benefits to making it part of your daily routine.

One of the short term benefits of moisturizers is that they lock in water and can smooth out rough or flaking skin. This can keep the skin looking healthy, supple, and fresh. Long term, moisturizing can help keep skin performing correctly. What does that mean? The skin is an amazing organ that continually repairs itself by producing new cells. When the skin is properly moisturized over the long term, it can help slow down the aging process and the appearance of lines and wrinkles. And if those benefits alone aren’t enough, moisturizing the skin feels really great. Moisturizing can leave your skin feeling soft, luxurious and beautiful.

The following is a breakdown of the most important roles of a moisturizer:

• Repair – The environment, nutrition, weather, and stress can all take a toll on the skin, leaving it dehydrated. A daily moisturizer is one of the only ways to help repair damage to the skin and help hydrate and nourish it.
• Protection – Moisturizers can protect the skin from the effects of sun damage.
• Improves blood circulation – Moisturizers can actually stimulate the skin enough to help improve blood circulation and lead to an increase in collagen production. Collagen is what helps keep skin firm, supple, and elastic. A loss of collagen can lead to wrinkles, lines, and sagging.

Choosing a moisturizer can be overwhelming for some, simply because there are so many out there. There are moisturizers that attract water and help retain moisture, there are other ones that focus on softening and furthermore there are ones that seal in the moisturizer through a film left on the surface of the skin. Some moisturizers are a combination of all three types.

The best way to choose a moisturizer is based on skin-type. If you have oily skin, look for one that says “oil-free” or non-comedogenic. If you have sensitive skin, look for a moisturizer specific to that. It’s also important to focus on the texture of the moisturizer. Creams tend to be heavier, so those are good if your skin is really dry, or in the winter months. Lotions tend to be lighter and are good for the Spring and Summer months.

At our office in Fort Washington, PA, we offer a number of moisturizers for our patients. If you are interested in learning more about the products and services we have, please call us today.