It is never too early (or too late for that matter) to start a healthy skin care regimen. As the largest organ of the human body and the one that acts as a first line of defense, the skin requires gentle care and regular attention. There are three steps that are essential to any good skin care regimen. While many promote the steps as cleaning, toning and moisturizing, we believe that a good skin care regimen instead includes the following:

1. Cleanse

2. Protect

3. Correct

Cleanse
In order to select the best cleanser for your skin, it is important to understand your skin type. There are many choices available, including those for oily skin, dry skin, irritated skin, sun-sensitive skin, acne-prone skin and mature skin. A clean palate is essential to a successful regimen. The wrong cleanser can actually make matters worse. If you are unsure how to correctly determine the best choice, speak to your dermatologist who will happily guide you in the right direction.

Protect
As the organ that protects all other internal organs, skin requires special protection from the environment. A moisturizer with sunscreen, or SPF protection, is important for patients of all skin tones and skin types. The harshest threat to the skin is the sun, which is responsible for sunburn, premature aging and development of skin cancer. While it is true that 80% of lifetime sun exposure occurs before the age of eighteen, it is never too late to begin protecting the skin with moisturizer or makeup with sunscreen.

Correct
The last step in the process is correction. Whether it is dark patches, acne, wrinkles, sun spots, most people have some aspect of their complexion that needs either correction or prevention. With the beauty industry booming, there is an overwhelming amount of products on the market that all promise to deliver miraculous results. Once you have identified the area that you’d like to concentrate on, your dermatologist can help you to tailor your specific regimen in order to achieve your goals for your skin.