Proper skin care does not end when the sun goes down
When the topic of skin care comes up, it is usually discussed with protecting oneself during the day from the harmful UV rays of the sun. Dire warnings are issued about covering up while venturing outdoors, staying inside during the hottest part of the day, and to be sure to apply sunscreen on a regular basis. Such tips are quite helpful, but most individuals tend to neglect another important area of skin care: the nighttime. Licensed dermatologists, such as Dr. F. Victor Rueckl of Lakes Dermatology, will stress to their clients that a skin care regimen should also be followed when one is getting ready for bed just as much for when heading out to the beach.
People have long talked about getting enough “beauty sleep” every night, but the reality is that the night is an important time for one’s skin. A person’s body uses the nighttime to restore the skin, such as through the regeneration of skin cells, after a long day of wear and tear. In fact, the Andersen-Gratton study of how the circadian clock impacts metabolism and cells showed that new skin cells grow faster while a person sleeps. (1)
Experienced medical professionals, such as Dr. James Q. Del Rosso of Lakes Dermatology in Las Vegas, note that a person should do everything possible to help one’s skin during this crucial period. One thing that individuals can do is to make sure that the skin is receiving the nourishment that it needs during the night. A useful product to use at night is Resveratrol B E from SkinCeuticals, which neutralizes free radicals, strengthens the skin’s natural antioxidant defenses, and diminishes visible signs of aging.
There are some important things to remember when setting up a good regimen for nighttime skin care. The first and most obvious item is that one should always strive to get the recommend hours of sleep every night, which is between seven to eight hours for adults and from nine to ten hours for teenagers. (2) It’s never too early to begin practicing a healthy and beneficial nighttime regimen for maintaining optimal skin health. When one is getting ready to sleep, a good facial cleansing is necessary. A person should use a gentle face cleanser and lukewarm water to wash away the dirt and oil that have built up during the day, not to mention makeup. Licensed dermatologists, such as Dr. F. Victor Rueckl of Lakes Dermatology in Las Vegas, will then recommend using a good moisturizer. The skin loses water at a higher rate during the night, which was shown in an article written by the Departments of Dermatology and Neurobiology & Anatomy at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine. (3) This process is called trans epidermal water loss (TEWL), so using a good moisturizer is necessary to halt this process and allow the skin to replenish and renew itself during the night’s increased rate of regeneration.
There is another method in how the night can help one’s skin rejuvenate itself. While the body’s temperature is lower in the morning, the skin’s temperature is higher at night after spending the day in physical activity and consuming food. (4) Experienced dermatologists, such as Dr. James Q. Del Rosso of Lakes Dermatology, will point out that a higher skin temperature allows skin care products to seep deeper into the skin, which leads to better results.
For a good nighttime skin care regimen, Dr. F. Victor Rueckl of Lakes Dermatology in Las Vegas notes, “The night is an equally important time to protect one’s skin as is the day. Our bodies use the night as a time to rejuvenate and restore the skin from the effects suffered during the day, and there are a number of ways that we can maximize this process. Washing the face thoroughly is a must to remove the dirt, grime, and makeup that can accumulate during the day. The higher skin temperature is a good conduit for allowing skin care products to penetrate deeper. Various products can be used before moisturizing, such as a Retinol product to help prevent the buildup of dead cells in the skin’s pores and follicles as well as promoting the growth of healthy cells.” (5)
Dr. James Q. Del Rosso of Lakes Dermatology adds, “The basics for a healthy nighttime skin care regimen are pretty simple. Wash your face thoroughly, but not roughly. Use a product to treat any skin issues that you have after consulting with your dermatologist. Make sure that the skin care products that you use have the necessary vitamins to help your skin through the night, and apply a liberal amount of moisturizer to prevent water loss during the night. Lastly, make sure you get enough sleep. All of the creams and lotions in the world won’t do you much good if you scrimp on your sleep every night.” (6)
As one can see, the importance of protecting one’s skin does not end when the sun goes down. A proper skin care regimen should be followed when one is heading off to bed as the night is when the body works on renewing the skin. A consultation with a licensed dermatologist, such as Dr. F. Victor Rueckl of Lakes Dermatology in Las Vegas, can help determine the proper nighttime skin care regimen one should follow that is based upon their specific needs.
References:
1) http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-01/uoc- -crr010615.php
2) http://www.cdc.gov/Features/Sleep/
3) http://www.vivawoman.net/2010/07/5-things- to-know- about-your- skin-at- night/
4) http://hypertextbook.com/facts/LenaWong.shtml
5) Quote from Dr. F. Victor Rueckl, dermatologist at Lakes Dermatology
6) Quote from Dr. James Q. Del Rosso, dermatologist at Lakes Dermatology
