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A dermatologist’s skin advice for post-pandemic moms

Self-care became a low priority for many of us during the pandemic. This was especially true for moms. Whether they were helping kids navigate through remote learning, or juggling household responsibilities while working inside or outside the home, mothers had less time for themselves. Now that restrictions have eased and we are resuming activities and pre-pandemic routines, we noticed more people seeking advice about their skin. Notably, mothers have conveyed interest in addressing changes they’ve been seeing this past year. Questions come up regularly about worry lines, uneven or dull skin tone aggravated by stress and jawline/neck laxity noticed on Zoom. One mother recently expressed, “Now that things seem to be getting better, I feel like it’s time to start taking care of myself.”  Dr. Karen Kim has some advice for moms who are looking to refresh their skin care routine and explore treatment options.

Include three essential skin products in your daily regimen

Incorporating a new product into your regular routine is an easy and effective way of improving your skin. Three topicals Dr. Kim recommends most often are:

• A topical vitamin C serum in the morning. Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that promotes collagen production and combats the harmful effects of free radicals (particles that break down collagen and damage skin cells).
• A topical retinol or tretinoin cream at bedtime.  Tretinoin has been proven to stimulate collagen and soften fine lines, wrinkles and brown spots.
• A broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30. Sun protection is one of the most powerful ways to prevent premature skin aging and wrinkles and to reduce discoloration.

Consider a cosmetic skin treatment

Thanks to new and improved technology, there are excellent treatment options for brighter, healthier skin.

• For uneven complexion and discoloration, Icon Photorejuvenation System and Picosure Focus Array laser are skin treatments that offer easy recovery and significant results.
• For loose, crepey skin around the jawline and neck, Thermage is a noninvasive radiofrequency skin tightening procedure with no downtime. The Legend RF also uses radiofrequency energy to improve laxity, skin texture and acne scars, but it delivers it through microneedling.
• For fine lines or laxity around the eyes or mouth, the Deka Dot laser is an innovative procedure that addresses these otherwise hard-to-treat areas.
• If you don’t mind having some downtime, Fraxel laser is a superb treatment for overall fine lines, discoloration, and acne scars on the face, neck or chest.

For all the mothers who devoted so much to the care and well-being of their loved ones this past year, it might be time to prioritize your own self-care. If you’ve been noticing changes to your skin and would like to explore possibilities, come in for a consultation to find out what might be right for you.

2 Responses to A dermatologist’s skin advice for post-pandemic moms

• Mary says:

  July 9, 2022 at 2:53 pm

  What about skin care for older women. grandmothers?

  Do you recommend the same 3 products in our skin care daily regime as you mentioned for moms who are younger?

  Reply
  • Dr. Karen Kim says:

    September 13, 2022 at 8:07 am

    Yes, I recommend the same regimen for older women. You may consider adding a thicker moisturizer since our skin tends to become dryer as we age.

    Reply