One of the many questions we get when seeing a patient for a skin care consultation at our Austin practice is: “How do I prevent and reverse the signs of aging?” We have learned that, in addition to Dr. Rocco Piazza’s 4 non-negotiables and the development of specialty products like Lytera® Skin Brightening Complex, SkinMedica® has created a great acronym to help us remember the 5 main keys to creating healthy, younger-looking skin. It’s called “GRASS.”
- “G” for Growth Factors: Growth factors have shown statistically significant improvements in skin radiance, skin smoothness, skin tone, reducing fine lines, and reducing the overall aged appearance of the skin. Growth factors are very active in the human body — or at least they are while we are younger. They are the body’s wound-healing mechanism. As we approach our late 20s, our growth factors gradually start to decline. So the goal of using growth factors is to trick your skin into thinking it is younger, making it create more collagen than the body can naturally destroy. They are naturally occurring proteins that work in combination with each other to control the activity of cells, and they are critical in skin repair and remodeling. Using human growth factors will definitely smooth out skin texture and decrease fine lines and wrinkles. (Product recommendation: TNS Essential Serum® or TNS Recovery Complex®)
- “R” for Retinols: Retinols decrease the thickness of the outmost layer of the skin and stimulate skin cell turnover, increasing the collagen content of the skin for a more translucent appearance. (Product recommendation: Tri-Retinol Complex or Tri-Retinol Complex ES™)
- “A” for Antioxidants: Prevent ongoing damage by decreasing the presence of damaging oxidants. Plus, it decreases inflammation, protecting the skin from the negative effects of UV light. (Product recommendation: Vitamin C+E Complex)
- “S” for Specialty Products: Sometimes sun damage can cause pigmentation that cannot be alleviated with retinol alone. This is when we would recommend a specialty product to help lighten and suppress the melanocytes. (Product Recommendation: Lytera Skin Brightening Complex)
- “S” for Sun Protection: Prevent ongoing damage by blocking UV light so that there are no damaging effects of photoaging in our skin. Thus, sunscreen helps to preserve collagen and elastin and prevent hyperpigmentation, promoting a healthier, more youthful appearance of our skin. (Product recommendation: TNS Ultimate Daily Moisturizer™ SPF 20 or Daily Physical Defense SPF 30)
We know that combining these products in a regimen can maximize your results when it comes to taking care of your skin and aging successfully. Contact our Austin plastic surgery and skin care center if you have questions about your regimen or would like to meet with our team for a consultation.
