“People do a lot of damage in pursuit of a sun-tanned appearance,” says Dr. Jerry Horton of AesthetiMed in Winter Park.
Dr. Horton specializes in aesthetic medicine. He promotes healthy skin—preventing future damage as well as correcting damage already done. Since we’re focused on swimwear and beaches in this issue of Watermark, we asked him to share his knowledge about skin care. In a few minutes, he’d given a wealth of information on the mythologies about skin damage, on the proper care of your skin, and on the importance of putting your best face forward. For more discussions on skin care issues, visit Dr. Horton’s blog.
Tell us about AesthetiMed.
The area of aesthetic medicine is a newer specialty within medicine. It emphasizes how to protect your skin and how to reverse some of the damage done over time due to things like sun exposure and the forces of gravity. It’s not about maintaining the look of a 19-year-old, but being healthy in your own look. That’s why my tagline says, “Look your best at every age.”
I start by educating people about good habits like proper diet, regular exercise, and taking care of your skin and appearance. Much of skin damage occurs early in life. The best skin care treatments are preventative, so starting early and being consistent is important.
However, if you’re 50, and you have a brow ridge that looks like cornrows, then we’re not going to be able to rely on preventative treatments alone. At AesthetiMed we use a comprehensive approach to improving clients’ appearances—cosmeceuticals and specialized skin care devices, botulinum toxins and facial fillers. I also use chemical peels, laser and light based therapies to improve the look of sun damaged skin of the face and neck.
Are there any specific skin challenges that lesbians face?
I can think of one right away. Acne—especially acne that persists into your 20s and 30s—can be lessened by the use of oral contraceptives. If lesbians feel that they don’t have to use birth control, they may have more issues with acne.
Given that a higher percentage of gay men who smoke, is the skin damage from smoking likely to affect our community more?
Yes. Smoking exposes the skin to more oxidative stress; this accelerates the aging process. Smokers tend to have more wrinkles and look older.
There are other issues that affect the skin of gay men. I think gay men like to be tanned, so that they look good in their bathing suits. So there’s a propensity toward excessive sun exposure.
Are there any misconceptions about the sun and skin damage?
People equate sun damage with burning which comes primarily from UV-B rays. Walking to and from your car each day is actually enough sun exposure to damage the deeper skin structures. The cumulative effect of UV-A exposure is a problem. Like farmers you see with rough, leathery neck and arm skin. They’ve received enough of the UV-A rays that penetrate into the deeper levels of the skin and over time and break down the collagen and elastin within the skin.
People should put some level of sun protection on every day even for their normal activities. Then if you’re going to go kayaking or sailing, choose more protection and reapply often, especially if you’re in and out of the water.
Is there a good way to tan?
UV exposure—whether from the sun or tanning beds—causes skin damage that leads to premature lines and wrinkles. There are good ways to get a little color. There are good bronzers and self-tanning lotions for the body and face that give people just a little bit of glow and make them look healthy.
How important is drinking water to healthy skin?
Staying hydrated is very important, and you can accomplish that by drinking lots of water. There are also things that we can apply to the skin to help lock moisture in. Good moisturizers help prevent water loss through evaporation. Humectants pull water up into the epidermis from the deep layers of the skin. The other thing that helps is using products that contain emollients, because these fill in the cracks and crevices, smoothing out the dry, roughened patches, improving the overall appearance of the skin.
It’s also important to consider the topical application of antioxidants. Antioxidants help neutralize the oxidative stress placed on your skin from sun exposure, smoke and pollution. Only 2% of dietary antioxidants make it to the skin, so it’s also very important to apply antioxidants directly to the skin like vitamin C and E. Finally, a good skin care routine also exfoliates to increase epidermal skin turnover.
What’s your best tip?
Take care of the skin you have with a twice daily regimen of washing and moisturizing your face. Apply your skin protectants like sun blocks and anti-oxidants in the morning and use your exfoliants and any corrective serums at night. Develop good skin care habits and stick to them. You can’t just do something for a week, and then think you’re good for the rest of the year. It needs to be a routine.
