Anti-Aging Tips To Steal From Your Girlfriend
Five Anti-Aging Tips You Should Totally Steal From Your Girlfriend
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While your girlfriend—or the leading lady in your life—might lather on serums, gels, moisturizers, and the whole shebang, your approach to skincare might be slightly less complicated. Or, um, nonexistent. Though traditionally, men have approached anti-aging with less vigor than their female counterparts, board-certified dermatologist and medical director Dr. Cheryl Karcher, there’s been a 273 percent increase in male aesthetic medicine over the the past 10 years. She accredits this rise to a desire of men to remain competitive in the workspace and in dating, among other shifting trends. “It’s generally expected that in many aspects of life, attractiveness is directly proportional to success and achievement,” she explains. “Attractive people have more dates, or perceived to have positive personality traits, and are more likely to be successful in job interviews.”
As men collect birthday candles, they start to lose collagen, elastin and eventually, bone mass. Dr. Karcher says fat pads fall and shift, creating hollows and lines that make you look tired and older. Though this process is very similar to women, men tend to have more square faces, sharper angles and a large jaw, making their needs vary. “Men have more muscle mass, more fat tissue, and the blood vessel density than women. While the same cosmetic procedures and topical treatments are used in males and females, the approach, the assessment and the treatments are often different,” she explains. “Men want to look fresher, healthier and less tired, and they do not necessarily want to look beautiful or have high cheekbones, soft silky skin or a high arched brow. Men prefer to have lines and wrinkles but shallow or less evident.”
So how can you approach—and prioritize—anti-aging? Here’s a guide:
Practice Strong, Consistent Hygiene Rituals
Repeat after us: even after a night of bottomless whiskeys or a 60-hour work week, it is still vital to maintain your hygiene routine. As board-certified plastic surgeon David Shafer, MD, FACS explains, washing your face, exfoliating and moisturizing regularly makes a huge difference in the youth of your pores. “It's amazing what a simple exfoliating scrub can do for the skin appearance in terms of smoothing the texture but also stimulating collagen at the microscopic level. Moisturizing is essential to retain the skin's moisture balance and for cellular function,” he notes. To find the best type of product for your skin, consider chatting with a dermatologist, or conducting a spot test. This method encourages you to apply a small amount of product behind your ear or on your hand to ensure you don’t have a negative reaction. Also keep in mind your skin type—oily, dry or combination—when reading those back labels. GOA Skincare is made to fight back against your vices. We've been liking their Facial Fuel Recovery Scrub.
Always Protect Your Face During The Day
Ask any dermatologist (or anyone with sunspots) and you will be told that regardless of the temperature or the season, a daily sunscreen is mandatory. Dr. Karcher says those who maintain a dedication to UVA and UVB-ray protection look less weathered as the years wear on. To protect those delicate, sensitive pores even more, consider adding an antioxidant to your grooming arsenal. She explains this formula will help prevent sun damage while restoring your skin at night, by renewing cells. Though you should double-check with your dermatologist before starting any new cycle, Dr. Karcher recommends Alto Defense Serum for daytime and Alpharet Overnight Cream at bedtime.
Consider Fillers
Before you have visions of a celebrity who went a bit overboard on plastic surgery, remember less-invasive, preventive methods in your early 30s come recommended by dermatologist. To get started, Dr. Karcher suggests short-acting fillers, which enhance the male jaw, once volume has been lost. “Fillers are used to increase the perception of dominance, social boldness and physical strength. These are related to anatomical features that demonstrate hyper-masculinity, such a strong cheekbones and job prominence,” she shares. “A little bit of filler in these areas can really enhance a male’s self-confidence.”
And Neuromodulators
In addition to fillers, neuromodulators—like Botox—are some of the most effective ways to prepare your skin for age. In fact, Dr. Shafer says these are the single most important intervention to relax the skin, prevent dynamic lines and improve static lines of the forehead, between your eyebrows and to the sides of your eyes. “Botox can help make the eyes look more awake and vibrant. For those with a little extra fold of skin on their upper lids, a quick surgical procedure called blepharoplasty can rejuvenate the upper eyes nicely,” he explained. You can also utilize other treatments, like Ultherapy, to tighten the deeper tissues of the forehead, face and neck.
Invest In Lasers
Have acne scars? What about think lines you always notice in photos? Celebrity facialist Graceanne Svendsen says investing in lasers can make a difference in the overall condition and quality of your skin. From microdermabrasion to ones that use specific lights to target specific areas, a skincare expert can make recommendations for your needs. “Some favorites include VBeam laser to make your skin less red and with less fine lines and wrinkles/large pores,” she shares. “Less double chin fat or tighter neck wonders can be worked with our Profound RF microneedling and RF.
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Anti-Aging
Skincare