How To Take Care of Your Skin: Part 1

Hello, Warriors! Welcome to The Breast Place blog and thank you for taking time out of your active schedule to visit! We appreciate our readers to the utmost degree, as we do our patients. If this is your first visit to The Breast Place blog, we welcome you. We cover a range of topics here. From breast cancer management to anti-aging skin treatments to helpful tips for maximizing your overall health and wellness—The Breast Place is committed to sharing the best health practices and treatment options with you! Our offices are open and our staff is prepared to answer any questions you may have about your health, your breast cancer risk, and how to reach your aesthetic goals. 

At The Breast Place, we offer several oncoplastic surgical procedures, such as natural reconstruction, nipple-sparing mastectomy, Hidden Scar™, implant reconstruction, and breast lift with or without reduction. Oncoplastic surgery is distinct from both breast cancer surgery and plastic surgery–though you initially assume oncoplastic surgery to be a mixture of both. Rather, the aim of oncoplastic breast surgery is “to achieve good aesthetic outcomes for women with breast cancers who would have unacceptable outcomes with other BCS techniques, and in addition, enable breast-conserving surgery for larger breast cancers.” While breast cancer surgery prioritizes the eradication of cancerous tissue and plastic surgery prioritizes the cosmetic appearance of the breasts, oncoplastic surgery takes both of these aspects into account when planning for the final outcome. You can find out more information about what to look for in an Oncoplastic surgeon here. 

Our last article talked about incontinence, which is a lack of bladder control caused by a weakening of the muscles in the pelvic floor. Incontinence affects over 19 million women in the United States, but more than half of those who suffer do not seek help or discuss their concerns with anyone. Incontinence can be caused by childbirth, menopause, or the natural aging process. Medication given for breast cancer treatment can induce early menopause, resulting in incontinence. If you are interested in learning more about incontinence and the pelvic floor therapy treatment we offer here at The Breast Place, we encourage you to give our last article a read!

Before we dive into today’s topic, we’d like to make you aware of what we have to offer at The Breast Place this April. Spring is here! The weather is beautiful and we hope you are feeling just as great. Our product of the month is the ProHeal Serum from iS Clinical. This restorative and antioxidant-rich serum is 20% off this month, so stop by our office to snag yours, or contact us so we can ship it directly to you! 

Today, we’ll be discussing ways that you can take care of your skin. The skin is your body’s largest organ, so protecting it should be a huge priority! As women, we are almost always concerned about our appearance. After all, who doesn’t want gorgeous, youthful-looking skin?! What you may not know is that the key to great skin lies within your daily routine– A lot of it has to do with how well you are taking care of your skin. Luckily, there are many ways you can care for your skin at home, and we’ll be talking about just a few of them today! If you’re interested in learning more about how you can achieve and maintain glowing skin at home, you’re in the right place! Let’s get right into it. 

Protect Your Skin From the Sun

One of the most important, yet arguably overlooked, ways to achieve healthy, youthful skin is by protecting it from the sun. Too much exposure to ultraviolet light, or UV rays, can damage skin cells and even lead to skin cancer. Sun damage is one of the leading causes of aging skin, due to the fact that UV rays penetrate the skin and damage elastic fibers that keep skin firm. This, in turn, causes wrinkles to develop. The good news is that sun damage can be avoided by using sunscreen. 

Choose a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or greater– And apply it daily. Yes, sunscreen should be used every day, even when it’s not exactly sunny out. The sun emits UV rays year-round, no matter the weather or season. Even on overcast days, up to 80% of the sun’s radiation reaches the Earth. It is also important to keep in mind that your face is not the only part of your skin that needs to be protected. Sunscreen should be applied to any part of the skin exposed to the sun. So, whether you’re walking your dog, doing some gardening, or sitting by the pool, you’ll want to put on some sunscreen!

You can also protect your skin from the sun by wearing a wide-brimmed hat and by avoiding sunbathing. Unfortunately, seeing a suntan means skin damage has occurred. Try opting for a self-tanner instead! 

Develop a Skincare Routine

Another great way to care for your skin is by developing a skincare routine– And sticking to it! The first step to creating a skincare routine is by determining your skin type. Generally, there are 5 different skin types: Normal, dry, combination, oily, and sensitive. Let’s take a closer look at what these skin types look like:

• Normal: This skin type is not too oily or too dry, and has no or very few imperfections. There is no severe sensitivity and barely visible pores.
• Dry: A dry skin type may have a dull complexion, red patches, less elasticity, and cracking or peeling. 
• Combination: Combination skin is typically dry in some areas and oily in others. There may be some blemishes and skin may appear shiny in some areas.
• Oily: This skin type may appear shiny, have enlarged pores, and is generally prone to blackheads, pimples, or other blemishes. 
• Sensitive: Sensitive skin may have a lot of redness and be prone to itching, burning, and dryness. 

Determining your skin type will help you determine what products to use. For example, there are products that are fragrance-free, which would best suit sensitive skin, and products that are alcohol-free, which are great for dry skin, and so on. A basic skincare routine should include a cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen. Even if you have oily skin, you’ll still want to moisturize– Moisturizers help hold the water in the outer layer of the skin to keep it hydrated. You don’t want to lose your skin’s hydration or natural oils, as that can result in your skin ramping up its oil production to compensate. Yikes!

If you want a more in-depth skincare routine, you can incorporate other products into your regimen, such as toners and serums. 

Be Gentle

No matter what products you decide to incorporate into your skincare routine or use on your skin periodically, you’ll want to be gentle– Especially on your face. Things like daily cleansing and shaving can take a toll on your skin over time. With that in mind, you’ll want to avoid harsh products that can do more harm than good to your skin. Strong cleansers and soaps can strip the natural oils from your skin, so opt for mild products. 

Cleansers and soaps aren’t the only things to be careful of, however. Things such as hot water and long baths can also strip oils from your skin, drying it out. It can also damage the surface of the skin, and over time this can develop into more serious skin problems such as inflammation and eczema. Long, hot showers can also worsen acne and psoriasis. To avoid this, try cutting down your shower or bath time, and use warm water rather than hot. 

You should also treat your skin gently by shaving carefully. Repeated shaving can cause inflamed hair follicles, itching, and ingrown hairs. Since shaving affects the upper layer of skin, it can dry it out and make you more prone to outside irritation. A good way to combat this is by applying a shower cream or gel before shaving. This lubricates the skin and protects it. You should also use a clean, sharp razor, and be sure to shave in the direction that your hair grows, rather than against it! Another way to care for your skin is by patting dry with a towel after washing or bathing, rather than rubbing a rough towel all over your skin. This is not only gentle on your skin, but helps retain some moisture. 

As you can see, there are many simple ways you can care for your skin at home and help maintain a youthful appearance. These were just a few of the ways you can take care of your skin, and there are more to come in our next blog! We hope you found this article helpful, and we hope to see you back for part two! Here at The Breast Place, we are dedicated to helping you feel more confident in your skin. We offer facial rejuvenation services including dermal fillers, laser treatment, and more! Additionally, we offer breast imaging services and provide consultations, clinical breast exams, and dedicated treatment plans. We strongly encourage you to reach out to us for a consultation if you have any questions or concerns pertaining to our service areas– We are committed to empowering women, and we are proud to offer treatments and products to help you look and feel your best. Thank you for taking the time to read today’s article and we hope you’ll check back in for future posts about treatments, wellness, and more!