Skin Care

The skin is the largest organ in the body and often the one we spend the most money on over the years. This is because it is the one organ that we look at every day in the mirror. It is the surface of the face we present to the outside world.

With aging, skin loses its elasticity and becomes thinner with the breakdown of collagen. This can be further aggravated by sun exposure and smoking. Manifestations of this process include irregularities of pigmentation, blemishes, skin tags, keratoses, and even skin cancer.

Fine wrinkles are due to the loss of collagen, elasticity and water in the tissues. Larger wrinkles are related to sagging of the skin and the activity of muscles that have occurred with expression over a lifetime. Larger and deeper wrinkles are treated with surgical procedures like a facelift, blepharoplasty or forehead lift. Fine wrinkles, blemishes and superficial skin growths can be improved with a medically prescribed skin program, and facial peels or laser treatments.

Attempting to rejuvenate the skin of the face with the use of over-the-counter products is not very successful. Each of these products contain ingredients that have an effect on the outer or superficial layers of the skin. While they moisturize the skin, which feels good and helps to keep the skin looking better, medically prescribed treatments reach the deeper layers of the skin and result in a more uniform improvement.

I have found that the use of Obagi Nu Derm program combines with the Obagi Blue Peel is the best ways to get the most out of skin care treatments for many patients. The Obagi Nu Derm products combine a well-tested, customized series of products that cleanse, moisturizer, and tighten the skin by stimulating all the layers of the skin to improve its appearance. Stimulation occurs with the balanced products in combination with Retin-A. Once the skin is rehabilitated, then fine lines and blemishes can be treated with a chemical peel known as the Obagi Blue Peel. This TCA peel is formulated to allow the surgeon to control the depth of the peel depending on the thickness of the skin on the face. This is helpful because the skin of the forehead is much thicker than the skin of the eyelids with the peri-oral and cheek skin somewhat in between. The Obagi Blue Peel allows the surgeon to uniformly treat the same layers of the skin according to the response that the skin has to the TCA peel.

We all know it takes each of us a long time to get our bodies into shape with exercise, it rarely requires as much work to stay in shape. The Obagi System helps the skin stay in shape. While it is intensive at first, it is less involved as time goes on and provides a long life of healthy skin.