Rejuvenate Your Skin After Summer! Plastic Surgeon Reveals Must-Have Treatments That Turn Back Time

Closer spoke to Dr. Norman Rowe M.D., board certified plastic surgeon, about in-office treatments that help turn back time.

There has been a lot of buzz around blepharoplasty lately. What is it exactly, and who is a candidate?

“A blepharoplasty procedure is an excision of the extra skin of either the upper eyelid, lower eyelid or both — and is sometimes accompanied by removal of excess fat, or addition of fat, depending on what the patient needs. A candidate for a blepharoplasty is someone who has excess skin on their upper or lower eyelids and is always being told they look tired. For minor amounts of excess skin, a laser will sometimes suffice or at least buy the patient more time before they actually need surgery.”

How can laser skin resurfacing help reverse damage done after spending months in the summer sun?

“A laser can either fully or partially ablate the upper layer [of the skin]. A new upper layer regrows from the foundation of the lower dermal layer. The new upper layer of skin is less wrinkled and can be free of any type of colored blemishes. Certain lasers can also penetrate deeper than the skin to help form collagen, which makes skin look much more youthful.”

What other “lunchtime” treatments can help treat sun-damaged skin?

“I am a big fan of microneedling, [which] is a method by which very small holes — much smaller than human hair, in fact — are made in the skin. These holes force our skin to make more collagen, which is a good thing [because it] helps get rid of wrinkles. An adjunct to microneedling is to then apply nutrient-rich skincare topically so it penetrates through the small holes and replenishes vital molecules that skin needs to be healthy.”

As summer glows start to fade, insecurities about dull skin start to creep in. Are there any treatments that instantly boost skin’s radiance?

“I’m a big fan of treating patients aggressively after the summer season. This includes microneedling, lasers, Retin-A treatment, and a variety of other acid peels in order to rejuvenate skin.”

Are there any topical treatments that can mimic the youthful results of needle injections?

“There are a variety of noninvasive methods that do not involve a needle — and, in most instances, the ones that do are relatively pain-free after the application of a topical anesthetic. That being said, as the fall season rolls around, most of my patients go back on retinol treatment, which is applied daily or every other day to improve the color, texture and quality of skin.”