The birds are finally singing. We’re coming out of a long hard winter.  We almost broke records with 61 days of snow on the ground. 61 days of bundling up in coats, scarves and boots to stay warm. 61 days of the furnace cranked up and drying out our skin. But this week, I’ve heard my friend, the determined Wood Pecker perched outside my window, hailing the coming of spring. Buds are appearing on the trees, new growth everywhere we look, and sweater weather.  As we role into spring, now is the time to take stock of our skin care routine, add an extra step, and possibly alter a few regimens.

 I went right to the source for the answer.  Several sources actually, because we approach the skin from several angles, topical at home skin care, treatments in a spa with a medical esthetician, or laser tech and medical procedures involving Physicians. I spoke with paramedical esthetician Kris Popowski at the Dermatology & Laser Center in Denver about what we can do to hydrate and “tune up” our overheated dry pasty skin. “Exfoliated skin retains moisture better, and the first thing that comes to mind is an in-office mechanical skin exfoliation treatment such as light microdermabrasion to remove top superficial layers of dead skin and allow treatments to penetrate better.” Says Popowski. What can be done at home, I ask? I for one have shelves full of half used cleansers, scrubs and moisturizers that I abandoned for the new and improved products advertised in magazines and Television. Kris replied, “To exfoliate at home you can use products containing alpha-hydroxy acids or retinol.” With all that “stuff” on my shelves, can’t I just use what I have? Why do I need to come in for a professional service? I ask.  Kris helped me to understand. “I like to use the analogy of teeth cleaning. You brush your teeth at home but then go in to the dentist to have your teeth professionally cleaned.” You are not going to have the same dentist clean results with just using your toothbrush. Women can use home skin care products and the mass market store-bought microdermabrasion type wands but it won’t be the same as in-office treatments”

 Skin care is big business, and many brands tout amazing results in a short amount of time. These claims don’t always deliver those results because products sold through mass-market retail stores, department stores or salons and spas, are cosmeceutical. The product won’t have the potency to treat the skin as well as skin care products tagged pharmaceutical.  Skin care products sold and supervised through a physician or medical esthetician usually have higher percentage of key ingredients that give you more bang for the buck.

Consulting with experts may even save you money.  Dr. John Bershof with the Plastic Surgery Group, and owner of Body by Design a medical spa, in Denver says  “A good skin care esthetician will evaluate a person’s concerns and put them on a skin care program that works specifically for them.  The patient will only purchase what she needs. She will know how to use the products, apply them correctly, and use them in the correct order.  People need to be educated consumers, says Bershof.  The patient might supplement her at home program with medical spa treatments such as Botox, fillers, microdermabrasion or an office peel. When a skin care program is designed by a medical spa, the esthetician will follow up with the patient making sure she is applying her products correctly and not using something she no longer needs.”

Susan Strasburg at body by Design offers her take on spring skin tune up. “Even though we have had so much snow the air is dry. Says Strasburg. A lot of people think that just putting products like moisturizer on their skin is going to help them through this.  You need to get the dead layer off to jump-start your skin for spring.  I usually give my clients options with either a few sessions of in-office microdermabrasion treatments or a peel and at home skin care, or send the patient home with skin care products like Obaji and three or four weeks later when that dead stratum corneum layer starts to loosen, they can come in and I can get that dead skin layer off with a treatment. But it’s not a one-time thing. Says Strasburg, like having your hair hi-lighted you’ll have to keep it up for the best results. Like working out at the gym, or going on a diet, it’s a program.” What’s the costs of all this I ask. “I am concerned with people’s budgets, says Susan, and I’ll work with them to give them what they need even if it’s just a few products that can incorporate with products they might already own.”

I watched with permission as Strasburg’s client Brenda, received injections in her nasal labial folds of a new filler called Juvérderm. The area was instantly smoothed and plumped giving a more youthful appearance. Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring sugar found in the human body. The gel temporarily adds volume to facial tissue and restores a smoother appearance to the face. A local anesthetic was applied first, and Brenda was comfortable with the treatment and happy with the results. It was terrific and all I can say is where do I sign up!

Laser technician Paula Maes of Denver Vein Center helps her clients get ready for spring using the newest infrared light treatment. IPL (Intelligent Pulse Light) machines help rid the skin of last year’s sun damage, including broken capillaries, freckles, age spots, and helps to improve the overall appearance of the skin. It can even be done during a lunch hour. “It takes a few minutes and doesn’t involve messy gels or topical anesthetics. Says Maes.  IPL targets the pigment and just a few treatments is all that is needed. The newer Cutera laser IPL works for all skin types … and can give the treatment anywhere on the body that has sun damage.”

Sunscreen is an all-important step to protecting your skin all year round. ”There’s a new over the counter sunscreen that offers protection from both ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation. Just approved by the FDA Anthelios SX manufactured by L’Oreal is better at blocking the sun’s harmful effects and will be available soon” say’s Kris Popowski.

 “Treat last year’s sun damage first says Laser Tech, Paula Maes. If there is already sun damage you will be prone to get more sun damage if you don’t use sunscreen protection with Zinc Oxide.

Another spring to summer tune up is removal of superfluous hair, and laser hair removal might be the ticket. “We won’t treat anyone with blond, red, grey or white hair though. says Maes. The laser needs to be targeted towards pigment and those hair colors don’t carry enough pigment in the follicle.” Susan Strasburg with Body by Design, offers a way to get rid of dead skin with an added bonus for removing facial peach fuzz using a different type of exfoliation service called Dermaplane. After the skin is cleansed and possibly treated with an in-office peel, Strasburg uses a specially designed instrument to gently scrape away dead skin, and  unwanted facial hair.

Strausburg noted, “We try to teach people that you can have a face-lift, your jawline cleaned up, or your eyes done, but if your skin looks old, you are not going to be happy with your face-lift.” So when someone comes in and Dr. Bershof feels they are pre-mature in wanting surgical procedures, he’ll send them to the medical spa for treatments, to smooth, soften, plump, and revitalize the skin tone. “If we haven’t met all her concerns. then we’ll send her back to Dr. Bershof for a consultation”

 As the weather warms up, we’ll be bringing out our shorts, skirts and sandals, and taking a closer look at our bare legs.  Dr. Denise Norton of Denver Vein Center mentioned that spring is the perfect time to treat varicose veins, and spider veins in your legs, with safe, effective treatments that will allow you return to normal activities in one to two days.

In the end all our experts agree sunscreen is one of the most important products you can use to ward off the signs of aging.

Dr. Libby Shurnas at the Dermatology & Laser Center noted ”I still think, topical therapies to minimize the aging process is the consistent use of sunscreens".

Our skin care routine doesn’t stop with the face. Legs, feet, arms, chest and back will be uncovered soon and our skin care programs must incorporate the total body. While your tuning up your skin care routines, be sure to see your physician for your annual check of moles, and spots. We want to stay healthy, and vibrant.  The key to your spring skin tune up is a healthy diet, lots of water, and to cleanse, exfoliate, treat and protect your skin both at home and with the help of an expert.