Author: Dr. Jae Kim

What is Retinol?

Retinol is an anti-aging vitamin A-based ingredient widely used in topical skincare products. It works by reducing collagen breakdown in the skin and promoting cell turnover. As a result, it leaves skin plump and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Clinically prescribed to treat acne, products with retinol have been shown to reduce hyperpigmentation and to accelerate the renewal of superficial skin cells.

Retinol can be a vital component to a skincare regimen because not only does it promote the regeneration of smooth, healthy skin, but it also thickens the skin and evens skin tone.

What to Expect

Upon first use, most people experience irritation, but this is to be expected. It may be tough at first, so work your way up from 2-3 nights a week to nightly. It’s also important to wear SPF 30+ sunscreen and avoid unnecessary sun exposure. Retinol makes your skin more sensitive, so it’s necessary to take extra precaution to protect it for maximum comfort. With daily use, it takes 2-6 months to notice a difference in your skin health.

How to Add Retinol to your Regimen

To perfect your skincare regimen, apply your retinol along with your other night time serums after cleanser and toner. Follow it up with a good moisturizer, and don’t forget to wear sunscreen the following morning!

At Jae Kim, MD Facial Plastic Surgery, we offer various medical-grade retinol products to give you maximum anti-aging benefits. The PCA Skincare Retinol Brightening treatment and PCA Skincare Retinol Sensitive treatment are our patient favorites! The Brightening treatment works to create an even, bright and radiant complexion, and the sensitive treatment is specifically formulated for sensitive skin and is ideal for patients who are new to retinol. These nightly treatments boast significant age-defying properties such as reduction of discoloration and are a great addition to your skincare regimen!

We also carry the Alastin Renewal Retinol. This retinol product is safe for nightly use, and diminishes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and smooths skin texture and helps improve skin tone. It also uses potent hydrators to protect against dry skin.

Call our office at (703) 705-2100 for more information about retinol, sunscreen, and other services to look and feel your very best!

Why Skincare Routine

Your skin is the largest organ and is constantly exposed to the environment. Your facial skin, in particular, is subject to sun damage, irritants, allergens, and pollutants, just to name a few. It is very important to take care of your skin because you’re stuck with it your whole life. A little effort and consistency now can pay off years and decades later, and your healthy radiant skin will showcase the best version of you for a long time.

When Should I Start?

The general rule is, the earlier, the better. It is perfectly okay to start in your 20s. Many people wait to take care of their skin until a problem shows up, which isn’t the best approach. You should start a skincare routine to prevent issues from happening later. One thing to note is that whether if you’re trying to prevent skin problems or to address them, skincare is not a sprint, but a marathon. In order to achieve the best results, it’s better to take care of your skin with a consistent daily routine.

Washing My Face

Remember to wash with lukewarm or cool water. Although hot water opens up your pores, it can irritate and dry out your skin. Try to wash your face twice a day, morning and night. The buildup of oil and dirt on your skin must be removed to decrease irritation, inflammation, and/or acne breakouts.

When washing your face, resist the urge to scrub aggressively, as scrubbing irritates the skin. By using circular motions with your fingertips or with a gentle washcloth, you can effectively remove all the dirt and gunk off your skin.

Use the right cleanser for your skin type. For dry or sensitive skin types, a gentle or creamy cleanser works best. For those with oily skin, a gel or foamy cleanser might be a better option. Water-based alcohol-free cleansers are another great option for all skin types as well.

Here at Jae Kim, MD Facial Plastic Surgery, we carry two different cleansers (EltaMD Foaming Facial Cleanser and Alastin Gentle Cleanser) that are safe for any skin type. Remember to pat your face dry; rubbing your face with a towel may cause irritation and redness.

Morning Routine

Mornings are rough; however, it’s important to take care of your skin at the start of the day so that you keep looking fresh throughout the day!

Cleanse your tiredness away with EltaMD Foaming Cleanser, a gentle oil-free cleanser great for sensitive skin. After patting your face dry, apply the appropriate correctives for your area of concern. Have some skin discoloration or dullness? Try out PCA Skin Vitamin B3 Brightening Serum to brighten your skin and target those dark spots! Focusing on anti-aging, Alastin Restorative Skin Complex is a great product to help volumize your skin and get rid of those fine lines and wrinkles.

While targeting those areas of concern is important, it’s equally important to moisturize as well! Nourish and hydrate your skin with Alastin Ultra Nourishing Moisturizer. Don’t forget to moisturize your neck as well with PCA Skin Perfecting Neck and Decollete. Finally, always, always, always protect your skin with a sunscreen like EltaMD UV Daily or a tinted sunscreen like Alastin HydraTint Protecting Sunscreen!

Evening Routine

After a long day, it’s important to clear your skin of any dirt and gunk built up. Wash this layer of dirt off your skin with Alastin Gentle Cleanser, great for getting rid of any leftover makeup and environmental pollutants. Reduce any redness and even out skin tone with a retinol treatment like Alastin Renewal Retinol or PCA Skin Retinol Treatment for Sensitive Skin! Target the delicate eye area with Alastin Restorative Eye Treatment which reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles around the eye and the appearance of dark circles.

Remember to moisturize before going to bed! The best time for your skin to heal and regenerate is at night, so hydrate your skin with PCA Skin Hydraluxe which also improves skin fullness. As always, don’t forget to hydrate your neck and decollete as well with Alastin Neck Complex which helps improve the appearance of crepey skin, fine lines, and wrinkles!

Call Jae Kim, MD Facial Plastic Surgery at (703) 705-2100 to learn more about skincare, as well as our other services!

Niacinamide is one of two forms of vitamin B3. It is naturally found in animal-based products such as meat and poultry, and in many grain products. Because of its many skincare and antioxidant benefits, niacinamide is found in many products today.

Why is it good for my skin?

Working with the natural substances in your skin, niacinamide can help improve enlarged pores, fine lines, and wrinkles. It improves skin barrier function to lock in moisture and reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL), resulting in better hydration of the skin. Niacinamide is also known to reduce inflammation, which helps ease redness from eczema, acne, and other inflammatory skin conditions. For that reason, niacinamide can be applied on sensitive skin as well.

What products contain Niacinamide?

At Jae Kim, MD Facial Plastic Surgery, we have various products that contain this powerful antioxidant to help boost your skin. We proudly carry several skincare lines, including PCA Skin, Alastin, and EltaMD sunscreens.

Some of PCA Skin’s best selling products contain niacinamide, including Vitamin B3 Brightening Serum, which is great for improving dark spots. For a plumping effect, go with the Hyaluronic Acid Boosting Serum, which also has a unique delivery system to get ingredients working at a deeper level! If you have sensitive skin but want the benefits of retinol, PCA has two options: Retinol Treatment for Sensitive Skin, and Intensive Brightening Treatment.

PCA Skin and Alastin both feature excellent eye creams that contain niacinamide and are specially made for dark circles, fine lines, and wrinkles around the eyes. In fact, Dr. Kim himself uses Alastin’s Restorative Eye Treatment, and it is one of his favorite products!

Don’t forget your neck and decollete! Alastin’s Restorative Neck Complex contains niacinamide and is a great product to improve the appearance of wrinkles and hydrate the skin.

Protecting your skin from sun damage is vital to ensure that your skin looks great now and in the future. Try out EltaMD’s UV Clear SPF 46 (tinted or non-tinted) sunscreen to help protect your skin from harmful UV rays while calming your skin from irritation.

Call (703) 705-2100 for more information about these products and other services!

In May 2019, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published an article that certain ingredients in sunscreen products can be found in the bloodstream. The reaction and fallout were significant; people were calling for boycotts on sunscreens and investigations into the companies that make them. For something as important as skin health and protection, this issue requires a closer look. Does this research imply that sunscreen is bad for you?

The Finer Details

The study was performed by the US Food and Drug Administration on 24 participants across various skin types using four commercially available sunscreens. The participants were given the sunscreen in the form of a spray, lotion, or cream to apply over four days to 75% of their body. The goal was to measure the amount of four common sunscreen ingredients in the blood: avobenzone, oxybenzone, octocrylene, and ecamsule. Blood samples were taken from the participants at various intervals over 7 days. The results were fascinating, to say the least. All four ingredients were found in all patients’ blood samples, even after the four-day period of applying sunscreen.

What does this mean for your health?

Though similar studies have shown the same, significant questions persist. The effects of these chemicals on our health is still unknown and requires further research. In addition, the results of the study demonstrate not that sunscreen is unhealthy or harmful, but that the levels of these ingredients in the bloodstream are too high for the FDA to ignore and not require sunscreen companies to investigate this issue.

In this day and age of health consciousness, terms like organic, all-natural, cage-free, and the like, make us more aware of ingredients in everything we consume, and sunscreen is no exception. With that being said, the risks associated with sun exposure and harmful UV rays are well documented, and medical providers highly recommend the habitual use of sunscreen. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends daily use of sunscreen that offers at least 30 SPF, water resistance, and broad spectrum protection, with re-application every two hours of continuous sun exposure.

At Jae Kim, MD Facial Plastic Surgery, we offer medical-grade sunscreens that meet the AAD’s recommendations. Our bestseller is the Alastin Hydratint Pro Mineral SPF 36, which is a lightweight sunscreen that provides daily protection from damaging UVA/UVB rays. It also boasts a formulation that is rich in antioxidants that protect skin from environmental pollution and improve skin hydration!

We also proudly carry the EltaMD line of sunscreens, with tinted, untinted, and reef safe options! Our recommended daily sunscreen is the UV Daily SPF 40 which is formulated for both normal and combo skin. UV Clear SPF 46 is reef safe and great for sensitive and acne prone skin. It also contains anti-aging ingredients. UV Elements SPF 44 Tinted is water-resistant active sunscreen, recommended for patients who play sports or are otherwise facing the “elements”. Call our office at (703) 705-2100 for more information about sunscreen and other services to help you look and feel your very best!