Thank you for your question. The skin concerns you describe would be better diagnosed in person for the most effective treatment. We recommend that you have a consult with one of our Skin Renewal doctors or a dermatolgist.
Several factors contribute to an even complexion and rough skin, including the amount of collagen and elastin present in the skin. Collagen and elastin are the proteins responsible for skin elasticity, tone, and texture, and are affected by diet, age, hormones, skin products, cosmetic treatments, and overall health. In order to achieve smooth skin and a radiant complexion, it is important to understand how these factors affect one another. The first step you can take to improve your skin texture is to identify the culprits behind less-than-perfect skin.
There are a number of simple steps you can take to achieve smooth skin and a vibrant complexion.
• Cleanse – Skin that is free of excess oil and debris is going to look and feel better. If you have dry or oily skin, you may want to find a cleanser specifically suited to your skin type.
• Exfoliate – Simple cleansing is usually not enough to improve skin texture. Exfoliation helps remove excess skin, oil, and dirt from the top layer of the skin, making it less prone to roughness and breakouts. Usually, a gentle facial scrub will do the trick; however, if your skin texture is very rough or uneven, aesthetic in exfoliation office treatments will help smooth your skin and brighten your complexion.
• Moisturize – Even if you have acne-prone skin or an oily complexion, it is still important to keep your skin hydrated by using a daily moisturizer combined with regular spa or at-home masque treatments.
• Protect – Sun damage is among the leading contributors to roughened skin texture and uneven tone, not to mention skin cancer. Therefore, it is crucial to protect your skin by wearing a sunscreen or moisturizer with an SPF of 15 or higher every time you are outside
Home Therapies:
• At Skin Renewal we offer traditional therapy such as home prescriptives containing Alpha and Beta Hydroxy acids as well as the NeoStrata brand which is only available at doctors’ offices. Neostrata Ultra Daytime Smoothing Cream with SPF 15 and Ultra Smoothing cream are formulated with anti-aging, rejuvenating and resurfacing benefits for daytime moisturizing and broad-spectrum UVA/UVB sun protection against daily casual sun exposure. Neostrata Face Cream plus is an extra strength, emollient exfoliating cream formulated to improve dry or photo-aged skin on the face and neck. This high strength AHA product should only be used after a period of treatment with the Ultra Smoothing Cream. Over time these products will retexturise and improve the appearance of rough skin.
The dryness, uneven skin tone and tiny bumps on your face that you describe may also be diagnosed as Keratosis Pilaris (KP) but can be better diagnosed in person. KP is a very common skin disorder seen in many people of all ages. It is a benign condition that presents as numerous small, rough, red, or tan bumps primarily around hair follicles on the upper arms, legs, buttocks, and sometimes cheeks. KP creates a "goose bumps," "gooseflesh," or "chicken skin" appearance on the skin. It can be mistaken for acne.
Check out this link for further information on Keratosis Pilaris: http://www.medicinenet.com/keratosis_pilaris/page3.htm
For patients with this benign skin occurrence, general measures to prevent excessive skin dryness, such as using mild soapless cleansers, are recommended. Frequent use of a cosmeceutical skin moisturizer is also the mainstay of treatment for nearly all cases. Best results may be achieved with combination therapy using topical products and physical treatments like gentle exfoliation, professional manual extraction of whiteheads, facials, microdermabrasion, and chemical peels.
A combination of in-clinic treatments may be helpful as adjunctive treatment. Depending on the doctors diagnosis and treatment plan, options may include chemical peels, microdermabrasion, photodynamic therapy (PDT), ALA, Levulan, blue light, laser, and Intense Pulsed Light (IPL). Overall, a combination of in-office treatments and a physician-directed home-maintenance skin-care routine is ideal.
