Skin Care Products For All Skin Types
Kidzworld interviewed dermatologist Viseslav Tonkovic-Capin to get his top ten skincare tips and product recommendations for teens
Nov 26, 2019Dr. Viseslav Tonkovic-Capin is a top-rated dermatologist and the editor at DermBoard, a website that educates the public about common skin problems. Read on to discover Dr. T's recommendations for moisturizers, the best facial razor for teenage boys, the right way to pop a pimple (if you must), and the best makeup to use, as well as tips on daily skin care. In our interview, Dr. T also emphasized how important it is to set good skincare habits early in life – your skin and the mirror will thank you for many years to come!
Cleaner, healthier skin is just ten steps away!Courtesy of Park Street
1. Use Moisturizers
Dr. T recommends bland moisturizers such as Aveeno, Cetaphil, CeraVe, Vanicream, and even plain Vaseline.
2. Wet the skin before applying moisturizer
To increase moisture in the skin, it would be good to wet the skin with plain water before applying the moisturizer or use a moisturizer immediately after showering, i.e., before drying the skin out.
3. Gently cleanse the skin twice daily
The next important step in keeping skin healthy is to use a gentle and consistent skincare regimen. The cornerstone of every skincare regimen in the winter is twice daily, cleanse your skin skin with any mild, gentle skin cleanser. That is important because any pollutant that sticks to the skin can damage skin, cause breakouts, and age skin much faster. Dr. T recommends moist cleansing pads over the washes because pads have a slight exfoliative effect and improve skin circulation due to gentle massage. Plus pads are more convenient and easier to use. Any pads with glycolic or salicylic acid (for skin prone to acne) would do it. In general, no additional exfoliation is needed, because it may cause irritation and a myriad of other skin issues from infections to eczema.
Steer clear of perfumed or fancy skin cleansers
4. No hot showers
Avoid showering or washing with hot water because it will strip out the skin's natural moisturizer called sebum.
5. Protect the skin from the sun and ultraviolet radiation
Ideally, it's best to avoid exposure to the sun in the times of the day when your shadow is shorter than you are. To protect you skin at any time of day, begin with clean skin. Wash your face with a gentle cleanser, then apply moisturizing sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher. The best sunscreen to use would be a mineral-based sunscreen. Read the label and look for sunscreens that feature titanium dioxide or zinc oxide.
6. Apply moisturizer on the skin before you go to sleep at night
At night repeat all the steps mentioned in step 3 (gently cleansing the skin), but instead of the sunscreen, apply a moisturizer or a hydrating face mask. Dr. T recommends moisturizers composed of hyaluronic acid, glycerin, or plant-based ceramides. These moisturizers will keep skin soft, youthful, and well hydrated.
7. Keep taking care of your overall health- eat real food, drink water, sleep, and exercise
The final step to having healthy skin is to do the best you can to maintain and improve your general health. That is achieved by: getting a good night's sleep of about 8 hours, avoiding smoking, vaping and exposure to polluted air, avoiding sugary and processed foods, eating foods that are closest to its form found in nature, eating more calories from vegetables and fruits than from meats, drinking much more of water than any other liquid, and exercising at least 4 times a week.
Take care of your overall health with fresh air, exercise, and healthy eatingCourtesy of Taeduz Lakota
8. Use loose mineral makeup
If you wear makeup, use loose powdered mineral makeup like bronzer, blush, and eyeshadow. As a general rule, pasty and pressed types of makeup can clog pores. Apply only enough makeup to enhance your natural look and keep your skin looking natural to avoid breakouts. Also, remove any makeup as soon as it is socially acceptable.
9. Shaving tips for boys
Look for brands that are designed to reduce razor bumps such as The Bevel. Be gentle and slow while shaving.
10. The safest way to deal with a pimple is to leave it alone
Unfortunately, that is easier said than done. Covering up a single pimple actually may look worse than the pimple itself, and it may signal to people around you some level of insecurity, which we all have, but we hide it in less obvious ways. It is easier to tolerate a pimple when you gain the understanding that at least 80% of teenagers suffer from acne. So you are in the largest teenage club there is.
To conceal a pimple, I would not use anything else other than a loose mineral foundation such as bareMinerals.
If you really want to pop your pimple, do it in a controlled and calm fashion to avoid scarring or to make it even bigger and more painful.Courtesy of Scott Webb
Dr. T recommends the so-called tip-to-tip method
- Clean the pimple with rubbing alcohol and then use a sterilized needle to pierce the tip of the pimple without causing the bleeding.
- Gently squeeze the surrounding skin with your finger knuckles (not fingernails that harbor millions of bacteria) in an attempt to express the pus.
- To reduce the redness, you may try dabbing it with Afrin spray (nasal decongestant), which will shrink blood vessels.
- You may also try dabbing it with over-the-counter hydrocortisone 1% cream for a couple of days, which will calm the inflammation and swelling down.
Have Your Say
Do you take good care of your skin? What's the hardest part about skincare for you? Join the conversation and add to the comments below!
