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Our skin protects the rest of our body from the outside elements. It is the largest organ of our body and gives us the shape and structure that others see when they look at us. Our skin adapts to the outside environment while it accepts or rejects things we put on it such as soap, skin care products, and cosmetics. Our skin can decide what is "user friendly" to your body such as the natural constituents of your own skin.

Some of the ingredients that are found in your skin include vitamin E, collagen, elastin, vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, and lactic and citric acids. If these types of substances are used on your skin there is less risk of an allergic reaction or sensitivity. Use of soap or astringents can result in a change of texture of the skin. A good skincare product will help to replenish the natural ingredients of the skin while protecting your skin from the elements.

It is important to understand that there are many different types of skin. These types can be differentiated using many different criteria. The first way is by the color of your skin. Type I is very white or freckled skin usually associated with reddish colored hair and green/blue eyes. Those with Type I skin should avoid the sun as they always burn. Type II is white skin usually with blonde hair and blue eyes and is still highly susceptible to the sun. Type III is light olive skin usually with brown hair. Those with Type III skin can usually tan without burning as they are not as sensitive to the sun. Types IV - VI are deepening shades of brown to black and rarely have sunburns.

Another way of grouping skin types is by the aging process. From age 25-35, we have very little wrinkling and require little if any makeup. From 35-50, we begin the signs of early wrinkling and loss of some color requiring makeup. The wrinkles become more persistent from age 50-65 and we start to develop some signs of sun damage to our skin including actinic keratoses. Most of us now wear makeup all the time. Over age 60, the signs of aging stigmata appear including both wrinkling and gravitational pulls. Actinic keratoses become more prominent and possible skin cancers appear. At this point, most of us have a problem covering our imperfections with makeup.

What can we do to stop this process and protect our skin from the damage done to it by the sun? The first thing we should all do is always wear a good sunscreen. Remember that in Gainesville, we live very close to the thirty-second parallel. If you remember your geography, this is called the Tropic of Cancer. We are exposed to the sun all year long thereby exposing ourselves to potential skin cancers as we mature.

Aging skin is another concern of all of us. There are many products available both from your physician and in the local stores. What product is right for you depends on an analysis of your skin type and aging status? This should be done by someone trained in skincare and the modes available for enhancement of your skin type.

The use of PCA peels which are applied by a trained technician help to exfoliate the outer layer of your skin while helping to lighten and even out the skin tones. These peels can be done at different levels by calculating the number of applications according to your individual needs. This treatment can also be used on some acne patients in combination with a good homecare regimen and topical and systemic antibiotics. Other types of peels include Pumpkin peels, Oxygenating peels, and Rosacea treatments. All of these are individualized procedures for which a physician and aesthetician must analyze your skin needs.

The newest skin care phenomenon to arrive in America came to us from the physicians and aestheticians in Europe. This new method of treatment of the skin is microdermabrasion. The first machines developed in Europe used a small rotating brush to sand the skin's irregular areas. Problems with the technique were that the rotation of the brush generated heat, which could cause burns and damage the skin. The machines available to us today are non-invasive. They deliver a steady stream of micro crystals through a smooth applicator to the skin. This technique respects the skin's integrity, minimizes any possible trauma to the skin, and creates healthy, vital skin by thinning the skin and leveling the skin's irregular surfaces. This leaves your skin smooth while promoting new collagen growth. These treatments should be performed only after a physician and aesthetician have examined your skin and decided that this is the best treatment for you. These treatments can also be used in conjunction with other types of peels and homecare products. Microdermabrasion also works best when done in a series of treatments by an ongoing revitalization of the skin.

We have the technology to help us look as young as we feel through good skin care products and treatments. Although these will help to slow down the aging process, we must remember that these treatments cannot remove excess skin or remove deep wrinkles. For these problems, more extensive treatment may be necessary such as facelift, blepharoplasty, laser resurfacing, Botox injections, and strong chemical peels.