April 2007. “Your skin is so beautiful! What do you do?!?” I get asked this question all of the time….with every new personal training client it seems, and the funny thing is, until recently, I was ashamed of my skin.

After spending about 6 months researching my alternatives, and without having thousands, or even hundreds of dollars to spend in spa, esthetician, and surgeon fees, came up with my own totally affordable program--one based on today’s best science and would like to pass it on to you. Why?! Because it really works!

About Your Skin. It is a multi-layered organ which helps itself to everything you eat and drink, and all of the vapors, waters, and other pollutants and toxins that touch it. Each of these items, skin care products included, pass through the epidermis where they can damage and/or irritate. So the first point of advice is….be very careful about what you walk through, bathe in and put on your skin!

Next, you need to understand that the sun is a danger to you. If your aim is to look young and have vibrant skin, you simply must begin to avoid it. Sunscreen is your new best friend…and lots of it. I’ve begun ordering it by the case on line. And since I continue to be outside with fitness classes and runners, I make sure to apply it within 15-30 minutes of going outside and then again every 2 hours while I’m out in it. I still get tan lines! But at least I’m doing everything I can to minimize the damage.

About Sunscreen. Do you know that scientific studies have recently proven that the damage your skin sustains beginning 2 hours after putting on sunscreen after the sunscreen begins to sink into your layers of skin, is many times worse than if you had not applied it at all?! So you have to decide whether or not to use it. And then you have to decide to reapply it. I have decided to use it because I am in the sun for seeming hours every day. If I don’t use protection, I will definitely have a reoccurrence of my basal cell carcinoma. If I were only traveling back and forth to my car once a day, I might not use any. You‘ll have to decide which strategy fits your lifestyle best.

About Collagen and Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid). The collagen-based serums, potions and moisturizers you spend lots of money on are worthless. Collagen molecules are too large to pass through your skin all by themselves. The only way to get them inside is to inject them. But because we all learn that collagen is the building block of healthy skin, we believe that we should purchase the products that claim to have it. But in the end, we are only wasting our money. In the end, the only way to increase the level of collagen in our skin is to increase the building block of collagen….vitamin c….and to increase the stimulation of collagen growth….by using acids and lasers strong enough to break down the surface layers of the skin which causes skin to rejuvenate itself (it needs vitamin c to work its rejuvenation!).

About Acids. There are many types of acids that, when applied, serve to break down the surface –to-deeper layers of the skin. You can purchase products which contain these acids in most drug stores, or you can purchase professional grade (higher levels of acid) from estheticians and in spas. Some, like salicylic acid, serve to clean out pores while very gently removing surface oil and dead skin. Others, like glycolic acid, serve to seriously break down the surface layer. Generally stores carry products with 10% glycolic acid, but you’ll find 30%-50% being used in spas and skin care centers. Trichloroacetic acid (TCA) goes further into the skin layers and can be very dangerous if caution and good judgment are not used. This type of acid is only sold by professionals as it can totally destroy the skin (which is what makes it so effective and proven to actually remove wrinkles). This acid is used at any where from 8% (mild) to 30% (dangerously strong). And it requires down time. It requires that you stay completely out of the sun for many days, and then seriously avoid the sun for a week. It requires a salve for one to 2 days and it may cause alarm when pieces-to-chunks of your skin begin to turn brown, crumble, and fall off. It is not for the faint of heart.

About Moisturizer. Again, if you are spending more than $20 or $30 a container, you are wasting your money. A nice hyaloronic serum which pulls moisture into your skin, and a basic cream or lotion like Cetaphil is all that is required. That and perhaps a shot of vitamin e oil before bed (don’t worry, the acid face washes remove any oils so that you should never have clogged pores).

With that level of knowledge let me tell you what I do:

Over the course of the winter, I use a TCA peel (I do it myself) of ~12% at the first Thursday of each month. I do it on Thursday so that I can hide in my home Saturday and Sunday. The skin usually turns brown and begins to fall away at about the 36 hour mark so nothing is readily apparent until about Friday evening when I’m back safe at home.

I do one peel each month for 3-6 months…usually October, November, December, January and February. Being in the sunny south means that there is usually too much sunlight for them to continue into March.

Then, I switch to a weekly 30% glycolic acid which I apply each Saturday morning.

I purchase my TCA and glycolic acids at various locations online. Search google.com and you’ll find sites that sell it.

I also do a vitamin C infusion peel ( Philosophy 2 Step Micro Delivery Peel ) each Wednesday.

And I wash each morning (after my run) with Neutrogena’s Oil Free Acne Wash Cream Cleanser. It washes out my pores with its salicylic acid.

What do you I each day? Here’s the detail.

Morning
1. Wash with Neutrogena’s Oil Free Acne Wash Cream Cleanser. It washes out my pores with its salicylic acid.
2. Use a hyaloronic serum or my "Anti Wrinkle 55" serum (sold here: http://thebodysculptress.com/bodysculpt_kit.htm all over my face, even on the eyes.
3. Put a dime-sized glob of Cetaphil Cream and a pinky-fingernail full of powdered vitamin c into the palm of my hand. Mix well. Apply all over my face, avoiding the eyes.
4. Apply Coppertone Sport SPF 50 all over my face, neck and chest, avoiding the eyes.
5. Dust the eyes (or the sunscreen will cause your mascara, etc, to bleed) with translucent powder.
6. Apply makeup as desired.

Evening
1. Remove eye makeup with a good makeup remover—any drugstore brand.
2. “Wash” with Ponds Cold Cream and wipe off with a tissue (we generally overwash our faces and strip them of essential oils!).
3. Apply Ponds Time Rewind which has alpha hydroxides which stimulate collagen growth.
4. After #3 has absorbed (5 to 60 minutes) apply a good coat of Cetaphil Cream to entire face…even over eyes.

Summer Saturdays
1. Apply 30% glycolic acid before morning regime.

Summer Wednesdays
1. Apply Philosophy’s 2 Step Micro Delivery Peel at some point during the day.

Winter Thursdays
1. Apply 12% TCA after evening sessions and follow specific treatment directions for post-treatment skin care over the weekend.

One Last Note. Just like in weight loss and body sculpting, what you eat is 80% of the process. The more food you eat that comes out of packages and bags, the more lines and wrinkles you subject yourself to. The more you adhere to a healthy diet….olive oil, nuts and legumes, lean proteins, lowfat dairy, fresh and cooked fruits and vegetables and whole grains, the better off you will be. That, and be sure to drink water, green tea, and a packet of vitamin c each day to support your collagen development!

This process had turned my skin from embarrassing to delightful! It has literally removed deep lines and has lessened others, while giving me even skin tone, increased elasticity and a very healthy glow. Perhaps it will for you, too.

A Word Of Caution. I am not a licensed esthetician and so I am not allowed by law to prescribe treatments to you. I share my own process so that you have something to go by in designing one for yourself, or in working with a professional who can set up something specific for your own needs. Please be advised that every face, chemistry, health history, interest, etc is unique and that you should make every effort to ensure that your interests and best health are served with your treatments.