by Melanie Buckley PA-C

As a practicing Physician Assistant (PA) specializing in dermatology, I educate patients
every day on how to achieve and maintain the healthiest skin possible, both medically
and cosmetically. Here are my top 10 tips for healthy skin:

Wear sunscreen daily
The most important and simplest key to protecting yourself from skin cancer and aging
of the skin is to wear sunscreen every day of the year. Put it on each morning. It should
be as fundamental as brushing your teeth. Even on cloudy dark days, we are exposed to
ultra violet radiation (UVR) coming through the windows of our offices, homes, and cars.
Incidental damage adds up, and this cumulative UV exposure is responsible for increased
risk of skin cancer, as well as the aesthetic downfalls such as wrinkling and discoloration
of the skin.

For daily use, apply a SPF 15 or higher every morning on sun-exposed areas. If you
are planning to be outdoors, I recommend using a sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher,
containing zinc or titanium, and reapplying this every two hours. In addition to wearing
sunscreen while enjoying the outdoors, take other measures to be sun smart: find shade,
and wear a hat and sun protective clothing.

Avoid tanning beds
Since we are taking the above precautions to avoid UVR, it would be crazy to use tanning
beds. Avoid these, as there are no health benefits to their use. Tanning beds use primarily
UV-A radiation, which is known to be responsible for skin cancer development and aging
of the skin. Safe ways to achieve a tan are spray tans and self-tanning lotions.

Have a skin cancer screening
Everyone should have a skin cancer screening performed by a dermatology PA, nurse
practitioner, or dermatologist. Depending on your individual risks and health history,
a skin exam should be done once a year, or more frequently as recommended by your
provider. In addition, once a month, examine your own skin so you can become familiar
with your own moles and other lesions. If you see new or changing spots, have them
examined by your dermatology provider.

Don’t smoke
Smoking causes premature aging and yellowing of the teeth and skin. The tobacco that is
released into the air also dries out your skin. The smoke you inhale constricts the flow of
blood to blood vessels, which restricts the amount of essential nutrients that your body is
supplying to your skin.

Use a Vitamin A cream
Use a Vitamin A cream several nights a week. These topical medications exfoliate the

skin. Vitamin A creams can prevent pre-skin cancer, reverse sun damage and stimulate
collagen to help smooth out wrinkles. These also help lighten brown sun spots. Retin-
A, Renova, Differin, and Tazorac, are Vitamin A creams available by prescription. I also
recommend the Epionce skin care line, which contains a lytic medication that has the
same benefits.

Use an antioxidant
Reverse inflammation of the skin with an antioxidant. Free radicals are normal by-
products of skin metabolism, UV exposure, and pollution, and they are damaging to
the skin. Antioxidants remove free radicals. This can help reduce redness and help to
even skin tone. Antioxidants are found in green tea, alpha lipoic acid, Coenzyme Q10,
many sunscreens, and soy, to name a few sources. I recommend Obagi Vitamin C serum
applied once or twice a day.

Take Vitamin D
I recommend patients take Vitamin D as a supplement. New research has shown that
we need 1,000 units daily. It is possible to get this through your diet alone, but the vast
majority of us aren’t able to do so. It also is possible to get Vitamin D from sunning, but
this is not easily done and can lead to sun damaged skin and an increased risk of skin
cancer.

Drink lots of water
Try to drink eight glasses of water a day. This helps your skin stay hydrated, which keeps
it feeling and looking refreshed and supple. This, in turn, can help fight off developing
wrinkles.

Sleep
Maintain a regular sleep schedule. Sleep is the body’s time to restore itself and to
reenergize its organs and skin. Here are some tips to help you sleep well: Go to bed and
get up at the same time every day; keep the bedroom quiet, dark, and comfortable; avoid
caffeine at least six hours before bed; and avoid exercise four hours before bed.

Use a soap-free cleanser
Wash your skin with a gentle soap-free cleanser. These clean even oily skin and help
prevent rebound oiliness that can occur with harsh cleansers. Some recommendations are
Epionce cleansers, Cetaphil, and Cereve. Do not scrub or wash too hard; wash lightly in
a circular motion. This helps to keep the blood flow in your skin and does not allow the
essential oils to escape.

Melanie Buckley, PA-C Dermatology Specialist, sees patients at EPHC’S Portola Clinic. Call for informationor to schedule an appointment: 530.832.6600.