Ideal Skin: In an ideal world, everyone would have soft, smooth skin with even tone and no pores to speak of. Unfortunately, that’s not the case and uneven skin textures are far more prevalent than many would suspect.
With the right products and routine, skin texture issues can be reversed. In this article we’ll outline ways you can improve it using scientifically backed treatments and ingredients.
1. Exfoliate Regularly
If your skin appears rough and flaky, patchy or itchy, this could be caused by dead cells building up on its surface. Exfoliation helps clear away these dead cells for smooth and soft results.
Exfoliation helps minimize acne and blackheads by unclogging pores and clearing away dead cells from the surface of skin, while simultaneously increasing absorption of moisturizers and serums into skin layers beneath.
Experts generally advise exfoliating two to three times every week using products and methods tailored specifically for your skin type. While more isn’t necessarily better when it comes to exfoliation, more aggressive scrubs or overexfoliation could irritate and dry out your skin causing dry patches or redness.
Improved skin texture may take time with at-home treatments alone, but cosmetic dermatologists can speed up results through professional services like chemical peels, laser resurfacing and facials. Central KY Dermatology offers consultations to explore what the best options for your specific skin type are.
2. Moisturize
Consistent skincare practices are key for improving skin texture. Utilizing moisturizer tailored specifically to your skin type helps eliminate dry patches and create an even, supple complexion. Moisturizers with occlusive ingredients provide additional moisture sealing properties to maintain soft, smooth skin on your face.
Bumps, visibly enlarged pores and rough patches are telltale signs of an unbalanced skin texture caused by acne, aging, dryness or genetics – not to mention, this kind of uneven texture often goes hand in hand with uneven skin tone or hyperpigmentation as well.
Although ideal skin may never exist – your pores serve a vital function after all – you can still achieve beautiful, poreless results with the appropriate routine and products. Below, board-certified dermatologists Loretta Ciraldo MD, Rosemarie Ingleton MD and Mona Gohara an licensed esthetician have shared their tips for smoothing out facial and body textures with exfoliation regularly, using retinol creams, moisturizers and sunscreen protection as part of a skincare regime.
3. Retinol
Retinol has taken the beauty industry by storm as an indispensable skincare ingredient for smooth, radiant skin. A derivative of vitamin A, regular use can minimize fine lines and wrinkles while also decreasing hyperpigmentation (such as post-acne marks) as well as improving tone and texture of skin tone and texture.
Accelerated cell turnover means that it accelerates dead skin cell turnover more efficiently and quickly, helping your skin shed dead cells more efficiently, thus improving skin texture and tone, as well as preventing rough patches from forming.
Retinol may help stimulate collagen production and improve skin elasticity, giving your skin more fullness while decreasing fine lines and wrinkles.
Over-the-counter retinol comes in serums and creams; prescription retinoids like Adapalene may require visiting your dermatologist’s office in higher concentrations. Both forms require consistent application; long-term success will take several weeks before you see results; for those new to retinol products such as Cosmedix Elite Serum 24 or La Roche-Posay Redermic R Retinol Cream you should start slow and build gradually up over time.
4. Sunscreen
Include sunscreen as part of your skincare regimen to reduce the likelihood of several skin issues, such as uneven skin tone and hyperpigmentation. Sunscreen also keeps complexion even and keeps looking younger for longer.
Sunscreen can be made up of many ingredients, but chemical filters are among the most effective ways of blocking UVA and UVB rays with molecules like oxybenzone (which may cause rashes, allergies, hormone disruption and toxic byproducts), homosalate and avobenzone – look for one or more broad spectrum ingredients with PA ratings of two to four.
Everybody struggles with texture at some point and requires multiple products and treatments in order to improve it, including chemical exfoliators, retinol creams, moisturizers, and applying sunscreen regularly. If issues continue, consulting with a board-certified dermatologist or facial plastic surgeon might provide useful treatments such as chemical peels and microneedling; plus they can teach healthy habits such as applying sunblock correctly in the future.
