What to Include in Skin Care Routine for Anti-Aging

CLEVELAND – With so many skin care products promising to turn back the clock on aging, finding the right one can be overwhelming.

But a good product to start with may already be in your medicine cabinet – sunscreen.

“There are studies that have shown women who used a broad-spectrum sunscreen on their face every day for a year looked younger at the end of that year. These women were compared to women who didn’t use sunscreen, and they looked older at the end of the year,” explained Melissa Piliang, MD, a dermatologist with Cleveland Clinic. “If you want to look younger, prevention is key. Use your sunscreen.”

Dr. Piliang said wearing sunscreen year-round is essential to protect against skin cancer and sun damage.

For a daily skin care routine, she recommends finding a sunscreen marketed for the face.

Dr. Piliang noted studies show combining sunscreen with vitamin C can offer even better protection from the sun and aging.

She also suggests using a product with retinoids for anti-aging. The ingredient can be found in skin care items already on store shelves or prescribed by a dermatologist.

With any skin care routine, patience is key when it comes to seeing results.

“It can be a little frustrating because you want to see the effects of your treatments immediately, but it took a long time for your skin to get to this point. You have to be patient and give these products time to work,” said Dr. Piliang. “It really does take a few months, maybe three or four months for most of our products to see the most benefit.”

When trying a new product, Dr. Piliang said people can take a picture of their face each month to help showcase progress.