How to Erase the Beauty Sins of Summer: A Derm’s Guide to Better Skin

It’s been a wonderful summer. You swam in lakes and seas, ran through fields, finished books, and felt the sun on your face in far-flung destinations. The sillage of sunscreen, salt, and spilt rosé is still heavy on your straw bags and eyelet sundresses. But no matter how low-key or carefree your vacation behavior, your sudden intimacy with the sun has most likely resulted in a state of epidermal disarray. Which explains why September is one of the busiest months for dermatologists. “It’s on everyone’s mind,” says Manhattan-based Gervaise Gerstner, M.D., enjoying one last quiet afternoon before tomorrow’s influx of appointments. But according to Gerstner, all it takes to remedy your summer sins—when it comes to your skin at least—are a few easy steps and standby products.

Returning to complexion perfection could be as simple as returning to a purposeful skin care regimen. “People have been traveling—they’ve been away from their products,” says Gerstner, who believes that reintroducing retinol and your standby cleansers, toners, and creams will set you on the path to porelessness. For additional cleanup, a glowing, smooth surface can be found at the hands of an at-home peel, performed three times per week. “I like anything that has 20 percent glycolic [acid], because there’s no risk involved. You can’t burn yourself,” says Gerstner, who trusts the antiaging benefits of Dr. Dennis Gross’s Alpha Beta Peel and her own GG Glycolic 20% Treatment Pads to not only remove dead skin and excess dirt, but to also fight sun damage.

 

 

It’s no secret that prolonged UV exposure from lazy days on the sand can lead to fine lines, wrinkles, and dark spots. For this, too, Gerstner suggests first tackling the problem at home before bed with brightening formulas. Clarins’ new Mission Perfection Serum targets melanin production at its source (while simultaneously tackling dullness, redness, and hyperpigmentation from breakouts); for stubborn dark spots, Gerstner suggests SkinMedica’s hydroquinone-driven creams. “If you’re in your twenties, you’ll be back to normal by Halloween,” she says, but adds that more mature skin may require an in-office boost to jump-start their line-smoothing and complexion-evening results. Crepe-y texture can be corrected through a series of microdermabrasion treatments or a series of Clear and Brilliant Laser treatment. “A lot of dermatologists’ offices have them. You’re in and out,” swears Gerstner of the procedure, which requires little to no downtime. A swift session beneath a fractionated laser will combat hyperpigmentation by creating invisible micro-wounds beneath the skin’s surface, stimulating collagen production that results in fresh cells—add that to your shopping list, along with these six products that will erase your seasonal indiscretions better than any number of Hail Marys. Fall is looking brighter still.

The post How to Erase the Beauty Sins of Summer: A Derm’s Guide to Better Skin appeared first on Vogue.