This week I’m going to share the same advice I give my patients on how to fix uneven skin texture and the top treatments to reveal a smooth, healthy complexion.
First, it’s important to understand the cause of uneven skin texture. These three key factors play a critical role in the texture of your skin.
- Genetics. If your mom had big pores, you are likely going to have bigger pores than your friend whose mother had microscopic pores.
- Age. As we age, our skin turn over slows down and dead skin accumulates creating a dry, dull complexion.
- Skin care. No matter your genetic makeup or your age, there is MUCH you can to improve the texture of your skin!
Maintaining smooth, even skin texture requires work at home and at the dermatology office. Here are a variety of in-office procedures that can up your skin texture game.
Dermaplaning $150
When your rough dead skin and peach fuzz are professionally and carefully removed with a scalpel to reveal the smoother underlying skin. Typically performed by a medical master aesthetician.
Downtime: Expect to be a bit pink for the rest of the day and avoid active skin treatments (retinol, vitamin C serums) for 48 hours to prevent skin irritation. Use restorative products like Doctor Rogers RESTORE Face Cream (coming soon) and zinc based sunscreen.
Superficial depth peels $150
Rough skin is removed by chemical exfoliation using ingredients like alpha and beta hydroxy acids. Typically performed by a medical master aesthetician in a physician office.
Downtime: Expect to be a bit pink for the rest of the day and avoid skin treatments for 48 hours to prevent skin irritation.
Microdermabrasion $150
Rough skin is removed by physical exfoliation. Typically performed by a medical master aesthetician in a physician office.
Downtime: Expect to be a bit pink for the rest of the day and avoid skin treatments for 48 hours to prevent skin irritation.
Microneedling $450
The effectiveness of this technique depends on the provider (aesthetician vs MD) and how aggressive they can be without causing damage. Better results require deeper penetration with the microneedles and more passes at each treatment. Unlike lasering, there is not a heat component to these treatments, just mechanical injury.
Downtime: Expect 1 day of pinpoint bleeding followed by 3 to 5 days of rough skin. I recommend an occlusive ointment (RESTORE Healing Balm) the first night, daily zinc-based sunscreen, then a bland moisturizer mixed with RESTORE Healing Balm for 5 days at night.
Clear and Brilliant 1540 or 1927nm low energy laser $450
Controlled, superficial injury to 5% of the skin to promote skin turn over. This procedure lifts brown and smooths texture stimulating your body to make beautifully refreshed skin about 2 weeks later. The results are more impressive than the above options but the down time is still quite short. This is a very popular treatment. It is my favorite to have done two weeks before a big press event.
Downtime: Expect mild swelling and redness for the first 6 hours then 7 days of dryness.
Avoid active skin treatments (retinol, vitamin C serums) for 5 days to prevent skin irritation. We give our patients a post-laser kit with Doctor Rogers RESTORE products to ensure a speedy recovery without irritation.
Fraxel / 1540 / fractionated nonablative resurfacing $1000
This is a similar treatment in concept to the Clear and Brilliant but delivers more energy to a higher percentage of the skin stimulating more long lasting results. Expect greater improvement in brown spots, fine lines and texture.
Downtime: Expected 2 days of hiding with redness and swelling, 7 days of small crusts and 14 days of dry skin with pink undertones. By day 4 you use make up and go out.
Carbon Dioxide Laser / 10,600nm / fractionated ablative resurfacing $1600
This is the most aggressive laser treatment for texture, targeting wrinkles, pore size, sagging eyelids, and acne scarring. It causes a deeper injury to the skin, stimulating significant new collagen and elastic formation. It is my favorite treatment because the results are the most impressive.
Downtime: Expect 4 days of hiding with swelling, redness, grid marks on face. Then 7 to 14 days of crusting, and 14 to 28 days of dry skin pink undertones. By day 5 you can use make up and go out.
When treating uneven skin texture at home, you must use products that promote cell turnover to keep your skin smooth and glowing. I recommend alternating between retinol/tretinoin some nights and AHA or BHA based products another nights. These treatments are best done in the evening. Morning skin care is all about protecting your skin with an antioxidant serum and zinc-based sunscreen.
To prevent uneven skin texture and to create a smooth, glowing complexion, I recommend this at-home skin care routine:
Morning
- Wash face with a gentle cleanser or just splash with water
- Antioxidant serum with Vit C to protect your skin from pollution and the sun radiation
- Moisturizer if you need it
- Zinc-based sunscreen
Evening
- Wash face
- Treatment of choice (retinol/tretinoin or AHA/BHA)
- Moisturizer
- Bed
Lastly, be sure to avoid unhealthy skin habits such as smoking, being dehydrated, too much sun and not enough sleep. All of these can slow down cell turn over and create a dull complexion. I am also not a fan of physical scrubs such as microbeads, sand or nut shells because there is too much room for human error. When too much pressure is applied these ingredients, they can cut the skin.
Please contact us if you have any questions by filling out this form or emailing us at hello@doctorrogers.com.
Meet the author: Board-certified and practicing dermatologist, Dr. Heather D. Rogers, MD, is the founder of Doctor Rogers Skin Care and Modern Dermatology in Seattle, Washington. She studied at Stanford, University of Washington School of Medicine and Columbia University Medical Center. She lectures nationally, is well published, and an active member of the American Academy of Dermatology. Highly respected among the skin care community, Dr. Rogers has been annually named “Top 1% of Most Honored Doctors in the US” by Castle Connolly.
