Category Archives: Skin Care

Should I Be Using Face Oils?

Skin Care, , ,

Chances are good that you already know all about moisturizers and serums for making your skin softer, nourished, and balanced, but face oils are a more recent and trendy way to enhance the skin that you may not be including in your daily care routine. Indeed, they might be exactly what you need to counteract dry skin. For our Albuquerque-area patients who visit The Spa @ Western Dermatology Consultants, dry skin is a common complaint because of the low levels of humidity common to this area. 

When atmospheric humidity levels are low, moisture is zapped from the upper levels of the skin, resulting in symptoms such as roughness, flaking, cracking, itching, tightness, redness, and fine lines. Some patients may even develop deep cracks that bleed. Moisturizers and serums are critical for alleviating the dryness, but face oils are something that many people tend to forget about or overlook. These products, which typically contain a combination of plant-based oils, work by adding moisture to the skin and sealing in hydration. 

Face oils are a type of emollient, meaning they provide support for the skin’s outermost layer, called the stratum corneum. Plenty of people are hesitant to use them because they assume that the oils will cause bad acne breakouts, but this is far from the case. Whether you have an oily skin type naturally, are only experiencing dry skin during certain types of weather, or always have dry skin, face oils may have some benefits. 

Give Your Skin a Boost of Moisture

A face oil will enhance the moisturizing effects of the creams or serums you’re already using. They’re ideal for relieving dry skin during the winter months. If you use a face oil after a moisturizer, it locks in the hydration from the other products so that your skin retains it better. In fact, oils generally work better than moisturizers. 

Soften Wrinkles 

Face oils also contain nourishment of their own such as antioxidants that help to counteract the effects of free radical damage. This will improve sun damage or other conditions such as dryness and wrinkles. 

Want healthy, glowing skin all year round? Learn about other ways to manage chronically dry skin from The Spa @ Western Dermatology Consultants. Call us at 505-855-9267 or submit a contact form to schedule a consultation and find out which products or treatments will be best for your skin type. 

How “Beauty Sleep” Improves Your Skin

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Don’t underestimate the advantages of beauty sleep for making you look youthful and healthy. Research has shown that millions of Americans don’t get enough sleep at night. Along with contributing to other health problems, such as weight gain, getting less than seven hours sleep on most nights might also be causing your skin to suffer. As we all know, even just a few nights of tossing and turning can lead to dark circles, puffy eyelids, and an overall more haggard and worn-out appearance. If you want your skin and hair to look more refreshed, you need about seven to eight hours of quality sleep. The REM sleep that occurs in the middle of the night is the most essential type of sleep of all. While considering advanced treatments designed for skin rejuvenation at our Albuquerque, NM, practice, the team at The Spa @ Western Dermatology Consultants recommends making changes to your lifestyle that will promote healthier skin. Here are some reasons why getting some shut-eye is great for your complexion. 

Your Skin Goes into Repair Mode

As we all know, our skin faces constant adversity from everything from dust, pollution, and the force of gravity to harsh chemicals, temperature fluctuations, and sun exposure. When you’re sleeping, your skin has the opportunity to repair damage sustained during the daytime. Cell turnover happens at a faster rate when you’re asleep, and the skin is also building new collagen. 

A More Even Complexion 

Is your skin looking blotchy, sallow, or discolored? Instead of using makeup to conceal it, getting a good night’s sleep can help, because proper rest promotes healthy blood circulation. This brings beneficial oxygen and nourishment where it’s needed. 

Fewer Breakouts

Even noticed that you have your worst breakouts when you’re stressed? When you’re sleep deprived, levels of a stress hormone called cortisol that can have bad effects on your skin increase. This triggers activity in sebaceous glands, causing excess production of oil that may contribute to acne breakouts. Levels of cortisol drop when we’re sleeping, which means less oil production when you’re rested.

Warn more tips for glowing skin? Learn about how cosmetic treatments like microdermabrasion and other techniques for skin rejuvenation at The Spa @ Western Dermatology Consultants can help you reduce blemishes and enjoy smoother, clearer skin. Call us at 505-855-9267 or submit a contact form to request a consultation.

How Do You Identify Your Skin Undertone?

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It’s likely that you’re already aware of your basic skin type (whether your skin is acne prone, dry, balanced, and so on), your body type, and whether your hair tends to be flat and straight or curly. Knowing your skin undertone is also important for your beauty routine, and many people find this part a little trickier. Buying new makeup or coloring your hair and finding that it clashes with your skin or does nothing for you can be disheartening. Knowing your skin tone makes it easier for you to find the ideal color palettes for lipstick, foundation, jewellery, clothes, and hair to really accentuate your natural beauty. A dermatologist from our Albuquerque, NM, practice can help you learn more about your skin type if you aren’t already aware of it, but it’s easy for patients to figure out their skin undertone on their own by following these basic tips. 

First of all, what exactly is the undertone? The skin undertone has nothing to do with how pale or dark your skin tone is and won’t change even if you get tanned or freckled. Undertone is actually the color below the skin’s surface. To find your undertone, start by washing your skin and removing any makeup or other skin products, then sit near to a natural light source so that you can see your skin clearly. Next, take a look at your veins on the inner part of your wrist. 

There are three main types of undertones: warm, cool, and neutral. Veins that appear blue, purple, or pink are signs of a cool undertone, while green-ish veins suggest a warm undertone. A neutral undertone is somewhere in between. Neutral undertones often look beige, olive, or orange/red. Another way of finding out is by trying out different types of jewellery. Gold looks best on warm or neutral tones, while silver, platinum, and rose gold look radiant on the cooler spectrum. People who tan easily usually have a warm or neutral undertone. 

Set up a consultation with us in Albuquerque, NM, at The Spa @ Western Dermatology Consultants to find out more about aesthetic treatments. Call us at 505-855-9267, or submit a contact form to request an appointment if you’re ready to get started. 

Western Dermatology Consultants Was Named Albuquerque Readers’ Choice for Best Dermatologist in 2020!

Blog, Medical Dermatology, Skin Care

The skin plays various important and complex roles in the body, including everything from protecting you from germs to keeping your temperature regulated. It’s difficult to hide anything about this highly visible part of the body from others—and usually your complexion is one of the first things others will notice. Regardless of your bone structure and features, having healthy skin is also considered important for a wide range of cosmetic reasons. The appearance of the skin says a lot about what’s going on beneath the surface, and if you’re concerned about the way it looks or feels, it’s always best to talk to a board-certified dermatologist directly, as they’re experienced in diagnosing and treating an extensive range of conditions that affect the skin, hair, and nails. Our Western Dermatology Consultants team provides general and cosmetic dermatology services in Albuquerque—and we’re especially proud to announce that we took the 2020 Albuquerque Reader’s Choice Award for Best Dermatologist!

As a practice committed to continually providing top-quality dermatology services, our team, which specializes in both medical and cosmetic dermatology, provides treatments for common skin concerns including acne, scarring, skin cancer, dry skin, and nail fungus.

We also offer effective treatments for improving wrinkles, uneven skin tone and texture, and a wide variety of other skin irregularities. Patients can explore aesthetic options such as injectables, laser and light treatments, skin rejuvenation techniques, and more. These procedures, when used together with a good, daily skin routine, can give your skin the extra fine-tuning it needs to become brighter, smoother, and more supple.

There are many reasons why patients should consider seeing a dermatologist:

  • While some conditions might seem straightforward and harmless, they affect individual patients differently, and you’ll get the best advice from an in-person consultation.
  • Dermatologists have an in-depth knowledge of thousands of conditions affecting the skin, nails, and hair, thanks to their extensive training.
  • Dermatologists offer acne treatments that are more effective than over-the-counter products.
  • Dermatologists can diagnose life-threatening skin cancers and rashes in their early stages.

Find the cosmetic or medical dermatology option that’s right for you—and learn why locals readers agree that we’re the best!—at Western Dermatology Consultants in Albuquerque. Want to maintain glowing, healthy skin throughout your lifetime? To talk to a dermatologist directly. Give us a call at 505-855-9267, or submit a contact form to schedule a consultation.

Three Things to Do for Your Skin This Season

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As autumn transitions into winter, we enter the coldest part of the year, the air becomes frigid, and strong winds can batter the skin. This changeover can lead the skin to become prone to persistent dryness, inflammation, and peeling. It also prompts the T-zone area of your face to produce excess oil. For many people, the holiday season is a time to indulge (perhaps a little too much) in rich meals, sugary snacks, and alcohol, but this doesn’t always bode well for your complexion either. Cosmetic dermatology treatments from Albuquerque’s Western Dermatology Consultants can help save yours skin from the damaging effects of early winter and beyond.

In addition to rushing around to get everything done at work, it can also be stressful having to organize family events, plan dinners, shop for gifts, and put up festive decorations as you try to make everything perfect for the holidays. If you work in retail or hospitality, long shifts, crowds, and difficult interactions with customers can put a damper on your holiday spirit. It’s no surprise that when the seasonal blues set in, post-New Year’s Eve skin is often riddled with breakouts. There are, however, ways of safeguarding your skin!

Stay Hydrated

Alcohol is a diuretic and can cause your skin to quickly become dehydrated. Drink plenty of water and upgrade your moisturizing routine. Choose a richer cream containing hyaluronic acid (a natural gel-like sugar that is able to retain large quantities of water) or ceramides (lipids that maintain the skin’s barrier).

Try Chemical Peels

Chemical peels remove the outer layer of dry, cracked, and damaged skin. A solution is applied to the outer surface, causing it to shed away, and new, healthier skin to take its place. The darker, shorter days and cooler temperatures during this time are less irritating to skin after this treatment, which is more conducive to healing.

Use Laser Treatments

Lasers are great for improving skin damage acquired during the earlier half of the year. Treatments stimulate collagen production and cell turnover for a fresher look. Much like chemical peels, sun exposure is bad for laser results, so the fall and winter are preferred times for this technique.

Want to discover more about your options at Western Dermatology Consultants? For general inquiries or to schedule an appointment for skincare treatments in Albuquerque, call 505-855-5503 or contact us online.