How to improve skin texture at home! (no in office treatments!)

Summary

In this episode of Skin School, Dr. Amir Carum discusses the importance of skin texture for a youthful appearance. He explains how aging affects skin layers, leading to dullness and roughness. Dr. Carum recommends at-home exfoliation with enzymatic products like Caram MD's Polish for regular skin renewal. He also emphasizes the role of active ingredients like retinol, sun protection, hydration, and a healthy lifestyle in maintaining smooth, radiant skin.

Takeaways

• 👨‍⚕️ Dr. Amir Carum is a board-certified facial plastic surgeon and specializes in facial rejuvenation.
• 🌟 Skin texture is crucial for a youthful and healthy skin appearance.
• 🏠 Home treatments like microdermabrasion, chemical peels, and laser peels were traditionally done in medical settings but can now be done at home.
• 🍂 As we age, the skin's protective mechanisms diminish, leading to dull and rough skin.
• 🔬 The skin is composed of layers: stratum corneum, epidermis, and dermis, which change as we age.
• 🧪 Exfoliation is essential for removing dead skin cells and revealing a smoother, brighter layer of skin.
• 🏡 At-home exfoliation should be done regularly and safely, avoiding abrasive methods that can damage the skin.
• 🍋 Enzymatic exfoliation is a gentle and effective method suitable for regular at-home use.
• 💊 Active ingredients like retinol, vitamin C, nicomide, and hyaluronic acid improve skin texture and suppleness.
• ☀️ Sun protection is vital to prevent skin aging and maintain a youthful appearance.
• 💧 Hydration is key to maintaining skin texture and suppleness, with topical agents like hyaluronic acid helping to retain moisture.
• 🥗 A healthy diet and lifestyle, including proper hydration, sleep, and exercise, significantly impact skin health and appearance.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video?

The main focus of the video is to discuss skin texture, its importance to overall youthful and healthy looking skin, and the ways to improve skin texture at home.

Why is skin texture important for a youthful appearance?

Skin texture is important for a youthful appearance because young-looking skin is smooth to touch, free of pigmentation, and reflects light well, similar to how light bounces off the skin in Renaissance paintings.

What changes occur in the skin as we age that affect its texture?

As we age, the stratum corneum (the top layer of the skin) thickens due to more layers of dead skin, while the dermis (the layer below the epidermis) thins due to collagen loss and other structural changes.

What is the role of exfoliation in maintaining skin texture?

Exfoliation is the process of removing the dead skin cells from the surface of the skin, which helps to reveal a smoother, brighter layer of epidermis and improves the skin's texture.

What are the three categories of at-home exfoliation methods mentioned in the video?

The three categories of at-home exfoliation methods mentioned are abrasive exfoliation, chemical peels, and enzymatic exfoliation.

Why is enzymatic exfoliation considered safer than abrasive or chemical methods?

Enzymatic exfoliation is considered safer because it uses enzymes to digest and break down the stratum corneum without causing physical abrasion or chemical damage to the skin.

What is the role of retinol in improving skin texture?

Retinol improves skin texture by increasing cell turnover and functioning as a micro-exfoliator, similar to a chemical peel.

What is the Trifecta mentioned in the video and how does it help with skin texture?

The Trifecta is a three-step system designed for anti-aging that includes a cleanser, a vitamin C product, and an all-in-one multi-active product called Illuminate. It helps with skin texture by unlocking and turning on genetic components to create healthier, more youthful skin.

Why is sun protection crucial for maintaining skin texture?

Sun protection is crucial because sun exposure can speed up the aging process and degrade the skin, leading to a rougher texture and less suppleness.

How does hydration affect skin texture and what is the role of hyaluronic acid?

Hydration is important for skin texture as it helps to keep the skin supple and smooth. Hyaluronic acid is a key component that acts like a sponge, attracting water and causing the skin to 'bloom' and become more supple.

What lifestyle factors can impact skin texture according to the video?

Lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise, sleep, stress, alcohol intake, and smoking can all impact skin texture by affecting overall health and the skin's appearance.

Outlines

00:00

🌟 Skin Texture and Youthful Appearance

Dr. Amir Carum, a board-certified facial plastic surgeon, introduces the topic of skin texture and its importance for a youthful and healthy appearance. He explains that skin texture has traditionally been treated in medical settings with methods like microdermabrasion, chemical peels, and laser peels, which are often inconvenient and expensive. Dr. Carum aims to provide home-based solutions to improve skin texture as people age and their skin becomes dull and rough. He emphasizes the importance of skin reflecting light, comparing it to the idealistic images of youth and beauty in Renaissance paintings, where the skin is smooth and free of dullness. The doctor outlines the anatomical changes in the skin as it ages, including the thickening of the stratum corneum and the thinning of the dermis due to collagen loss.

05:02

🧪 Exfoliation and Skin Health

Dr. Carum discusses exfoliation as a means to remove the dead skin cells from the surface, revealing a fresh layer of epidermis and improving skin texture. He differentiates between abrasive exfoliation, which can be damaging to the skin, chemical peels that can cause burning and hyperpigmentation if misused, and enzymatic exfoliation, which is a safer and more effective method for regular at-home use. Enzymatic exfoliation uses enzymes to break down the stratum corneum without causing harm to the skin. The doctor highlights the benefits of using Caram D's enzymatic exfoliant, which is suitable for all skin types and can be used two to three times a week. He also mentions the importance of consistency in exfoliation for maintaining skin health.

10:03

🌞 Sun Protection and Skin Aging

The doctor stresses the importance of sun protection as one of the key factors in preventing skin aging. Sun exposure is a major external factor that accelerates the skin's aging process. He advises using a broad-spectrum sunscreen with mineral bases like zinc or titanium oxide and wearing protective clothing when outdoors. By doing so, one can prevent skin degradation, dehydration, and other aging effects. Dr. Carum also touches on the importance of maintaining overall health for better skin, including hydration, which is not just about water intake but also reducing water loss through the skin.

15:04

💧 Hydration, Diet, and Lifestyle for Skin Health

Dr. Carum talks about the role of hydration in maintaining skin health, emphasizing the use of topical agents like hyaluronic acid to enhance skin hydration. He also discusses the impact of diet and lifestyle on skin health, advocating for a healthy lifestyle that includes good nutrition, sufficient sleep, limited alcohol intake, no smoking, and regular exercise. All these factors contribute to overall health and are reflected in the skin's appearance. The doctor concludes by reiterating the importance of consistency in skincare routines and maintaining a healthy lifestyle for better skin texture and appearance.

📢 Final Thoughts on Skincare

In conclusion, Dr. Carum encourages viewers to prioritize their skin health by adopting a comprehensive skincare routine that includes sun protection, hydration, and a healthy lifestyle. He invites viewers to subscribe for more skincare knowledge, asks them to leave questions for further discussion, and suggests signing up for the CarMD Journal. The doctor expresses his passion for educating people about skincare and hopes viewers find the information beneficial.

Keywords

💡Facial Rejuvenation

Facial Rejuvenation refers to a set of procedures aimed at making the face look younger. In the context of the video, Dr. Amir Carum discusses his specialization in this area, focusing on helping people look as young as they feel. The video emphasizes the importance of skin texture in achieving a youthful appearance.

💡Skin Texture

Skin texture is the surface quality of the skin, which can be smooth or rough. The video discusses how skin texture is crucial for an overall youthful and healthy-looking skin. It explains that as people age, their skin can become dull and rough, which is addressed by various treatments and home care routines.

💡Microdermabrasion

Microdermabrasion is a procedure that uses tiny exfoliating crystals to remove the outer layer of skin, revealing smoother skin underneath. The script mentions it as an office-based treatment that can be inconvenient and expensive, prompting the discussion of at-home alternatives.

💡Chemical Peels

Chemical peels involve applying a chemical solution to the skin to remove its top layers, promoting new skin growth. The video script cautions against the potential risks of using chemical peels at home, such as skin damage or hyperpigmentation.

💡Exfoliation

Exfoliation is the process of removing dead skin cells from the skin's surface to reveal a smoother, brighter layer underneath. The video explains that exfoliation is key to maintaining youthful-looking skin and discusses various methods, including enzymatic exfoliation.

💡Stratum Corneum

The stratum corneum is the outermost layer of the skin, composed mainly of dead skin cells. The video describes how, as we age, this layer thickens and causes the skin to become rough and less reflective, contributing to an aged appearance.

💡Epidermis

The epidermis is the outer layer of the skin, which includes the stratum corneum. The video script explains that as we age, the epidermis can thicken, contributing to a rough skin texture.

💡Dermis

The dermis is the layer of skin beneath the epidermis, containing collagen and elastin that provide skin firmness and elasticity. The video mentions that the dermis tends to thin as we age, which can affect skin texture and overall appearance.

💡Enzymatic Exfoliation

Enzymatic exfoliation is a gentle method of exfoliation that uses enzymes to break down and digest dead skin cells. The video recommends this method as a safe and effective at-home alternative to more aggressive treatments.

💡Retinol

Retinol is a form of vitamin A used in skincare for its anti-aging properties. The video highlights retinol as an important active ingredient that can improve cell turnover and function as a micro-exfoliator, contributing to better skin texture.

💡Hyaluronic Acid

Hyaluronic acid is a substance that can hold large amounts of water, helping to hydrate and plump the skin. The video discusses its importance in maintaining skin hydration and suppleness, and its inclusion in skincare products for a smoother skin texture.

💡Sun Protection

Sun protection is crucial for preventing skin damage caused by UV rays. The video emphasizes the role of sun protection in maintaining youthful skin by preventing dehydration, degradation, and the acceleration of the aging process.

Highlights

Dr. Amir Carum specializes in facial rejuvenation, helping people look as young as they feel by improving skin texture and overall skin health.

Skin texture plays a crucial role in maintaining youthful and healthy-looking skin by reflecting light and staying smooth and soft.

Traditionally, skin texture improvements were achieved in-office through treatments like microdermabrasion, chemical peels, and laser peels, which can be inconvenient and expensive.

Aging leads to thicker layers of dead skin (stratum corneum) on the surface, making the skin dull, rough, and less reflective of light.

Exfoliation helps remove the buildup of dead skin layers, revealing a brighter and smoother layer beneath, similar to peeling an onion to reach a glistening fresh layer.

At-home exfoliation options include mechanical scrubs, chemical peels, and enzymatic exfoliation. Dr. Carum advocates for enzymatic exfoliation as it's safer for regular use and suitable for all skin types.

Retinol is a powerful active ingredient that promotes cell turnover and acts as a micro-exfoliator, improving skin texture and brightness over time.

A combination of retinol with vitamin C, niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid can synergistically enhance skin smoothness, brightness, and hydration.

Consistent use of exfoliation and active ingredients is key to maintaining healthy, youthful-looking skin.

Sun protection is essential for preventing premature skin aging, using broad-spectrum sunscreens and minimizing exposure to UV rays.

Hydration is not just about drinking water; topical agents like hyaluronic acid can help retain moisture and prevent transepidermal water loss, keeping skin supple.

A healthy lifestyle—adequate sleep, a diet rich in antioxidants, reducing alcohol intake, avoiding smoking, and regular exercise—has a significant positive impact on skin health.

Stress, poor sleep, and unhealthy habits can quickly make skin appear dull and tired, underscoring the importance of overall wellness for skin appearance.

Using products like 'polish' several times a week for enzymatic exfoliation helps maintain a smooth, radiant complexion without damaging the skin.

Dr. Carum emphasizes the importance of consistency in skincare routines for long-term improvements in skin texture and appearance.

Transcripts

hi everyone I'm Dr Amir carum board

certified facial plastic surgeon and

founder and creator of caram MD skin I

specialize in facial Rejuvenation which

basically means I help people look as

young as they feel and on today's

episode of skin School we're going to

talk about skin texture and why skin

texture is so important to an overall

youthful and healthy looking skin but

also what you can do at home to improve

your skin texture it's very important

because up until recently I would say

for the most part skin texture is

something that was mostly handled in an

office setting in a you know Medical Spa

Medical Practice Etc using things like

microdermabrasion chemical peels laser

peels Etc really at the end of the day

those are very inconvenient and often

expensive things to do on a regular

basis and for people who are finding

their skin becoming dull and rough to

the touch which is primarily something

that as we age becomes more of a problem

we find ourselves at a loss what can we

do what should we do Etc so I'm going to

give you guys some important at home

type of things that will ultimately help

your skin stay smooth be beautiful from

a light Reflection Point of View because

that's really at the end of the day what

skin that is free of the dullness and

free of that roughness does is it

reflects light I always think about the

Renaissance paintings right the light on

the skin just bounces off the skin looks

super soft if you I mean if you were to

imagine touching it it feel like a

baby's you know skin and what they're

showing and depicting in those

idealistic images of Youth and beauty is

beautiful skin that is smooth and free

of any kind of dullness so let's break

it up and understand why that happens to

skin as it

ages youngl looking skin is very simple

to identify it is free of pigmentation

it is smooth to touch it is Supple it

kind of looks thick in other words and

ultimately when you look at it it looks

like it's reflecting light you know

Luminosity right it has that quality to

it so what ends up happening as we

mature and age is all the protective

mechanisms that go into keeping the skin

looking young begin slowly but surely

diminishing and what you're left with is

skin that anatomically looks different

when it's older versus younger so let's

let's understand this a little bit

better the skin is made up of layers the

top layer is a stratum corneum it's

basically made of a sheet of essentially

dead skin right there's no viability or

or cellular function in that level then

below that you have the epidermis then

below that you have the dermis and of

course there's like you know

subcategories of each of these now when

you're young the stratum corium is very

thin and then you've got your epidermis

and a thick dermis as we age the

epidermis and specifically the stratum

corium begins to thicken as more and

more layers of of dead skin start to lay

on top of one another almost like peels

of an onion and then the dermis begins

to thin just because of collagen loss

and all the other you know structural

changes that happen to elastin and

everything else so the dermis thins the

epidermis technically it's bigger as the

stratum corium builds more and more

layers of dead tissue and then when you

look at that tissue under a microscope

for example you'll see this this

anatomic finding but what is important

about that is that that layer of dead

tissue and you know dead layers of skin

on that stratum corneum that is what

causes the skin to be rough to touch as

well as nonreflective from a light point

of view again look at the onion that top

layer of that kind of dull looking

layers and you peel peel peel and then

you get down to the glistening layer of

that fresh onion layer that's the skin

difference between young and old and

exfoliation is the physical act of

peeling away all that dead stuff off the

surface of the skin exposing that bright

layer of epidermis with a thinner

stratum corium so the skin looks bright

and reflective and then when you touch

it it feels smooth okay so these are

things that are related to texture and

this is kind of the underlying reason

why texture becomes an issue and those

things that I mentioned that you can do

in the office is literally physically

effectively sanding that layer off

microdermabrasion uses mechanical laser

uses light chemical peel uses chemicals

and what that's doing is just taking one

layer at a time down until you get down

to that that fresh layer again here's

the logical approach to this thing if

you're wanting to do this at

home exfoliation in the home setting can

be a little tricky because you basically

have three categories to deal with and

two of them are the more common one is

an abrasive category where you're using

you know particles or beads bamboo even

to basically scrub the skin and

exfoliate the skin problem with

scrubbing and exfol that way is it it

tends to damage the skin it's it's rough

on the skin I mean the physical abrasion

is not a is not a good thing to do

especially regularly like when you go in

to have a microdermabrasion or laser or

something like that you're doing it

every once in a while you're doing it

maybe every you know six weeks or every

eight weeks or whatever it is you're not

doing it on a regular basis at home so

when you're doing stuff like that at

home on a regular basis you almost have

to do it regular because it's not like

as effective as those other treatments

but if you keep you know being rough on

your skin the skin is going to have

Micro tears and it's going to have

dryness and it's going to have all sorts

of things that are not healthy for the

skin in general chemical peels have been

used at home as well problem with

chemical peels at home is that some

people will get overzealous with it and

use too much of it then you run into

problems with like burning your skin and

and having hyperpigmentation and all

these other things that can happen with

with using a product that layer upon

layer of the chemical peel can actually

make it more potent all right so the

next category is enzymatic exfoliation

and that's the category that we chose a

caram D to actually get behind because

enzymatic just means you're putting an

enzyme on the skin and allowing the

enzyme to basically digest and break

down the stratum corneum and those

layers because it's not a chemical peel

and because it's not you know a

mechanical abrasion it's very safe to do

on your skin two or three times a week

and it's good for all different skin

types and this is basically what polish

looks like and as you can see here it's

basically like a a powder excuse me I'm

going to open here it's basically like a

like a powder

and the powder you put on with a little

bit of water and it activates the

product and it creates this this pace

that once you put it onto your skin it

just literally just does its thing so

you leave it on for 2 or 3 minutes it's

actually been a very very powerful

addition to our trical line because for

more mature skin needing that extra bit

of exfoliation is extremely important

and with exfoliation at home consistency

is again the key just like it is for

everything else you want to do it on a

regular basis because when you're not

doing it your skin is building up those

layers over and over again and the more

you do it on a regular basis it just

keeps keeping this down as well as you

know chisling away at the level of the

stratum corneum very very

important the next layer number two of

what you want to do at home is you want

to be on active ingredients that are

going to improve cell turnover and

functionally add to some exfoliation

probably the most powerful active in

that category is retinol what retinol

will do is number one improv cell

turnover number two it also functions as

a micro exfoliator almost like a

chemical peel so when you're on retinol

in general you'll find that over time

slowly but surely the texture of the

skin improves the brightness of the skin

improves now if you want to get Synergy

on top of that you add vitamin C you add

nicomide you add hyaluronic acids all

these things to increase suppleness and

improve because skin that's kind of

dehydrated isn't going to be very bright

so there's a lot of things that you're

doing to improve that overall look of

the skin and especially important if

you're going to use a product like

polish to exfoliate you want to decrease

the production of these dead layers you

want to create a more healthy and

Youthful skin physiology and actives do

exactly that they're basically

upregulating the genes that you had when

you were younger they were working at a

higher work rate when you're younger and

then they start to Peter out when you

get a b a little bit older so things

like collagen elastin and all these

other important things start to work

less when you get older and with these

actives you're increasing them so for

example the trifecta which I designed

specifically for anti-aging was to

basically unlock and turn on all those

genetic components and take advantage of

what we had currently available in terms

of molecular technology to get these

skin cells to start doing what what they

did when they were younger that's really

really important for those of you who

don't know what trifect is real quick

it's a three-step system it's rinse

which is a cleanser a vitamin C and then

a all-in-one multi-active uh product

called illuminate so those are the

things and if you don't get them as part

of the trifecta you want to get them as

a separate combination and that in of

itself is going to be a huge aspect for

long-term exfoliation and control

the next category is foundational to

skin and that's sun protection it's

amazing the impact sun has on skin aging

it's probably one of the most important

external factors right and we talk about

our internal biology turning things down

but you really impact and speed up that

process with exposure to Sun so sun

protection is extremely extremely

important and that means using a

broadspectrum sun block something that

is mineral based like zinc or titanium

oxide and using you know protective Sun

clothing Etc when you're going to be out

in Sun and when you do all that you're

basically getting less degradation less

dehydration less things that make your

skin older and as a result ultimately

keep your skin looking younger and

remember at the end of the day skin is

an organ skin is just a part of us so

all the things that we want to do to

keep our bodies healthy are equally

important for our skin so which leads us

to number four

and that is hydration hydration it's an

interesting thing because it's not just

about how much water we consume it's

also about how much water we lose

because our skin causes water loss to

happen through transepidermal remember

the epidermis is the top layer of this

transepidermal water loss and it

specifically it happens overnight so

what ends up happening to the skin is is

you drink a lot of water and then you

lose a bunch overnight your skin still

looks kind of dehydrated so it's

important to use topical agents that are

going to enhance hydration and one of

the key components to that is basically

hyaluronic acid which functions as a as

a sponge so topical hyaluronic acid is

very important it happens also to be

inside illuminate and the trifecta and

what it does is once it gets into the

skin it attracts water and it causes the

skin to to Bloon up and become more

Supple Additionally you want to decrease

transepidermal water loss a lot of the

topicals that I just mentioned help with

that including retinol and NY cinnamide

but also we took it one step further

with enrich which is basically a barrier

bomb that keeps epidermal water from

being lost and keeps the skin hydrated

over time because again at the end of

the day when skin becomes dehydrated it

becomes not as Supple and therefore it's

going to be rough again the texture is

not going to be as as smooth as skin

that is kind of ballooned up and and

filled with hydration and that's an

important aspect of even in this

situation where you take the top layers

off if the skin dehydrates it's not

going to look as as Supple and you know

sort of youthful as it would if it has

that so that's a very very important

component of

it and number five it's diet and

lifestyle it's hard to emphasize the

importance of diet and lifestyle enough

because I think people don't always

recognize the skin as literally just an

extension of every other organ or

whatever just happens to be on the

outside so if you are healthy and you're

living a healthy lifestyle you're

drinking lots of water eating you know

good foods Whole Foods filled with

antioxidants filled with vitamins you

know very little sugar not a lot of

processing you're getting plenty of

sleep you're decreasing your your

alcohol intake you're not smoking all of

these things that fundamentally make you

healthier are going to make your skin

look better it's just simple as that so

at the end of the day just recognize

that your health is going to be

reflected on your skin there's things

obviously all the things that I just

mentioned are going to be done to

enhance that but as like a foundational

level you want to do things that are

going to be just all around healthy for

you so that your skin looks as healthy

as they possibly can and man it's it's

incredible just like one or two nights

of bad sleep how dull the skin looks I

mean we've all seen that a night of

drinking you wake up the next day it's

dehydrated the skin looks impacted by it

definitely like stress is another one of

those things that me can definitely make

us look you know tired and has effects

on our skin all of these things are very

very powerful important even exercise we

just did an entire Journal article on

our CarMD Journal U newsletter that

talks about the impact exercise makes on

skin blood flow collagen production all

around so I would say all of these

things that I just mentioned here are

incredibly important all of them are

hacks to improve skin texture and make

skin look and feel young and I would say

all of them are equally important I I

don't think there's one of Greater

importance than the other and when

you're trying to make your skin a

priority you want to address every

aspect of it at the same time as you

possibly can that's what I found you

know with my wife with myself you know I

don't do the in-office treatments uh my

wife doesn't do any chemical peels or

laser peels or any of that type of thing

literally just this is our routine it's

sun protection Trifecta really good

lifestyle I mean the diet exercise sleep

lack of stress you know not smoking

limited alcohol Etc all that is uh is

definitely in Play We both use polish

you know several times a week and at the

end of the day remain consistent with

this process remain consistent and that

is the key and if you do these things

your skin will look better and better

and better as the months and years go on

and I can't emphasize that enough folks

I hope uh that puts texture in

perspective we all want that you know

Renaissance looking skin bright light

reflected Supple beautiful youthful

which shows our health and our Beauty as

much as possible so do these things

stick with it share these tips with some

friends and family if you enjoyed this

video and you're not already a

subscriber make sure you hit subscribe

if you have any questions drop them

below I do my best to answer as many of

them as I possibly can and uh sign up

for that CarMD Journal as well it's

really good way of getting knowledge and

empowerment just like these videos and

try to help you make good decisions

going forward and stay on the line so

you can get the next video that's up so

um you can have a look but if there's

other topics that you're interested in

scroll through the uh playlist I'm sure

you're going to find something that uh

will benefit you and will help you learn

more about your skin as well as your

facial aging this is my passion this is

my mission I hope you all enjoyed it

thank you so much Dr Amir Kum