Skin Treatments for former smokers
SELF-CARE AND SKIN REPAIR IN SMOKING CESSATION
Skin treatments to boost collagen growth in former smokers from the outside. Also see supplements to support collagen production in smoking cessation.
RETIN A
I’m using a 1% retin-a nightly, and you have to get a prescription from your doctor or dermatologist to get it. It comes in .25%, .5% and 1% with 1% being the most aggressive. I started with .25% years ago and worked my way up to the 1%. Retin-a is hands-down, the most effective treatment for anti-aging on this list. If you want to try an OTC nightly retinol this one by Strivectin is pretty good.
VITAMIN C SERUM
Vitamin C serum is the second-most effective daily treatment I use. Most skincare companies make one, but even though I’ve mixed and matched skincare products, I find it works best to stick with one and since I’m obsessed with Strivectin’s facial moisturizer for wrinkles, I use their Vitamin C Serum which starts working at turning cells over on your first use. I use this every morning, then I layer on hyaluronic acid serum, and finish with moisturizer.
MOISTURIZER
I discovered Strivectin when my Mom gave me a sample of it to try years ago and I haven’t used anything else since. It has a completely different feel to it than other moisturizers, and it was first designed to erase stretch marks as a body cream. When I put it on I feel like my face is immediately moisturized and it locks moisture in. It’s also great under make-up and I don’t know how I’d ever live without it. You can check it out here, but if you need a moisturizer with SPF this isn’t for you. Personally, I feel like SPF ruins most moisturizers. At night, I don’t always apply moisturizer over my retin-a, but if I do it’s this kale and spinach moisturizer, because it’s super light, smells nice and feels good, I also like their face wash a lot, but I’m partial to my Obagi face wash.
HYALURONIC ACID
Not Strivectin, but this hyaluronic acid is inexpensive and works pretty well to lock in moisture and plump the skin a little bit. I layer the hyaluronic acid over the Vitamin C Serum and under my moisturizer daily. I also use this, with or without fresh aloe or aloe gel on my face after I derma roll.
GLYCOLIC PEEL
I’m just trying out this new product after Dr. Brandt discontinued by favorite glycolic / lactic acid peel called “Laser A Peel.” No idea why they discontinued it - I LOVED that product, and I’ve not yet found a peel that I feel matches it. Can’t review the glycolic peel by Strivectin just yet, but I’ll keep you posted. I have used daily glycolic pads, but I don’t like them for residual they leave on my face. I prefer a more intense mask that I can use once a week and a few days after my derma rolling treatments. The one by Dr. Brandt would tighten skin and pores, remove dead skin and leave my skin glowing every time I used it. I’m hoping this one by Strivectin will do the same.
THE BLUE MASK
I only use this mask every once in a while, and to be honest, I only bought it because I liked the idea that the mask turns from white to blue as you apply it. It’s a cooling mask and nice to put on and lay on a yoga mat for 10 minutes and meditate. Here’s the link to it.
DERMA ROLLING
Derma rolling isn’t for everyone and there are just as many blogs out there saying it’s more damaging than good, as there are saying it’s more good than damaging. But I tried it and love it and feel like derma rolling is as effective as retin-a in promoting collagen growth, and the results are visible a lot sooner. It can leave your face red for a few hours, but for me, it immediately seems to add volume to my cheekbones, and the skin peeling lasts about 2-4 days following treatment, so it’s best not to derma roll right before any important social functions.
I went with a 0.25 derma roller and use it every 2-3 weeks (more often than that would be damaging imo). You can get these from most skincare stores or on amazon, but no matter where you get one, be sure to sterilize really well with alcohol before you use it, always store it in it’s case and replace every few months). Needle length of 0.25mm is considered conservative, needle lengths of 0.5mm or higher are considered “aggressive.”
So here’s “how I roll.” You know when you’re looking at your skin in the mirror and you use your fingers to lift up the skin on your forehead, by the temples near your hairline? Well that’s my target area for derma rolling. I avoid the area under my eyes, but derma roll the rest of my face, focusing on the bony areas (temples by hairline into the eyebrow, cheekbones all the way to the ear, jawline, cheeks and smokers lines over lips - this is worst part of the experience). Don’t apply too much pressure, you want tiny little pricks with minimal bleeding, and it helps to stretch the skin before you roll. So use once hand to pull the skin up and taught, and the other hand to derma roll. Go over each area a few times in different directions (up-down, left-right, diagonally both ways), lifting the roller up before changing directions. Be super gentle and apply pressure lightly to get the right amount.
RED LIGHT THERAPY
There are tons of at home devices for red light therapy. And yes, red light therapy promotes collagen growth. For me, red light LED therapy or treatments, are super calming for me. I can spend an hour red lighting my face and it’s great thing to do to fend off a cigarette craving. I bought this little red light device a few years ago for pain in my knee, which is how the product is marketed (it’s not specifically for collagen growth). But the wavelength in this product is the same as the red light for collagen devices, so since I had, one day I said, I bet I can use that for at home red light treatments, and I did. I bought it on Amazon - but it’s currently unavailable. You can buy direct or shop for another red light device, I mostly like this one, because I had already purchased it and yes, I’m a believer in Red Light Therapy to stimulate collagen production and also as a good go-to treatment when a craving comes on.
The spas will say get 2 fifteen minute treatments twice a week for 4-8 weeks to see results. I “red light” my face as much as daily focusing on the same areas as I do when derma rolling, but also use it on the skin under my eyes, and sometimes right under the eyebrow over the eyelid. This takes a little longer with this device because you have to move it around your face. But the light has a timer on it so it shuts off automatically after you’ve been on an area for 2 minutes and it comes with protective eye goggles.
FACIAL MASSAGE
So I’m not talking about holding your face in odd positions for minutes at time. This is really simple and applies to smokers lines over the lips. When you’re bored simply use 2-3 fingers and just massage the area for a few minutes. It stimulates blood flow to the area and for me I can see a tiny visual reduction in the depth of my smoker lines right after doing it and… it’s free!!!
FRESH ALOE FACIALS
I get a fresh aloe leaf from the produce section of my grocery store and cut off a piece off every day, de-skin it and apply it directly to my face. It can be drying, but what better way to give your skin all of the nutrients it needs other than applying aloe? One leaf is only about $3.00 and lasts me a month.
SUPPLEMENT FACIALS
So can you use or supplements topically? Why not? I do! You can apply CoQ10 directly to your face or mix it with a capsule of Turmeric. It will yellow your skin a bit, but you can get it all off in the shower with a washcloth. I’ve also done honey with activated charcoal.
To exfoliate (which I stopped doing daily and only do about once a week), I mix a little of my calcium ascorbate powder which I use on my gums, into my face wash and wash my face with it. It has just the right about for me to feel like it’s actually exfoliating my skin. Note though, I mix it with Obagi face wash, and I’ve tried mixing calcium ascorbate with some of my body washes, and sometimes it just doesn’t blend well. So it may depend on what face wash you use.
SHEET MASK FACIALS
I also love sheet mask facials, and will use any brand that’s $3.00 or less per mask, usually I go for the ones by Whole Foods. But it seems like everyone makes these now, and I love them all. I store them in my refrigerator so they’re always cold when I put them on. There like a little self-care treat great anytime of the day at the cost of about half a pack of cigarettes.