We spend hours each week caring for our face. We invest in a quality skin care regimen, don’t leave the house without SPF protection, and spend (probably too much) time examining our skin in the mirror. But, we often forget about the skin on our bodies. Our hands, chest, knees (you name it) give our age away just as much and sometimes even more than our face.

Years of sleeping on our sides, sun damage, pollution, and in some cases smoking and alcohol consumption really have an impact on our skin. All of these factors produce free radicals in our bodies as well as skin sagging, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation or sun spots. While it’s important to protect and prevent, there ARE some options to REVERSE these dreadful signs of aging.

Creating a body care regimen that is efficient, quick and multi-functional is key to keeping the skin on our bodies looking healthy and youthful. We’re all busy so we need a regimen that can be applied quickly so we can go on with our day.

• Using exfoliating products with alpha hydroxy acids on the neck, chest and body will help to increase cellular turnover, improve pigmentation, skin tone and texture and improve fine lines and wrinkles. I recommend using a glycolic acid body product at least a few times a week in the shower. I prefer chemical exfoliation but on the body I do like to incorporate some physical exfoliation as well. I love this body scrub by Jan Marini to do just that. It’s also great to use before any self-tanning products to ensure an even, smooth base.

• As we age we start to notice skin sagging in areas like the arms, elbows, knees, etc. Treating these areas with targeting treatment products is a good idea to help reverse these issues. I’ll admit I’m skeptical about any products that claim to make a large impact in these areas but the results I’ve seen with the Revision Bodifirm is pretty remarkable. Make sure to take a look at their before and after photos. Note that you need to commit to using this product twice a day every single day to see improvements in the long-term and it’s not an overnight fix. It should be applied on clean skin to problem areas before your regular body moisturizer.

• Another important addition to your body care for overall skin appearance but also to promote collagen production is a retinoid. While you can use your facial retinoid on problem areas like knees and chest, I think it’s a good idea to have a body lotion with retinol in it when you’re trying to cover larger surface areas. Start with use a couple times a week and increase as tolerated. Use a regular body lotion or oil on off days to keep the skin looking hydrated- a KEY factor in maintaining its youthful appearance.

• Last but most importantly, SPF. You didn’t think I was going to get through an entire blog post without mentioning sun protection did you? As is true with our face, you can invest in all the targeting treatments that you want, but if you’re not vehemently protecting your skin from the sun you may as well pour your money down the drain. A daily spf on the neck and chest is a MUST and if you’ll outside make sure any exposed areas are protected as well. Here are a few of my favorite SPFs for the body.

For outdoor activities or beach days: 

For everyday use: 

Following these steps will help to prevent and reverse the signs of aging on stubborn areas making you feel comfortable in those strapless dresses and summer shorts once again!

Questions? Drop them below or DM me on instagram

_Amy is a Cosmetic Dermatology PA and skin care enthusiast living and practicing in Miami, FL. To connect with her or to see her in office or virtually for a consultation, contact her via her instagram @the_skinthusiast or on her blog www.theskinthusiastblog.com