My skin looks and feels twice my age (20), what can I do?

Question

I've watched my body, particularly my skin quality and texture completely erode in the last year. Everything sags, I have crepey, line infested skin, and huge pores. My face is also two shades darker than my neck despite being borderline obsessive about sunscreen and my skincare routine. I used to be beautiful... I think a history of eating disorders and stress have taken a huge toll. My skin is now always itchy and red on top of total asymmetric volume loss.

Raffy Karamanoukian, MD, FACS · Answer

Fractional laser is an amazing and highly effective treatment in our office. We use the laser treatment to help with acne scars, large pores, fine wrinkles, tissue collagen loss, scars, sebaceous hyperplasia, active acne, and for brightening dark pigmentation. Although there are very strong fractional lasers such as CO2 laser, we use lighter treatments for corrective skincare and maintenance of results. Our Thulium fractional laser, clear and brilliant laser, and Ultra Thulium laser are excellent options in our clinic. We also perform CO2 fractional and erbium depending on skin tone and tolerance for downtime. Patients do have to use a Melarase cream before and after treatment to help further reduce pigmentation after laser. Dark spots can improve with these treatments. I recommend fractional laser for incisional scars as well, especially after plastic surgery.

Best,
Dr. Karamanoukian
Realself100 Surgeon

Best,
Dr. Karamanoukian 
Realself100 Surgeon

Fadi Nukta, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question and for sharing these photos! It
Is always good to see a skin care specialist in your area for a consultation.  There are some products, vitamins, and
treatments that can help with your concerns. Eating and stress disorders have a
huge effect on the skin, therefore, eating healthy foods with lots of vitamins
and drinking plenty of water can improve your skin.

Rebecca Gelber, MD · Answer

Thanks for being brave to post your pictures and story. As is usually the case, I feel like you, as the patient, have a pretty good handle on at least part of what is going on. Unfortunately eating disorders take a terrible toll on the face and skin. Just like every other part of your body, your skin needs certain nutrients to grow and look healthy - protein, water, potassium, vitamins A,C,E, and many more. If it doesn't get them, not only does it not look good, it is breaking down. Please work with a trained professionals on the eating disorder - it is the best thing you can do to have beautiful, vital skin.
ONLY AFTER you have done this and also addressed the issues of self-esteem inherently connected with eating disorders should you consider medical skin treatments. For now, make your skin care routine (aside from sunscreen) less obsessive - sometimes more is worse. Once you're recovering, then you might consider non-ablative antiaging treatments like BBL (Broad Band Light) to address the pigment, collagen loss and antiaging.

My skin looks and feels twice my age (20), what can I do?

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