- Hi, I'm Dr. Jessica Wu.
I'm a dermatologist, researcher, and skincare fanatic.
I've been a dermatologist for over 20 years.
Today I'm here to answer all of your burning
skincare questions, so bring it on.
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- [Nina] What are some of the most common concerns
that people see you about?
- I would say the number one would be acne,
followed by sun damage, followed by anti-aging
or people wanting to prevent the signs of aging.
- I would think that anti-aging would be higher.
- You know, it really depends on the age group.
And whether it's a man or a woman.
- [Nina] Does skin type change over time?
- Absolutely, your skin type changes over time
because it can change not just with age,
but also with heredity and what you do,
your habits, whether you smoke or drink,
and the environment.
- [Nina] Do you think that you should use
different products for different seasons?
- Absolutely, you need to change up your skincare
when the weather changes because if it's colder,
you're spending more time outside in the elements
and inside in warm, dry heat,
you've gotta use more moisturizing products.
When it's hot and humid outside,
switch it up to lighter products.
- [Nina] What's a misconception that you wish
people understood more about with skincare routines?
- The number one problem, the biggest mistake
my patients make is that they do too much to their skin.
They over treat their skin and they make it really angry
and aggravated, and that can end up making acne
and rashes even worst, and can make you prematurely age.
- Okay, won't do it (laughs).
What's one thing that you recommend using for everybody?
- Well everyone should try a retinoid.
Retinoids are vitamin A derivatives
and it's found in retinol, which is over-the-counter,
very gentle, or prescription Retin-A,
because it helps with acne, anti-aging,
and with dark spots and discoloration.
- [Nina] Do facial lasers really work?
- Well lasers can work depending on what type you choose
and your skin type, so yes they work,
but not all lasers fit all skin types,
so make sure you choose the one that's best for you.
- [Nine] What do you think of the caveman regimen?
- Well it's really an anti-skincare regimen,
and the thought is that if you stop using all products,
you don't even wash your face, then your acne will clear up
because your skin will know what to do.
I have a problem with that because
number one, how do we know that cavemen had clear skin?
All the photos I've seen of prehistoric humans,
they have lots of dirt, lots of hair on their face,
maybe they had really bad acne.
By and large, majority of people have acne
because of heredity, hormones, their diet.
All of these things, none of which can be solved
by quitting your skincare products.
- [Nine] How long do you think you should use
a new product before you decide whether it's working or not?
- It takes skin cells 28 days
to go from the bottom level of the skin to the top,
so I tell my patients, use products
at least three to four weeks
before you expect to see a result.
- Do serums really work,
because I used one this morning and now I really wanna know.
- And your skin looks beautiful, so yours works.
Serums depend on the ingredients,
so if you choose the right ingredient.
For example, if you're looking to reduce fine lines
around your eyes, choose one that addresses
the collagen in your skin.
So it really depends on the ingredients
and your skin concern.
- Thank you Dr. Wu for coming in
and answering all of my questions.
- My pleasure.
- Hi, I'm Megan.
- Hi Megan, I'm Dr. Wu. - Hi, I have questions.
Is there a specific order
that I should be putting products on?
- Yes, absolutely.
So in general, you wanna use the lighter products first.
For example, your toners, your essences,
your serums, your water-based products.
And then your progressively stronger, heavier,
creamier products, because if you put the heavier products
on first, it's gonna block the water-based products
from being absorbed.
Now number one rule, above everything,
is that sunscreen should be
the last thing you put on before makeup.
- Okay, why?
- The reason for that is that for sunscreen
to work effectively and give you the SPF
it says on the label,
it's gotta be in a thin, even layer,
and if you rub, rub, rub,
you end up rubbing everything off, including the SPF.
So put everything on, and then sunscreen at the very last,
and try not to touch it.
- Interesting, okay.
But then when I put my foundation over it,
it doesn't like block it out?
- You have to use foundation very lightly,
and ideally your foundation also has some SPF
to compensate for that.
- [Megan] What are some things in skincare
that people should avoid?
- I would say the number one skincare sin
is picking and squeezing.
I know we can't resist,
but as I tell my patients, if you have a little white head
and you can't resist and you squeezing, get it out,
probably no harm done, but you were lucky because
nine times out of 10, you know, you've done it,
I've done it, you squeeze and it doesn't come out,
and that's because you've ended up squeezing the pus
deeper, which turns a little baby pimple
into a huge cyst that can actually scar your skin.
And if you are gonna be doing your dirty work,
I tell people, do it with clean hands and clean skin,
clean instruments, and do it at night,
then put a Band-Aid on top
because then it has time to calm down before the next day.
- [Megan] Is it better to wash your face
once or twice daily?
- It depends on how oily you get,
how dirty you are, or your environment,
and also how much makeup you use.
For example, if you're pretty natural
and you don't use much in the way of product or makeup,
you're not living on a farm where there's a lot of dirt
and dust, maybe only once a day at night,
but if you live in a more urban environment,
a lot of pollution, a lot of traffic,
a lot of dirt, you might wanna also wash your face
in the morning as well,
or if you like to use a lot of product on at night
or if you have oily skin,
then you probably wanna wash your face twice a day.
- [Megan] How should your skincare routine
change as you age?
- Well your skin ages over time,
so your skincare routine should mirror that.
For example, if you're a teen, early 20s,
your skin is probably very oily,
larger pores, more blackheads because of those hormones,
so you're gonna wanna use lighter products
like a gel cleanser, and more serums and toners.
As you get into your 30s, sometimes your skin can change
again because hormones start to shift,
so the acne may change.
Instead of having blackheads on your T-zone,
you might get hormonal acne along the chin and jaw line,
so you wanna switch those acne medicines
maybe to a sulfur instead of the harsh benzoyl peroxide.
Now, as you get beyond your 30s,
the hormones change again, men and women,
and skin tends to get drier over time.
Beyond your 30s you wanna use richer products.
- That's so rude.
Like you think you figure it out and then
your skin is like--
- Surprise! - Work harder.
What do you like using to treat acne?
- Well it depends on the type of acne.
So for T-zone acne, with blackheads and white heads,
I like using an over-the-counter retinoid
such as Differin gel.
Differin is now available without a prescription,
and because it's a reinoid, it helps to unclog pores
and slough off the dead skin
that's clogging the pores.
For people who have more white heads or red pimples,
benzoyl peroxide is my favorite ingredient.
If you have sensitive skin and acne,
I like sulfur 'cause sulfur is more gentle
than benzoyl peroxide.
Now if you have cystic acne
and you need a spot treatment instead of picking it,
recommend using a topical product that has salacylic acid,
which is a natural antiinflammatory.
- [Megan] What is your opinion on Biore strips?
- I have them right here.
I love Biore strips.
I love them because they work.
But, if you are using a retinoid like Differin,
like Retin-A, your skin's going to be more sensitive,
so do not use the strips if you're using a retinoid.
You'll end up ripping off a layer of your skin.
- Okay, that's a great warning.
What about, like, apricot face scrubs?
I feel like the opinion is--
- I have that, too.
Well it depends on the how fine the granules are.
It's all about the size and shape of the granules.
Sometimes I warn people against using apricot
or walnut scrubs because the granules
are too large and sharp
and they can scratch your skin,
especially if you're using a medicated acne treatment.
But the ones that are very finely ground, they're wonderful.
- [Megan] What is your skincare routine?
- I'm kind of a minimalist,
so in the morning I just swipe my T-zone
with micellar water, because that's more gentle
than using a cleanser,
then I follow that with a hyaluronic acid serum.
Hyaluronic acid is a moisturizing ingredient
that holds moisture against your skin without adding oil.
And then I follow that with a daily SPF
and then my makeup.
At night, because I do wear foundation during the day,
I use a cleansing oil
'cause that helps to dissolve any makeup and oils,
and I follow that with some more of micellar water
to remove makeup, and then couple times a week
I use a prescription retinoid.
- [Megan] Lots of people are into washing with coconut oil.
What do you think about that?
- I think if your skin is fundamentally pretty good
and/or if it's sensitive,
coconut oil can work really well
because an oil will help to dissolve
oil-based sunscreens or makeups.
Now if you tend to have large pores
and oily skin you might not find
that the coconut oil cleanses well enough.
Use a damp muslin cloth to take off the coconut oil
because that'll give you a little bit of texture
and you'll feel a little more clean.
- Thank you for answering my questions.
- You're welcome, my pleasure.
I would say, listen to your skin.
If your skin's angry, stop using what you're using.
If your skin's dry, moisturize it.
If it's oily, you don't have to use moisturizers.
You are the best judge of what to do for your skin.
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