Have you ever wondered why you can’t use your body soap on your face, or moisturize your face with body lotion? Or why are pricey skin rejuvenation treatments at the doctor’s clinic only for the face (and sometimes neck) but not for the rest of the body? It is not a scam. Here are 5 ways skin on our faces differ from the body, and how we need to care for it.
1. YOUR FACE IS MORE EXPOSED TO THE SUN
Our faces are more exposed to sunlight and if you didn’t know that the most important cause of skin aging is sun exposure by now, you have been living under a rock. In fact, it is estimated that about 90% of skin aging is due to the effects of the sun, and doctors advise against sun bathing to prevent photoaging of the skin. UVA rays in particular, penetrate deep into the dermis, damaging collagen fibers and causing premature skin laxity, fine lines and wrinkles. Luckily for us, non-invasive skin tightening is now a thing, and we should start these treatments early rather than late, such as ultrasound-based treatments such as Ultherapy or radiofrequency based treatments such as Thermage.
2. IT HAS THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF OIL GLANDS
Got acne on your face but not on your body, or large pores on your face but perfect skin elsewhere? Well, more problems occur in facial skin because it actually has the most number of sebaceous (oil) glands. Too much oil (e.g. because of hormonal changes), you get acne. Too little and you get dry (and sensitive) skin. This is why your skin needs different products from your body! Oily skin will need cleansers which can get rid of oil such as salicylic-based cleansers e.g. Skin Laundry III, and a lightweight moisturizer such as Blue Orchid.
3. IT BEARS THE BRUNT OF REPEATED FACIAL EXPRESSION
You are constantly squeezing the same facial muscles. And I am not just talking about those you need for facial expressions. Even blinking of the eyes requires muscle activity. The fact that the skin on the face is the thinnest around the eyes makes this worse, therefore some of us see the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes much earlier. Start caring for the skin by choosing products which accelerate cell renewal, such as Age Defy, or Dream Cream for the eyes. When you start to notice lines around the eyes deepening, consider preemptive Botox.
4. IT IS THINNER
The face needs more tender loving care because of this. Consider organic facial oil after moisturizing to seal in precious moisture, such as Skin Drink, or Emerald Oil.
5. IT IS MORE DELICATE
The top layer of the skin in the face is far more delicate than anywhere else in the body, and it doesn’t help that we have less skin cells in the face, which makes the skin more susceptible to damage and sensitivity reactions. While exfoliation is encouraged, don’t go scrubbing your face with your body brush. We recommend mild exfoliators such as Sleep Mode, a sustained release glycolic acid formula in an aloe vera base instead.