SAVING FACE: Invigorate, Protect, Repair
By Blair Koster

INVIGORATE. Treat your skin to an exfoliating face wash. Cleanse it with a facial and rid yourself of old skin cells. Enjoy a day at the spa or even make your own facial mask. For normal skin types, make a paste from a little oatmeal and water. Apply to the face and let dry. Gently remove with a damp cloth.

Pamper yourself. Treat your skin to a cucumber facial.

For oily skin, try the peach tightening mask, a fruit facial. Combine are one peeled, pitted peach and one egg white in a blender. Process until smooth. Apply mixture to the face and relax for 30 minutes. Rinse with cool water.

There are homemade strawberry facials, cucumber facials and more. They're all a great way to have a little fun with your friends.

PROTECT. Wear sunscreen with UVA/UVB protection, such as Anthelios or Helioplex, year-round.

REPAIR. Ah…relaxing and getting bronze every summer. Maybe those days are over, but the sun damage isn't. Do you have a few creases, uneven pigment or spots on your face? Anti-aging products are everywhere. Alpha hydroxy acid, active copper, fading creams, self-injectable collagen kits -- do these products work, and are they effective? Dermatologist Dr. Joan Carl of Dermatology Associates answers our questions.

» Many women have melasma, spots on their faces with a little more pigment. Are over-the-counter fading creams effective? What would you recommend?
Fading creams over the counter aren't strong enough. I treat melasma with bleaching creams. Hydroquinone is the active ingredient. For a bleaching cream to be effective, it must have more than .02 percent hydroquinone. If a doctor-prescribed bleaching cream isn't effective, I would recommend a chemical peel.

» Even women in their 20s worry about wrinkles. Do over-the-counter alpha hydroxy acids work? What about active copper, touted by some celebrities?
The AHAs are superficial. Renova, a prescription, is preferred. Active copper isn't effective.

» What about treatments for deeper wrinkles?
We can do laser resurfacing or inject Restylane, a gel inserted into the skin with a fine needle.

» What about those self-injectable collagen kits?
Don't waste your money.

Thinking about Botox, chemical peels, injections, or cosmetic surgery? "Make sure an MD, a board certified physician, performs the treatment," says Dr. Polly Purgason of Virginia Eye Institute.

Secret Refresher
Dr. Purgason specializes in eyelid surgery. "People often have extra skin or fatty tissue around their eyes. The eyes age earlier than the rest of the face. After eyelid surgery, patients look very refreshed. People can't tell. They think you've cut your hair, changed your makeup… This surgery gives the face a whole new look." Dr. Purgason treats other wrinkles as well. Do the alpha hydroxy acids work? "They do work, but you need a prescription for them to work," she says. "Prescriptions have a greater concentration. For glabellar wrinkles, or frown lines, Botox releases the creases. Restylane can fill a deeper crease."

Dr. Polly A. Purgason, MD, specializes in ophthalmic plastic and reconstructive surgery at Virginia Eye Institute, 400 Westhampton Station Richmond, VA. (804) 287-4216 Dr. Joan Carl, MD, practices at Dermatology Associates, 7111 Jahnke Rd. Richmond, VA. (804) 320-1102