Post-Summer Beauty & Health Tips from Medical Professionals 

We’re not quite ready to say goodbye to summer yet, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start helping your skin and body recover from the fun in the sun, great food, and maybe a few too many daiquiris. 
As the seasons change, it’s important to protect your health and wellness. Whether you feel bloated from summer activities or you simply want to prepare your skin for the drier air, our team at Amy Brenner, MD & Associates have you covered.
For years, we’ve been helping men and women look and feel better every single day. Keep reading for our ultimate post-summer beauty & health guide to help you detox and start fresh. 

Post-summer skin care and recovery

Although taking care of your skin is crucial throughout the entire year, it’s especially important to make tweaks as you go through the different seasons. Summer skin care and winter skin care are quite different, so now is the perfect time to help your skin recover and prepare for cooler weather. 

5 Common Skincare Mistakes You Should Avoid →

There are three main things you want to focus on:

  1. Reversing sun damage
  2. Adding and retaining moisture
  3. Brightening and removing dead skin

Combat sun damage

We all love glowy, tan summer skin, but underneath that glow could be some unnoticed sun damage. Light that travels from the sun comes in short and long wavelengths. The longer wavelengths, similar to radio waves, are harmless and won’t damage your skin. On the other hand, shorter wavelengths like UVA and UVB rays are the ones that are the problem. UV rays can penetrate deep into the skin and manipulate the underlying cells, causing negative implications for how your skin cells grow and look.
Even if you slathered on SPF religiously, you should still take extra steps to ensure your skin remains in tip-top shape. In fact, especially when you’re young, sun damage doesn’t show any signs, leaving people to neglect proper skin care because they still look great on the outside. 
The most important thing about post-summer skin care? It’s all about prevention. It’s always easier to prevent damage signs such as wrinkles and dark spots than it is to get rid of them. However, that doesn’t mean we don’t have ways for you to reverse sun damage, too! 
Some of our favorite, must-have treatments to help reduce the appearance of sun damage include:

These treatments boost the cellular turnover rate to remove old, damaged skin and reveal the fresh, untouched skin that lies underneath. 

Lock in moisture 

Along with sun damage, chlorine from pools, saltwater from beaches, and even your air conditioner can affect your skin’s overall health. Even with the extra moisture in the air, you may notice your skin being more dry and cracked than before. Therefore, you should definitely focus on moisturizing your skin. Moisturization not only helps eliminate dryness, it can also keep your skin cells plump so you stay looking younger for longer.
When it comes to skincare products, here are a few ingredients you should look for to enhance moisture:
Hyaluronic acid: There’s nothing quite like the skin-plumping effects of hyaluronic acid (HA). HA has the capability to hold 1,000x its weight in water, which can help take off years from your appearance. 
Glycerin: Glycerin is another humectant like HA, meaning it attracts and retains water. It also helps strengthen the skin’s moisture barrier and protects against drying environmental forces. 
Occlusives: Ingredients like shea butter, lanolin, and jojoba oil are great for sealing moisture into the skin. Keep in mind that these ingredients don’t actually provide additional moisture. Instead, they make sure that the moisture you do add doesn’t get pulled out. 
Ceramides: Oftentimes, a damaged skin barrier is the cause of dry skin, which is common after summer wear and tear. Ceramides are a class of fatty acids that help repair your skin barrier to help your skin naturally retain more moisture. 

Brighten a dull complexion

Once the tan fades, you may notice that your skin seems a little more dull than it was before summer began. Unfortunately, as summer turns into fall and fall turns into winter, that extra dryness can make the dullness even worse. 
The first thing you can (and should) do is make sure you’re drinking enough water. When you’re dehydrated, your skin will also be dehydrated. Water is a natural way to get your glow back. Plus, it does wonders for your body and overall health! 
However, if you are drinking enough water, you could have another problem. Dull skin typically comes from a build up of dead skin cells, which again may stem from sun damage. Exfoliation is key for getting rid of those skin cells to brighten your complexion. However, be careful with products that have beads or rough scrubs. While those may help with exfoliation, they can also damage your skin barrier and cause more harm.
A great way to exfoliate without harsh scrubs is through chemical exfoliants. Chemicals such as glycolic acid promote cellular turnover, and though they may slightly burn or tingle, they don’t disrupt the skin barrier. You can always find products that contain chemical exfoliates (they typically come in the form of a toner or pads), but if you really want to jumpstart your skin-brightening efforts, we highly recommend getting a professional chemical peel. 
Our top pick: Skincuetical’sMedica’s Vitalize MicroPeel
SkinMedica is already known for having phenomenal medical-grade products to brighten the skin, so it makes sense that they would have chemical peels to match. The MicroPeelVitalize Peel infuses a combination of healthyresorcinol, lactic, salicylic, and retinoic acids to treat sun damage, moderate skin aging, acne, and more. Plus, the renewal process boosts collagen production, helping your skin to maintain its youthful glow long after the peel treatment. For the best results, we recommend a series of three treatments spaced four weeks apart. 

Post-summer body care and recovery

What’s great skin if your body doesn’t feel great? Actually, an accumulation of toxins and feeding your body the wrong things can cause your skin to look worse. Many people overindulge in the summer (especially during vacations), and that is okay! But you do want to make sure you get back on track to maintain your health. 
You can easily start by slowly cutting out junk from your diet and saving it for weekends or special occasions. If you want to go cold turkey, you definitely can. However, we believe that changing a lifestyle is a gradual process, and you don’t want to feel like you’re giving yourself unrealistic goals. 
For example, as summer ends, you can tell yourself that you’ll only drink coffee in the morning and water for the rest of the day. This can greatly cut down your sugar intake if you’re used to drinking a lot of juices, sodas, and cocktails. It also gives your body a chance to detox. 
Next, try to get active if you aren’t already. We aren’t saying you have to hit the gym hard and run for miles on the treadmill, unless you want to of course. If you’re just starting out, a 10 to 15 minute walk and lifting light weights can make a huge difference in how you look and feel. Plus, sweating is a great way to release stored toxins.

Amy Brenner, MD & Associates’ Overindulgence Program

If you’re in the Cincinnati area and need a little help, our medical professionals have a program that is designed to help you recover from your summer festivities. During our 4-week Overindulgence Program, our wellness coach will teach you nutrition basics to help eliminate toxins, balance blood-sugar levels, and reduce cravings. The package includes:

  • 7 Day Core Restore Detox Kit: includes a detailed patient handbook and three supplements: Core Support detoxifying protein shake, PhytoCore (boosts liver health) and Alpha Base Multivitamin
  • Lipo B Injections: help reduce the accumulation of fat and promote fat metabolism while boosting stamina and energy
  • Ultraburn Supplement: contains synergistic ingredients that help boost metabolism and suppress appetite and carb cravings

The goal is to help you gain better knowledge about nutrition and create a foundation for weight loss. Keep in mind that each patient is different, so results will vary. If you’d like more information about the program, you can always contact our team, and we’ll be happy to explain further details. 

Learn more about post-summer beauty and health with Amy Brenner, MD & Associates

Let our health experts help you get through the summer recovery process for glowing skin and a healthy body. As a medspa and medical practice, we are uniquely equipped with the ability to not only give you the best beauty treatment, but also help you maintain your overall health. 
We’re here to offer a warm, friendly environment while providing the highest quality aesthetic treatments and wellness plans to help you look great and feel great. No matter what, we will stick with you throughout your entire journey, because your goals are our goals. 
Get started today by using our virtual consultation tool or scheduling an appointment. 
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