Scientists haven't found a way to stop time, but they can slow it down. We asked doctors of all fields to offer up their personal anti-aging approach to help you wade through the sea of offerings.
By Kelly Bryant, Reader's Digest
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A doctor who takes her own medicine
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Tess Mauricio, MD, a Beverly Hills-based cosmetic dermatologist and CEO of MBeautyClinic.com, uses the treatment her clinic offers—the Time Machine Procedure, she says. The process incorporates a combination of cosmetic procedures, including micro-needling, growth factors, and laser resurfacing. "This induces our own body's natural healing process and creates a permanent reset of the aging process. It can address all signs of skin aging like wrinkles, saggy skin, eye bags, droopy eyelids, and pores!" she claims.
A smoothing effect
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"As a plastic surgeon and someone who is in his early 50s, I do everything that I can to slow down the aging process, but do so in a way that makes me still look natural," says Gregory Buford, MD, a plastic surgeon in Denver, Colorado. Like Dr. Mauricio, Dr. Buford relies on something he offers: "ThermiSmooth has been a lifesaver for the loose skin and wrinkles around my eyes. I combine a series of treatments with micro needling and platelet-rich plasma to help tighten and firm this delicate tissue and keep me looking my very best." On the flip side, check out these things dermatologists say you should never, ever do to your skin.
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Oil change
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"One of my trade secrets is argan oil, the Moroccan fountain of youth, which I recommend to all my clients and I use every night," says Gabrielle Francis, a naturopathic doctor, chiropractor, and acupuncturist who helped the likes of Steven Tyler and Bruce Springsteen retain their youthful vigor. "This multipurpose anti-ager is derived from the argan tree of Morocco. This oil is coveted because of its high level of essential fatty acids which protect and repair skin and hair. Argan is also loaded with vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant in neutralizing free-radical production and protecting cell membranes from lipid peroxidation."
A night cream
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"I like to incorporate a good over-the-counter retinol-based night cream into my skin care regimen," says Nesochi Okeke-Igbokwe, MD, MS, an internist and health expert. "Retinol can really be a big game changer for the appearance of your skin. Collagen and elastin are proteins that help maintain the integrity of the skin and keep it firm, plump, and vibrant. As we all get older, the production of collagen tends to slow down. Retinol creams may help boost collagen production." A 2015 study published in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology concluded that after one-year of topical retinol use, patients' photodamaged skin showed a significant improvement overall, decreasing the appearance of crow's feet by 44 percent. Here are some other skin-care tips dermatologists use on themselves.
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Clean living
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"Personally I would say the most important thing for me is good clean living," says Bill Dorfman, DDS, who cares for many Hollywood A-listers. "I exercise daily, I don't eat junk. I don't drink. I don't do drugs. Also, for the last 30 years, I have used a nightly regimen of a light Retin A cream and a little Botox around the eyes and on the forehead. And, of course, Zoom Tooth Whitening to keep my teeth looking their best."
Treat and repeat
Variety may be the spice of life, but a routine of anti-aging treatments is what keeps Dr. Antoni Calmon of Dr. Dray Clinic Paris and London looking and feeling his best. For the basics, he applies a Vitamin C serum to his face each morning, along with SPF 50+ sunscreen three times a day, and caps things off with a repair cream at night. Twice weekly he applies a Vitamin A cream, like Differine. For in-office treatments, Dr. Calmon receives Mesolift (used to tone and tighten sagging skin) every two months and Botox injections between the eyebrows and eyes every six months.
Sweat equity
Cardio isn't only good for the heart—studies show it's also great for reversing the signs of aging. In fact, research published in Cell Metabolism suggests that HIIT (high-intensity interval training) workouts can reverse the signs of aging right down the cellular level. Jody A. Levine, MD, a leading dermatologist and the director of dermatology at Plastic Surgery & Dermatology of NYC, uses her sweat sessions as one of her preferred anti-aging treatments. "I love a hard cardio work out," she says. "The relaxation I get after a challenging aerobic activity and a good sweat provides for me the ultimate stress relief and comfort." Don't miss these health rules doctors don't always follow—so you shouldn't either.
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Food for thought
Good health at the cellular level is crucial for aging gracefully, says Laura Stix, a naturopathic doctor and clinical hypnotherapist. "Clinical nutrition is key," she says. She looks to big doses of supplements such as glutathione. "One interesting fact is research looking at how our foods and microRNA are actually altering our genetic expression, so we have the opportunity to make wise decisions on how we wish to have our health advance in a positive or negative way." In other words, eat better to age better!
Sleep well
For Renalto Calabria, MD, a plastic surgeon, anti-aging treatments are more than just topical products, they're a way of life. "In the morning I drink Bulletproof coffee with grass-fed butter and MCT oil," he explains. "That gives me a lot of mental and physical energy, and allows me to do intermittent fasting." That means he avoids eating between 8 p.m. and 12 a.m. "I sleep between eight and nine hours a day and drink three to four liters of alkalinized water. That is the key of skin rejuvenation along with a NAD supplement that has been proved to rejuvenate skin in a laboratory and in real life. Loss of sleep is definitely damaging the skin!" These anti-aging secrets could add years to your life.
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Prevent and protect
"The most effective anti-aging treatment I undergo is Botox injections," says Joshua D. Zuckerman, MD, FACS, of Zuckerman Plastic Surgery in New York. I have developed deep furrows in my forehead due to aging, sun damage, and concentration, and within one week of treatment, Botox smooths these out. Botox is used in many areas of the face and neck to smooth out, or prevent, wrinkles. It's close to a 'miracle drug' for anti-aging." Here are seven signs that you are ready for botox (and six that reveal you aren't).
Smart supplements
"I love ashwagandha, theanine, and rhodiola as supplements that can help improve feelings of well-being and decrease feelings of stress," says Charlie Seltzer, MD, a specialist in both obesity and internal medicine. According to an article published in Psychology Today, stress is a major component of the way we age. Studies have shown that untreated anxiety and depression specifically can hasten the aging process by shortening the length of DNA strands. Check out these signs that your body is aging faster than you are.
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Bee venom
Dermatologist Rhonda Q. Klein, MD/MPH, FAAD, with the Connecticut Dermatology Group, is a huge fan of the treatments offered by her office: "I have been loyal with botulinum toxin [bee venom] since residency at age 27, other than when pregnant! I've also had some filler under my eyes and in my cheeks and temples a few times."
Sun smarts
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"I never leave the house without a big slather of sunscreen—the sun is probably the most aging element when you are outdoors," says Anna Guanche, MD, of Bella Skin Institute, on her go-to anti-aging treatments. "I will take a tablespoon of coconut oil three times a day, the oils are then released onto your skin through your pores and it keeps your skin moisturized and very soft."
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Skin savvy
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As a Beverly Hills-based plastic surgeon, it's not surprising that John Layke, MD, has his finger on the pulse of the latest and greatest in skincare. For his routine, he says, "I use Beverly Hills MD's Brighten and Tighten Restorative Facial Oil, Dark Spot Corrector, Repair + Reverse Daily Serum, and Deep Regenerating Stem Cell Moisturizer," he shares. "I do HIIT training three times a week and stick to a low saturated fat diet." Don't miss more anti-aging secrets dermatologists won't tell you for free.
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