Overwhelmed by information at a consult – how can I sort it out?

Dr. Irwin
September 17, 2011
-------------------------------------------------------------- Hi Dr. Irwin, I'm in my early 30s and went in for my very first consultation with a reputable cosmetic dermatologist to find out what I could start doing now to keep myself looking great t

I think this is a frequent problem and I’ve heard this from many other women too!  So a couple of things – no – at your age you do not need all these treatments.  If you’re in your early 30s and want to work on preventing problems later, first optomize your products  – including a good antioxidant, great sunscreen and tretinoin or retinol or TNS Recovery (cell growth factors) at night.  If you truly have frown lines, start with a little Botox.  If not, you don’t need it.  Then pick one collagen building modality to  do once a year.  As you get more educated in this area, you can add things later.  The important thing is to just get started in the right direction.

I think a second opinion is a good idea.  It may be that your dermatologist was just trying to educate you about all the options.  But……. in my opinion …….. you should never feel pressured to make a decision right away.  A good office will ask you to read, study, and ask questions so that you can make an educated decision and be comfortable.   Also, unless you have a skin cancer, there is no urgency here whatsoever. Here are some tips on how to find a good dermatologist.   Dr. I

Dr. Brandith Irwin, MD

Ask me your skincare question!

Hi, I’m Dr. Irwin. I believe that consumers deserve a medically trained and unbiased skin care advocate.

  • All our content is written and researched by myself.
  • My medical office in Seattle has treated thousands of patients for 15+ years.
  • This site is not affiliated or financially tied to any product, treatment or device.
Ask Me Something
SkinTour Skincare
One of the best investments in your skin is your daily skincare. Why? Because you can prevent many problems with blotchy skin color, lack of glow, texture, some types of acne, and fine lines with good skincare products. You can also correct some of these problems with effective skincare products. Great skincare is often more expensive because quality ingredients are expensive. Some companies spend on research/development which benefits all of us and adds to the cost. Are they worth it? In general - yes! I have handpicked some of what I consider to be the best skin care products, and offer them for sale on SkinTour's shop. This is based on my team and I's testing and research at our clinic. Many of the products are in my own regimen. What could be better than using skin care products a dermatologist uses?!
Browse Shop