Getting Your Skin Back to Normal After an Illness

I am Age 65, used to look 40 a year ago. I Had 4 significant life threatening hospitalizations (icu) this past year. With Two of them I lost 30lbs (each). I would almost get back to regular weight, would get sick and lose 30. (I weigh 105 usually.) As you can imagine, my face looks horrible. I look like a haggard old prune. (A nurse asked if I was My 60 year old husbands mother!) I have wrinkles, marionette lines, vertical lip lines - I don’t know where to start and what would be the best for my money. I liked SC (A,G.E,2/4-2 lipid, ferulic, phloretin and a SC lip product. but I wonder if there Is a better update or Other. I Used TNS and it did nothing for me. Wonder if there is a better solution. Have used Voluma, Botox, Juveder, Laser in the past -what do I do now? On senior budget. Thanks. Drbo

This an especially good topic for now, given that many people have had Covid-19 in the past 9 months.  What you’re describing is really challenging.  Many of our patients have gained or lost a significant amount of weight during this period. That affects our skin and the way we feel about ourselves.

I know you’re working on getting your weight back to normal.  Focus on healthy fats like olive oil and avocados, good lean protein sources, and eating frequent small meals if you appetite is still not great.  A good nutritionist could be a super helpful.  The weight gain will help fill out your face, and restore many of your natural contours.  A filler treatment like Voluma or Restylane Lyft might help you feel better while you’re gaining the weight back.  It will add volume.

A great basic regimen:

Morning:

Gentle cleanser – Cetaphil or CeraVe from the drugstore are cost effective options

Triple Antioxidant – Our MadisonMD Triple antioxidant is just as effective and less expensive than the SC version.

Moisturizer – Again – you could just use CeraVe cream as a cost effective choice

Eye Cream –  Try the MadisonMD Eye Rescue

Sunscreen – Get the high zinc version (15-20%) if you are outside much – Try this Image product

Before Bed:

Gentle Cleanser like above

Moisturizer – you may just want to use the CeraVE again

Eye Cream – same as above

Retinol –  Try our new one, and follow the instructions on the back.  Start every other night and work up to nightly.

This will get you started.  Use this for 3 months, and you’ll really start to notice a difference.  Write back then and we’ll work on a adding a few more products!

Hope this helps,

Dr. Brandith Irwin

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.
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