Dermatology and Skincare: Your GoodRx Guide

The skin

The skin is the largest organ in the body. It plays many roles in keeping you healthy, including:

• Being a protective barrier to the outside

• Regulating your temperature

• Keeping your immune system strong

The skin is made up of three main layers, each with a slightly different role. Here’s a closer look at what each layer does:

• Epidermis: This is the outermost layer of the skin. It provides the first barrier to the outside. It contains many cells involved in your immune system and gives your skin and hair their color. Most skin cancers develop in the epidermis.

• Dermis: This is the middle and thickest layer of the skin. It’s made of collagen and elastin. It also contains hair follicles, sweat glands, and blood vessels, which help the dermis perform its main function — regulating body temperature. 

• Subcutis (hypodermis): This is the deepest part of the skin. It's a fat-filled layer that stores energy and conserves body heat. Some parts of the dermis, like hair follicles and blood vessels, can cross into this layer.

What is a dermatologist, and who needs to see one?

A dermatologist is a medical specialist who diagnoses and treats problems related to the skin. This includes hair, nails, and sweat glands. Dermatologists treat people of all ages, from infants to older adults. They can also do minor surgical procedures, like skin biopsies, and address different cosmetic concerns.

It’s a good idea to see a dermatologist if you have cosmetic questions or concerns related to your skin, hair, or nails. 

Common conditions dermatologists treat include:

• Psoriasis and other rashes

• Hair loss or brittle nails

• Skin cancer, skin tags, and other growths

• Wrinkles and brown spots

• Excessive sweating

Skin care routine

Developing good skin care habits will keep your skin healthy at every stage of life. As daunting and costly as it may seem, less is more when it comes to skin care. 

Establish the foundations of a good skin care routine with these three basic steps:

1. Daily cleansing: This is to wash away sweat, dirt, makeup, and other products. Once or twice a day is just fine. Any more than that will dry out your skin.  

2. Moisturizing: This hydrates and protects your skin. Moisturize your skin every time you cleanse your face (even if it’s just with water).

3. Sunscreen: This protects your skin from the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays. This lowers your risk of developing skin cancer and slows premature aging.

Depending on your skin type and specific concerns, you may want to add more steps or choose certain products. 

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Choosing skin care products

Understanding the basic building blocks of a good skin care routine will make it easier to choose skin care products. With so much choice and hype, it can be hard to know what is worth investing in. And keep in mind, a good skin care regimen does not have to cost the earth. Here’s what different products do and some ingredients to look out for.

Cleansers

Cleansers remove bacteria and other pollutants from your skin. Some cleansers are better for specific skin types (like oily skin), and some cleansers have active ingredients that help with certain conditions (like for acne).

Toners

Toners can help balance the skin and remove any leftover dirt. But they aren't for everyone. Toners can be irritating for some skin types or conditions like rosacea.    

Moisturizers 

Moisturizers hydrate your skin and keep it healthy and strong. Depending on your skin type, pick a moisturizer with one or more of these ingredient types:

• Humectants (like hyaluronic acid) attract moisture to your skin.

• Emollients (like ceramides) help your skin feel smooth.

• Occlusives (like lanolin) help form a protective barrier on your skin.

Exfoliators

These remove dead skin cells from the skin surface. They can leave your skin brighter and smoother. Two main types are:

• Physical exfoliators: These remove cells with physical force (like face scrubs that contain exfoliating particles).

• Chemical exfoliators: These dissolve bonds between dead skin cells (like alpha hydroxy acids).

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Sunscreen: Yes, you need it

If you do nothing else, make sure you wear sunscreen. 

Sunscreen helps keep your skin healthy and looking young. Using it every day lowers your risk of getting skin cancer and helps slow the aging of skin.

Sunscreen blocks the sun in two different ways, and many sunscreen products combine both types of ingredients:

• Physical sunscreens: These have ingredients like zinc oxide, which block the sun’s rays. 

• Chemical (or mineral) sunscreens: These have ingredients like avobenzone. These ingredients absorb the sun’s rays before they can cause damage. 

When using sunscreen:

• Use broad-spectrum protection that blocks both UVA and UVB.

• Use a minimum of SPF 30.

• Don’t forget your ears, neck, and tops of your feet.

• Reapply sunscreen every 2 hours and after swimming or sweating.

• Remember that people of all skin tones need to wear sunscreen.

• Alternatives to sunscreen include staying in the shade and wearing protective clothing.

• The best sunscreen is the one you’re most likely to use.

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Antiaging

An antiaging skin care routine doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated. In fact, the single most important antiaging step is also the least expensive — protecting your skin from the sun every day. This will help prevent wrinkles and brown spots from forming and keep your skin looking young and healthy.

No matter your age, here are some other effective steps you can take to slow down or reverse the skin’s aging process:  

• Wear sunscreen daily, at least SPF 30.

• Cleanse and moisturize your face regularly.

• Use a retinol or retinoid regularly.

• Avoid products that irritate your skin.

• Stop smoking, and limit your alcohol intake.

• Eat whole foods and avoid ultra-processed foods.

If you want to explore minor cosmetic procedures (like injectables, fillers, or lasers), then your dermatologist or primary care provider is a good place to start.

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Common skin conditions

Most people will experience at least one skin condition in their lifetime. Here’s an overview of some of the most common ones:

• Acne: This common skin condition typically affects teenagers, but acne can cause inflamed pimples and scarring in adults and children of any age.  

• Rosacea: This looks like acne, but it isn’t. Rosacea causes face flushing and bumps, usually in middle-aged and older adults. 

• Psoriasis: This autoimmune condition causes raised, scaly patches on the skin that can itch or hurt. Psoriasis is a lifelong condition that can be associated with arthritis, heart disease, and other medical complications. 

• Eczema (atopic dermatitis): This is a red, dry, and itchy rash. It usually starts in early childhood and is often linked with asthma or allergies. Eczema can come and go throughout life, and some people even grow out of it.

• Skin cancer: This is the most common type of cancer in the U.S. Skin cancer can affect all skin colors and is highly curable if you catch it early. Basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma are the most common types. 

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Common procedures: Lasers, chemical peels, and more

Here are some common skin procedures and their uses:

• Lasers: These produce different types of high-intensity light. They can treat conditions like acne scars and are suitable for hair removal. With some lasers, there’s minimal downtown after treatment.

• Chemical peels: These use chemical substances to remove the top layers of skin in treating things like wrinkles. There are different strengths and types of chemical peels.

• Injectables: These injectable medications can treat and prevent wrinkles and other conditions. When used in small amounts, they block nerves in specific muscles to keep them from moving. Examples include Botox and Daxxify.

• Fillers: These are injected under the skin to create fuller or smoother skin. They can be used for things like diminishing scars and plumping up lips. Common fillers are Juvederm and Radiesse. 

• Microdermabrasion: This procedure gently exfoliates the outer layer of dead skin cells. It’s used to treat things like hyperpigmentation and wrinkles.  

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Vitamins and supplements for skin health

Vitamins contain many antioxidants that help you have healthy and glowing skin. The best way to get these vitamins is to eat a well-rounded diet with plenty of vegetables and fruit. 

Skin, hair, and nail supplements are very popular, and there are thousands of them available. The FDA regulates these as foods — not drugs. Most of them have not been proven to work. Some may even do more hard than good. This is why it’s important to talk to your provider before starting any supplements.   

Some studies have shown that vitamins applied to the skin in a serum can be beneficial. They can help reduce sun damage, wrinkles, and dark spots. 

When looking for vitamins to apply to your skin, stick to ones that have been proven to work, like vitamin A in the form of retinoids and vitamin C. The best vitamin C serums have a strength between 10% and 20% and are in dark, air-tight bottles. This keeps them from oxidizing and losing their effectiveness.     

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Hair and scalp health

The hair and scalp are important parts of the skin. It’s probably not a surprise that the health of one can affect the health of the other. Here are some steps you can take to keep both your hair and scalp healthy:

• Wash your hair as much or as little as you need to. Hair doesn’t need to be washed every day. Depending on your hair type, every few days may be enough. Shampoo the scalp more than the hair. If you see scalp flakes, you may not be shampooing enough.

• Dry naturally and carefully. Minimize towel drying your hair to avoid damaging your hair shafts. Air drying is best. If you need to use heat, opt for low and indirect heat.  

• Opt for natural hairstyles. Be careful with relaxers and tight hairstyles like ponytails, buns, extensions, or cornrows.

• Check your shampoo ingredients. Be sure to avoid formaldehyde and DMDM hydantoin.  

• Protect your hair from chlorine in swimming pools. You can do this by wearing a cap and rinsing your hair after swimming. 

• Treat scalp conditions. These conditions include scalp psoriasis and dandruff.

• Act early if you notice hair loss. Hair loss can be a sign of a medical issue, so it’s best to see a provider.

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