Doctor Doctor

Left to Right: Dr. Cynthia Clegg, Dr. Alison Black, Dr. Lori Stetler (rear), Dr. Mary Hurley, and Dr. Allison Singer photography by Kevin Hunter Marple

Dermatologists spend their waking hours looking at everything from acne to skin cancers, so when it comes to skincare, these experts know that beauty really is skin deep. But once they leave the office, how do these doctors treat their own skin? Do they ever overdo sun exposure? Fall asleep wearing a heavy layer of makeup? Or do they really cleanse, exfoliate, and moisturize with religious fervor? Inquiring minds want to know.

DR. ALISON BLACK
* Her Regimen: SkinCeuticals cleanser and C E Ferulic serum in the morning, SkinMedica TNS Recovery Serum twice a day (to encourage new collagen formation), and Retin-A at night.
* How the Doctor Treats Herself: “I have a Vitalize peel, a superficial chemical peel, every month or two and an occasional fotofacial treatment for tiny blood vessels and sunspots.”
* Cosmetics in Her Bag: Skinceuticals SPF 30 sunscreen, Jane Iredale mineral makeup, Armani Luminous Silk foundation, Nars blush, and Chanel and Dior lip gloss.
* The Unforgivable Skincare Sin: Picking at acne, which leads to long-lasting blotches or scars.

Dr. Black understands what it’s like to have breakouts—and the temptation to worry at them. “Avoid picking at pimples; when they’re squeezed, some of the inflammation is pushed deeper into the skin, which can lead to scarring,” she warns. For a tiny white pustule close to the surface, you have the doctor’s permission to use a sterilized needle to nick the top and drain it. For the monster zit that always pops up before a big event, see your dermatologist for a steroid injection, which will melt it away within a day or so.

After 30, Dr. Black says, skin cells don’t slough off on their own as they once did, but products containing glycolic acid or retinoids can encourage that cell turnover.

To prevent skin from aging, she recommends using an antioxidant such as Vitamin C in the morning, a retinoid like prescription Retin-A at night, and “sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen.” And don’t smoke.

As for all of those extra steps like toners and scrubs, Dr. Black says many are too irritating and unnecessary. (Alpha-hydroxy acids are a much gentler way to exfoliate.) She hates to see consumers spending astronomical amounts of money on moisturizers that have very tiny amounts, if any, of active anti-aging ingredients. So before you spend $300 on an eye cream, know that this dermatologist says an extra product for the eye area isn’t always needed; as long as your other anti-aging products aren’t causing irritation or dryness, skip it.

“Sure, my friends and I use Botox and Restylane–couldn’t live without them,” she answers when asked. These fillers soften lines and rejuvenate the face in a subtle way, and they’re noninvasive procedures with minimal downtime. Restylane in particular can replenish volume in the lower face.

DR. CYNTHIA CLEGG
* Her Regimen: Vitamin C and CeraVe moisturizing cream, lotion, and hydrating cleanser. “I also love Dove and Cetaphil, and sunscreen with moisturizer from Oil of Olay and Neutrogena,” she says. She also likes Eucerin Calming Cream, Provage, and SkinMedica.
* How the Doctor Treats Herself: Botox, microdermabrasion, and chemical peels. Dr. Clegg was going to try Restylane on her upper lip after our interview.
* The Unforgivable Skincare Sin: Trying products for a week or two, then giving up.

Dr. Clegg has Rosacea, an inflammatory condition of the skin with many triggers, including food, wine, and sun; highly sensitive skin; and eczema on her lower legs. With her Rosacea, sunscreen is vital. She also takes anti-inflammatory topical agents such as Metrogel or oral antibiotics.

Calling herself a late bloomer, Dr. Clegg, 48, says she finished her residency “just in time to take advantage of all the anti-wrinkle potions and treatments.” The first line of defense against looking your age, she says, is to drink plenty of water and get an adequate amount of sleep. Fish oils and salmon also keep skin healthy and supple. Dr. Clegg advises exfoliating regularly and says that retinoids, “if you can tolerate them”—she cannot—are great options.

What’s the advice she wishes more people would hear and follow? “Men need sunscreen protection as much as women do, if not more,” she says. “Men should always take steps to protect their skin and scalp.” And, since she’s seen patients injured by too-harsh chemical peels and inexpertly performed laser hair removal, “If you’re going to have an aggressive treatment, go to a board-certified dermatologist,” she says.

DR. MARY HURLEY
* Her Regimen: Multiple sunscreens (Aveeno Positively Radiant with Soy SPF 15, Oil of Olay Complete Defense SPF 30, and SkinCeuticals), retinoids, and antioxidants such as Vitamin C serums.
* How the Doctor Treats Herself: Botox and TNS by SkinMedica (a topical growth-factor serum) used on off nights in place of Retin-A.
* The Unforgivable Skincare Sin: “Tanning cooks skin; you might as well get in a microwave.” Tanning increases the risk of skin cancer and photo-damage (those wrinkles and brown spots that show up later).
 
Dr. Hurley was on her way to Florida when we called, and, yes, her bag was loaded with sunscreen. And a huge hat. Everyone, she says, should wear a daily moisturizer with sunscreen because one year of incidental day-to-day sun exposure adds up to the equivalent of a week’s exposure at the beach. Dr. Hurley tells her patients that skin is like a car’s odometer: Your skin records mileage—and damage—and you can’t turn it back. But it’s never too late to start treatments to reverse some of the damage.

“Anything you get by prescription or through a doctor’s office is going to give you more bang for your buck,” she says, but over-the-counter beauty products she likes include Oil of Olay, Neutrogena, Almay, and Clinique.

The goal of dermatology and skincare is not just to improve skin’s appearance, she says, but also its overall health. So she spends a lot of time simply counseling patients about what their skin really needs, which changes over the years. In general, she advises twentysomethings to concentrate on their sunscreen, thirtysomethings to add alpha-hydroxy acids and retinoids to their regimens, and after 40, she says, you’re a prime candidate for Botox, Restylane, and rejuvenation treatments such as microdermabrasion and fotofacials.

DR. ALLISON SINGER
* Her Regimen: SkinCeuticals’ C E Ferulic, Z-Silc or SkinCeuticals daily moisturizer with SPF 20, and unscented soap such as Cetaphil or Dove.
* How the Doctor Treats Herself: Renova (an anti-aging cream) every night because “healthy skin is beautiful skin.”
* Cosmetics in Her Bag: MAC Studio Fix, other cosmetics that are oil-free and non-comedogenic, and products with sunscreen.
* The Unforgivable Skincare Sin: Not keeping an eye on suspicious moles.

Dr. Singer has super-sensitive skin that is prone to acne; as she puts it, “Dermatologists get acne, too, but if you just look at me the wrong way, I break out in a rash.” She washes her face every night and after workouts, using pure, clean products with limited fragrance because perfumes can aggravate her skin. Laundry detergent, for example, brings on eczema, so Dr. Singer uses Tide Free and All Free & Clear.

Pollution negatively affects how skin ages, which is why visible skin (face, neck, hands) ages more quickly and dramatically. Years of free-radical damage from smoking, car fumes, etc. take their toll on skin in a cumulative fashion. Dr. Singer recommends daily sunblock, counseling patients to make sure their sunscreen contains these key ingredients: zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, avobenzone, and mexoryl.

Protecting skin with sunscreen is just the first step, she says. Next is promoting collagen production with retinoids–Retin-A, Renova, Tazorac, and Avage–and antioxidants. Retinoids and antioxidants also help prevent skin cancer and repair damage that’s already been done.

Dr. Singer hates to admit it, but she did “bake” as a teenager. “I suffered blistering sunburns,” she admits, “which significantly increases my risk of skin cancer.” To protect herself now, Dr. Singer applies sunscreen daily and has exams every six months by a board-certified dermatologist.

DR. LORI STETLER
* Her Regimen: Vitamin C cream in the morning followed by Skinceuticals sunscreen, then makeup. MD Forte, a glycolic-acid cleanser, twice a day. At night, SkinMedica’s TNS acid night cream for her face and TNS body lotion for neck, chest,  and hands.
* How the Doctor Treats Herself: Light chemical peels and microdermabrasion.
* Cosmetics in Her Bag: Prescriptives foundation, “lots of Lancome cosmetics,” and a few Neutrogena products.
* The Unforgivable Skincare Sin: Patients with deep, dark tans swearing to me that they are not tanning.

Dr. Stetler has sensitive skin, so Retin-A isn’t an option for her. “My skin simply won’t tolerate it,” she says. But she does often recommend it to patients whose skin will accept it. She is also a fan of Botox, calling it the No.1 anti-aging measure, hands down. “If you’re not doing it, you should be,” she says.

Now in her early 40s, Dr. Stetler’s biggest personal skincare concern is early wrinkles. She keeps them at bay with occasional light chemical peels and microdermabrasion, which also improves skin texture and keeps pores clean. Dr. Stetler also advocates a fotofacial twice a year to even skin tone by reducing visible broken blood vessels and lighten mild brown spots.

She hasn’t yet used Restylane personally, but loves it for her patients to fill in wrinkles and for lip enhancement.