Most people may tune into Bruce Springsteen on Broadway, now on Netflix, for a raucous celebration of the musician’s life and work, but we need to talk about the elephant in the room—the glowing, wrinkle-free elephant.
The dude looks incredible. It’s especially apparent in flaw-exposing HD closeups that The Boss has been doing right by his skin. He looks as good now as he did when he released Born to Run in 1975. The same man who changed the way we thought of the American flag and a pair of Levi’s 501s is changing how we think an almost-70-year-old can look.
New Jersey’s favorite son has great genes, sure, but that can’t be the whole story. After all, he’s from the Jersey Shore, where sun tanning is basically a government-sanctioned activity. We’re not going to pretend to know exactly how he does it, but would venture to guess that somewhere on that tour bus is an effective sunscreen and a potent anti-aging serum. We spoke to New York City dermatologist Adam Geyer, MD to find out how easy it is to extend our Glory Days through skincare.
Sun Protection Every Day
Just because you’re not down on The Shore, doesn’t mean that the sun isn’t bombarding your skin every day. “You need to wear sunscreen 365 days a year,” says Dr. Geyer. “Use a broad spectrum formula with an SPF of at least 30.” It’s proven that sun damage is the leading cause of skin cancer, not to mention premature aging and other skin issues. Dr. Geyer also recommends that men look for formulas that contain antioxidants like you’ll find in the LaRoche-Posay Anthelios line.
About Those Antioxidants
Antioxidants are ingredients that attack free radicals, tiny particles that harm skin cells and are caused by UV rays, environmental pollutants and even the blue light from your phone screen. Using an antioxidant serum or moisturizer every morning can help protect your skin from everything being thrown at it and help slow signs of aging. Dr. Geyer recommends using new products designed specifically to shield against pollution and High Intensity Blue Light (from your phone or TV).
Go For the Eyes
“Start using an eye cream early,” says Dr. Geyer. “The eyes are where men start to show their age first.” He recommends products specifically formulated for the eyes, which use ingredients focused on the concerns in that area (puffiness, dark circles, and fine lines) and won’t get into your eyes and irritate them. Use an eye cream at least once a day, twice for extra credit.
Night Moves
“Use a retinol or glycolic acid at night to encourage cell turnover and keep your skin looking fresh,” says Dr. Geyer. The rate our skin cells renew themselves slows down as we age, so exfoliation to get rid of dead skin cells is a way to help them out. Retinol products will also aid in cell turnover, but be careful of using them together. “It’s an either/or thing,” he says. “Those using retinol don’t necessarily need as much exfoliation. But if you’re not using it, it’s important to use an exfoliating cleanser, mask, or pad 2-3 times a week.”
It’s What’s Inside That Counts
According to Dr. Geyer, what you put into your body is just as important as what you put on it. “Taking an antioxidant or B-vitamin can help internally stave of signs of aging,” he says. “A recent study has shown that taking 500mg of niacinamide twice a day can have a significant impact on sun damage formation and pre-cancers,” he says, and can also help in the aging process. “It’s important that you’re not taking a vitamin with niacin acid, though, because that makes a lot of people flushed.” Another supplement Dr. Geyer recommends is Heliocare, a supplement with a fern extract, which he says helps reduce the effects of UV rays on our skin cells and can diminish wrinkle formation.
Stay Hydrated
“As we age and our skin becomes more dehydrated, our skin looks older,” says Dr. Geyer. “We have less water binding our skin, it’s more vulnerable to decreased lipid production and can appear more ashy and dry which conveys an appearance of aging in our skin. It’s important to apply a hydrating moisturizer nightly that nourishes the skin.” This nourishment can not only bring dull skin back to life, but builds up the skin’s barrier to help it better resist external aggressors, like pollution.
Doctor Knows Best
Get in the habit of seeing a dermatologist at least once a year. Not only can they monitor your skin for problems like skin cancer, but they can advise on even more effective treatments like lasers. “People judge our age not only by how many wrinkles we have, but also by the clarity of our skin tone,” says Dr. Geyer. “Once-a-year laser treatments with IPL [Intense Pulsed Light] can help to diminish capillaries and brown spots and have a significant impact on the appearance of aging.”
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