Skin rejuvenation and aesthetic procedures such as medical micro-needling, Botox, peels, fillers and Retin-A (Tretinoin) are some of the most powerful non-invasive treatments that can all be incorporated into your yearly routine. These procedures all result in dramatic differences in terms of anti-aging and skin resurfacing. For maximum results with minimal downtime, the order in which you perform these services, and the frequency, make a huge difference.
Let’s begin with locations that have different seasons and sun exposure levels. People living here would need to schedule chemical peels and micro-needling procedures during months with the least amount of sun. The downtime for these procedures is lengthy in terms of avoiding sunlight, and also requires mandatory post-procedure sunscreen use. Micro-needling and peels can be performed monthly for 2-4 sessions for best results. (When considering Botox or filler treatments, make sure to schedule these AFTER micro-needling procedures.)
For people living in climates with year round sun exposure, choosing the rainy months, or those with lower sun intensity levels, will be best suited for needling and peel treatments. Daily sunscreen application, even on cloudy days, is an absolute must post-procedure to avoid rebound hyperpigmentation from UV exposure.
Prescription strength Vitamin A (Retin-A, Tretinoin) is the Gold Standard of topical skincare for anti-aging. This product signals the deeper layers of your skin to speed up the renewal process, resulting in faster skin cell turnover and fresh, new skin rising to the surface quicker. This product ONLY works when applied at night because it is deactivated by sunlight exposure. When considering timing for the use of Vitamin A, to reap the maximum benefits, it is applied at night (starting at 0.025% twice weekly, then progressing as tolerated), and it is the LAST step of your skincare regimen after your cream moisturizer. This medication should be stopped 1 week before any resurfacing procedure such as peels or micro-needling. It can be resumed a few days post-procedure.
With regards to Botox and fillers, the frequency determines the dosage. For instance, Botox treatments last 3-5 months on average. For those people who regularly schedule appointments within that window, the maximum dose is not necessary every treatment, compared to someone who lets more than 5 months go by. With fillers it is the same thing. Although it is NOT TRUE that fillers only last 1 year (MRI images show fillers can last several years, with each year decreasing in amount), yearly filler touch-up appointment will ensure the result you get is maintained. Follow-up filler appointments every year are also a lesser dose compared to the first one.
Here is an example of a yearly treatment plan for the above treatments. Most people are socially active during the end of year holidays, so a yearly touch-up on fillers prior to that time is common.
January
February
March – Botox
April
May
June – Botox
July
August
September – Botox
October – Medical Micro-needling/peels (2-4 treatments in the month)
November – fillers
December – Botox
