How Models and Celebrities make their Skin get that ‘Glow’

With New York Fashion Week recently coming to an end, people are still abuzz after catching the season's newest trends in fashion. Designers have wrapped up months of hard work and models have finished walking the runways to thousands of flashbulbs, capturing their every move.

For dermatologists, this is the culmination of weeks, if not months, of preparation as well.

Do you ever wonder what happens in the weeks leading up to the big day? Or what it takes for the models to get that right "glow" for the bright lights?

In our offices, we've been fortunate to take care of some of the most incredible patients in the world, including those that appear on the big screens or strut down the runway. Here, I'll walk you through some of the things we do to get them looking their best.

 

Skincare

This is the foundation of any long-term beauty regimen. Some quick tips I give my patients:

 

Cleanser. I usually recommend two different ones

1. A gentle cleanser should be used one to two times a day and should be the workhorse to remove debris and support superficial skin repair.

2. A second cleanser should be more exfoliative, containing either alpha or beta hydroxy acids. These penetrate deeper to really cleanse the pores and remove oil.

While very effective, these should only be used a few times per week. Overutilization can strip the skin of the natural oils that help protect the superficial skin layers and compromise its integrity. This can lead to increased breakouts and irritation.

 

Morning moisturizer. Adding a daily moisturizer with a sunscreen (at least SPF 30) is a must. Sun damage is the biggest contributor to dark spots and wrinkles. (And more importantly, skin cancer!)

If you have specific issues such as hyperpigmentation, ingredients like soy are great natural actives to even out skin tone.

 

Night. The single greatest ingredient in skincare are retinoids. Retinoids stimulate collagen (prevents sagging and minimizes wrinkles), fade dark spots, improve the appearance of pores, and improves those pesky acne breakouts.

They do tend to be incredibly drying so finding the one right for you may take a little bit of trial and error with your dermatologist. This is the holy grail of dermatology ingredients and the single most important part of your event preparation.

In general, we start this a few months before any event in order for the skin to adjust in time. Of note, Differin 0.1% just went to generic and is a great OTC retinoid to start with.

 

Procedures

While Botox and fillers are very prevalent, we'll concentrate in the most popular non-invasive procedures that we do.

Four to six months out

Fraxel laser. An especially popular procedure in patients with acne scars or large pores. At our practice, we combine Fraxel treatments with hand-selected cosmetceuticals (known as Device Assisted Precision Therapy or DAPT) to provide targeted results specific to each patient.

This is great for retexurizing skin, pores, and evening out pigmentation. Downtime is usually three to four days and is more for deeper set scars and significant pigment issues.

Treatments are usually two to three total with 4-6 weeks in between.

One month out

Clear & Brilliant and/or microneedling with PRP. The Clear & Brilliant laser has gained popularity and become a staple in celeb circles around the country. It's great for superficial pigment and texturing.

In darker skin types, we tend to prefer microneedling and combo both with Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP). PRP, often referred to a supercharged version of the "Vampire Face lift" (popularized by Kim Kardashian), when combined with lasers, involves using growth factors and cell signaling molecules from your own blood.

Treatments are usually one to two total with two to three weeks in between.

One to two weeks out

Laser Genesis and now the Picosure laser have become the go-to procedures right before events. Both are safe in all skin types and are perfect for refining and getting the skin to have the "glow" that everyone craves.

Usually patients come in for one to two treatments a week apart and notice improvements in overall look and tone. The down time with both is only a few hours of minimal redness so patients can resume abnormal schedule almost immediately.

Treatments can range from one to six depending on a patient's needs.

Day of/ Emergencies

Fashion Week is always busy with models calling in for "emergency appointments" the day of the events. A stray pimple or blemish can pop up from the late nights and stress.

We inject a low dose steroid (kenalog) which can reduce the appearance of the lesion in eight to 12 hours. These are safe and have been used backstage and behind cameras for years.

 

Other tips

For two to three days before an event, we recommend reducing sodium consumption (like soda) and sleeping with an extra pillow at night. Both reduce the puffiness of the face and can help skin look fresh and ready to go.

I also recommend more green tea instead of coffee to prevent accentuation of subtle wrinkles.

Whether hitting the runway or prepping for a wedding, technology continues to evolve and more and more options exist.

Dr. Dhaval G. Bhanusali is a dermatologist, researcher and laser surgeon based in Manhattan. After being accepted into medical school at the age of 17, Dr. Bhanusali started a rigorous path, dedicating himself to the advancement of medicine. After finishing medical school, Dr. Bhanusali completed his Dermatology residency at Mount Sinai hospital in New York City. His award-winning research has been presented around the world and he currently serves as a medical expert for many of the top companies in Dermatology. He has helped run FDA clinical trials and been published widely throughout the most prestigious journals in the field. Dr. Bhanusali has worked with both the NY Mets and NY Yankees to promote safe skin practices and serves as a member of the American Academy of Dermatology's media advisory team. He specializes in medical and cosmetic dermatology and looks to bridge the gap between new technologies and established paradigms. 

Recently, Dr. Bhanusali's cutting-edge laser techniques have been featured in various media outlets and are now being implemented by dermatologists across the country. Outside of dermatology, he leads Health Digital, a healthcare company focusing on bettering the world through mobile platforms. He can be contacted at drbhanusali@bhanusalimd.com or @drbhanusali on Instagram and Twitter.