Transition Your Skin Care Routine from Summer to Fall

You likely have your skin care routine and products that you’ve been using for as long as you can remember. But as the seasons change, your skin does too. The same way you trade in your summer flip flops for boots in the fall, you need to modify your skin care routine and products.

You should seasonally change up heavier moisturizers, Vitamin C complexes and eye creams for puffiness and dryness. Try using a serum to add additional ingredients to your skin while your sleep. Because your skin can build up tolerance to certain products after some time, it’s important to note what works and what doesn’t, as well as which products your skin has a positive reaction or a negative reaction to.

To keep your skin looking young and fresh this autumn, we recommend:

• Exfoliating the face and body to remove the dead, dry skin from the summer 
• Starting with moderate or aggressive treatments, such as microdermabrasion or chemical peels
• Adding a slightly thicker moisturizer, depending on your skin type 
• Continuing using SPF under your makeup

Moreover, if you were ever out in the sun and not completely covered up this summer, odds are that you have some sun damage. Sun damage can range from freckles to dark tans, wrinkly skin and that taut-almost-leathery look. As we head into the fall, laser treatments are popular and effective to treat sun damage and refresh your skin.

To get your own personalized skin care routine and get refreshed for the fall, schedule a consultation today.

You Are What You Eat: Achieving Healthy Skin From Within

Did you know that what you eat and drink can affect the health of your skin? On Wednesday, October 8, Ruth Johnson, LMA, MS, will explain the effects nutrition has on your skin at a special Skin Care Program discussion, You Are What You Eat: Achieving Healthy Skin From Within.



Ruth is an aesthetician whose passion is to help people discover new ways to achieve healthy skin. At the event, you’ll have an opportunity to meet Ruth and the skin care team, and ask all your questions. You’ll also enjoy skin care giveaways and discounts, skin care basket raffles and light refreshments.

Please Join Us!

Wednesday, October 8, 2014
6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Penn Medicine Radnor
250 King of Prussia Road
Room 203
Radnor, PA 19087

To RSVP, please call 215.662.4286.

Bring a friend and receive 10 percent off your purchase of a skin care service or product!

Meet Ruth Johnson

Ruth Johnson, LMA, MS, is an aesthetician with the Penn Skin Care Program, a division of Penn Plastic Surgery. Ruth is dedicated to taking care of her skin, and yours too.

“When I first meet with someone, I ask a lot of questions about their concerns, skin care regimen and the products they use at home,” she said. “Getting the ‘big picture’ on a first visit can help me tailor the treatment and make recommendations for products that person can use on a regular basis.”

Ruth said that one of the top concerns about skin and skin care is that it changes. What may have worked in the past, no longer works.

“A lot of women tell me their skin changed after having children and that their standard skin care routine no longer works,” said Ruth. “It’s true that as we age, our skin changes and so do our skin care needs. Many women who experience hormonal changes, such as those with pregnancy or menopause, have concerns about the texture of their skin or new breakouts. Fortunately, a consultation with our team can help identify problem areas, and we can start to work together to get skin back in balance.”

She also explained that going to a skin care center, like the Penn Plastic Surgery, is important because the clinicians and staff there are backed by a medically supervised program.

“You want to make sure the person you are getting your skin care from knows everything from standard treatment to identifying possible complications. We work closely with the medical staff and stay current with the latest techniques and treatments, so our patients are getting the best possible care.”

We caught up with Ruth to learn more about her, get some of her favorite health and beauty tips, and ask her about her experiences at Penn Medicine.

What are some of your own favorite tips for having beautiful skin at any age?

Use SPF, eye cream and moisturizer, and Retin-A. Everyone needs to apply SPF of at least 30 regardless of the weather outside. Dangerous rays from the sun can still get through on a cloudy day.

What is your secret to beautiful skin?

I sort of live by the “you are what you eat motto.” I think nutrition plays a huge role in beautiful skin:

• Staying away from processed food
• Eating lots of fruits and vegetables
• Consuming omega-3s (fish)

I also drink a lot of water, use moisturizer every morning and night, apply SPF under my makeup and try to get at least eight hours of sleep a night.

What advice do you most often give patients?

1. Stay out of the sun! If you are going to be outside in the sun, make sure you wear SPF of at least 30 and a nice, big hat for personal shade. 
2. Use a good moisturizer under your makeup and before bed.
3. Use a cream with retinol at night. 
4. Get a good night’s rest.
5. Always take your makeup off at the end of the night!

More About Ruth…

Favorite movie: The Great Gatsby
Favorite food: Mexican and sushi
Favorite exercise: Zumba or spinning
Favorite type of music to work out to: Hip-hop
Favorite TV show: Game of Thrones -- It’s also the last book she read!
When she gets downtime, she likes to: Read and work out

Meet Ruth and the Penn Medicine Plastic Surgery Skin Care Team

Let Penn Plastic Surgery help you look and feel your best. Schedule a consultation with Ruth, or find out more about Penn skin care products and services.

Powder Sunscreen, So Hot Right Now

Applying sunscreen, especially to your face, is something you should do every day, all year long.

“I don’t go a day without wearing sunscreen,” said Penn plastic surgeon, Ivona Percec, MD, PhD. “I tell all my patients that once in the morning is not enough. Your face is the number one thing exposed to the sun. Take care of it.”

But when it's humid and sunny outside, you know that sunscreen is only going to make you feel greasy and stickier. And when it's cooler and cloudy, you question the point and the effort involved.

Our Penn Plastic Surgery Skin Care team has a convenient solution to keep your skin protected in a fashionable way, for all four seasons: Powder sunscreen.

Powder sunscreen is mineral-based, so it acts as a shield and doesn’t break down as quickly as chemical sunscreen. Plus, it's easy and convenient to use; you can keep it in your purse or back pack.

The best part: no mess or oily hands and face. It's just like makeup. You sweep the compact brush onto your face, and it’s translucent.

Powder sunscreen is great for young children too. Kids never seem to be able to stand still and always complain about the feeling of having lotion smeared all over them. And unlike a spray which can miss spots or get in kids' eyes, powder can be applied with the quick and soft sweep of a brush.



There are several powder sunscreen products in the market, ranging from drugstore brands to ones you can only purchase through your clinical aesthetician.

To find out more about powder sunscreen 
and other skin care recommendations, 
contact the Penn Plastic Surgery Skin Care team.

How to Choose Your Sunscreen

It’s no secret that sunscreen offers the best protection against skin cancer next to staying out of the sun altogether or covering up with sun protective clothing. However, most people don’t realize that the kind of sunscreen we use is also important. Did you know there are two main kinds of sunscreen? Chemical sunscreen and physical sunscreen.

Chemical Sunscreen vs. Physical Sunscreen – What’s the Difference?

A sunscreen is a compound (or lotion) that uses agents to block, deflect or reflect the sun’s rays.

To be effective, we recommend that all sunscreens be liberally applied (at least one ounce for the entire body) to all exposed areas of the body, at least 15 minutes before going outside.

Chemical sunscreens use up to a dozen ingredients that, when applied, are absorbed in the top layer of skin. They react with the skin to absorb UV rays and convert them into energy before they can harm the skin.

Chemical sunscreens aren’t as thick as physical ones, so they are often used in sunscreens specifically made for the face as well as those found in spray bottles. Since chemical sunscreens need to be absorbed into the skin, they must be applied at least 20 to 30 minutes before heading outdoors.

Physical sunscreens, sometimes called “natural or mineral” sunscreens, include two ingredients: zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Together, these ingredients sit on top of the skin and deflect or reflect the sun’s rays.

Think of physical sunscreens like a shield, while chemical sunscreens are absorbed into the skin. Both ingredients work well to protect from UVA and UVB (broad spectrum) rays. Since physical sunscreens are thicker, they can leave a white cast on the skin.

Which Sunscreen Is Right for You?

Those with sensitive skin, especially young children, should opt for a physical/mineral sunscreen since those ingredients are milder. Those with darker skin may opt for a chemical sunscreen, since they don’t leave a white cast.

According to plastic surgeon, Ivona Percec, MD, PhD, “A chemical sunscreen really just protects against UB – the burning rays. In two hours that’s degraded by the sun. The mineral block [physical sunscreen] is the much better block because it protects against both UVA and UVP.”

Both types of sunscreen provide adequate protection. Your personal preference may help you decide what type of sunscreen is right for you.

To find out more about summer-based skin care treatments, 
schedule a consultation with 
the Penn Plastic Surgery Skin Care team.

Beyond Breast Reconstruction: 3-D Areola Tattooing

As a leader in breast reconstruction, Penn Plastic Surgery offers comprehensive services for women at every stage of the breast reconstruction process, from the initial surgery to nipple reconstruction and tattooing.

Breast reconstruction is a surgical procedure to recreate the shape and appearance of a woman’s breast. Most commonly, the procedure is done as part of a mastectomy – surgical removal of the entire breast as treatment for breast cancer.

Plastic surgeons perform two types of breast reconstruction. Implant reconstruction uses breast implants or tissue expanders to recreate the shape and appearance of the breast. Autologous tissue reconstruction uses tissue from the belly, back or thighs to reconstruct the breast. Although autologous tissue reconstruction is more extensive, it can provide an emotional benefit for women looking to use their own tissue to reconstruct their breast and is often performed at the same time as the mastectomy.

After breast reconstruction, many women choose to have nipple reconstruction, including nipple tattooing. Nipple tattooing, or micropigmentation, re-pigments the area to make it look more realistic.

Nipple tattooing is performed by Mandy Sauler, a micropigmentation specialist in  plastic surgery at Penn Medicine. Sauler is a skilled tattoo artist who specializes in 3-D nipple tattoos along with tattoos for other cosmetic purposes. Working for more than a decade as a tattoo artist, Sauler now focuses on permanent cosmetics and micropigmentation. She is board certified by the American Academy of Micropigmentation, and is a member of the Society of Permanent Cosmetics.

Schedule an appointment with Penn Plastic Surgery

Learn more about breast reconstruction

Penn Microsurgical Breast Reconstruction: Leading the field in experience

Penn Medicine is one of the premiere centers for breast reconstructive microsurgery both nationally and around the world. Since 2005, Penn Medicine has performed over 2,000 free-flap reconstructions, making it one of the highest volume centers for reconstructive microsurgery. The plastic surgeons at Penn Medicine offer patients the most advanced surgical treatments options performed by highly experienced surgeons in a supportive, caring environment.

Learn More about Breast Reconstruction
Meet Our Team of Plastic Surgeons