The less loved sites: Eyelids, Necks and Arms

Not all skin is created equal. But we tend to focus most of our attention..and dollars...on our faces. Duh. But if you can, give that surrounding and special skin some attention. The right attention. Because the wrong stuff will make you wind up with a rash. And then we’ll be having a different conversation. 

Eyes: 

Special attention needs to be paid to the eyelids (the thinnest skin on the body!). Some sort of eye-specific moisturizer should be applied twice daily. Personally, I use a heavy one at night and a lighter one in the morning…maybe this is overkill? I just do what I can.

My personal favorites. What I use. Every. Day. (And on sale through the end of MARCH..) 

On a budget. No excuses. 

OR...Latisse!...Because everyone looks more awake with longer lashes. (Bats eyelashes while typing...) 

Necks:

You know how you can tell how old someone is? Look at their necks! And their hands…more on this in a later post. With tech-neck in full swing during a pandemic..and those hyper-critical daughters who call their moms velociraptors (I know, sorry, mom. But you know what I mean, right?). Necks are important. 

You need to be very careful about which retinols go on the neck. Otherwise it’s rash city. This one is site specific. 

Arms: 

Who thought with everything else to worry about, we would worry about the backs of our arms? Well thank you, Keratosis Pilaris. Those small hair pumps on the backs of the arms. The solution? Keratolytics. Things that chemically exfoliate to keep dead skin cells from piling up around hair follicles. But because this is a genetic condition, it needs to be used twice a day, every day or the bumps will come back. 

SO, if this is not at the topmost of your mind, don’t spend those dollars. It is hard to treat and I find even the most diligent patients are disappointed. Put the money in your face. Or only use these budget-friendly options.

The skin is our largest organ (a favorite fun fact)! If you have any trouble with any site, come and see me at Aboslute Dermatology & Skin Cancer Center! 

Author

Patricia O'Connor, MD Board Certified Dermatologist