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I often get asked “What do you do to look so young?” and I have all too often heard comments like “Are you old enough to be a plastic surgeon?”

I admit, some of it is in my genetics, but I also think that a good part of it has to do with my daily routine.

Throughout many years of schooling and now three kids later, I still have the same daily routine that I have kept up for more than 15 years.

The reason I managed to do this is because it is extremely simple. One of the most important ways to prevent your skin from prematurely aging is daily sunscreen. Yes, we have all heard this before.

But each year I see countless cases of patients with sun damage, often causing premature aging and even skin cancer.

It takes me less than 10 seconds to apply sunscreen to my entire face, neck, ears and arms. Every single day, rain or shine, summer or winter, I have the same routine. I’ve noticed that even a day without applying sunscreen to my arms, for example, with a simple drive to Toronto with one arm exposed to the sun, results in noticeable freckling or sunspots.

The key to maintaining a consistent routine is to ensure that you find a sunscreen that is comfortable to wear, applies smoothly and evenly, and feels like you aren’t even wearing it after applied. Each person has their own favourites, so keep looking until you find your perfect one!

Another tip that I feel helps reduce wrinkles on the face over time is sleeping with a silk pillowcase and eye mask. Ever since my mother bought all of her children silk pillowcases well over a decade ago, I have been hooked.

Silk is known to help prevent signs of aging by reducing wrinkling, fine lines, and even improve hydration. The benefits of silk on aging may be debatable, but I find that it is comfortable and has been helpful for me, so why not give it the benefit of the doubt.

So even though we are heading into the fall and winter, ensure you find an SPF that works for you. UV rays still penetrate through on cloudy days, and reflect off snow on winter days, so stick to your daily routine rain, shine or snow.

Keep in mind to also counteract decreased sun exposure over the winter with your fair share of Vitamin D!

Dr. Jessica Shih is a double Board-Certified Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon with the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, and the American Board of Plastic Surgery. She can be reached at drshih@burlingtonplasticsurgery.ca.

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