ABC 12 – WJRT – Flint, MIDo you need a skin-terventon?

(02/02/12) - Worried about future wrinkles, age spots or sun damage? Maybe you need a skin-tervention!

You may be surprised, especially if your skin looks pretty good right now, at what is hiding just beneath the surface.

Beauty is only skin deep. And what you do now, could determine how you will look later. It also helps to know where you are headed. That is where a magic mirror would come in handy. The next best thing, a high tech computer programmed skin analysis machine that shows what is really going on underneath the skin's surface.

"We can see certain things with our eyes, but we can't see below the surface," said Dr. Barry DiBernardo, a board certified plastic surgeon.

The machine takes a 3D snapshot and compares it to 5,000 people of the same age and skin type. You can see sun damage, pore size, wrinkles and bacteria. It also shows what you will probably look like in 10 years. The right treatments can slow aging down, but Dr. DiBernardo says there are a lot of things we do wrong.

So, does collagen really help wrinkles?

Dr. DiBernardo says not necessarily. "Just by taking a molecule and putting it on the surface doesn't mean that it gets under the skin."

What about sunscreen, does an SPF over 30 make a difference?

Actually, the higher numbers filter out slightly more UVB rays, and can add up over time.

What about facials- are the spa treatments really good for your skin?

A study out of India found they cause breakouts in 80 percent of people.

Finally, a fun tidbit: food may protect your face against sunburns. In one recent study, participants who consumed five tablespoons of tomato paste daily for three months had nearly 25 percent more protection against sunburn.

Dr. DiBernardo says your best bets for younger looking skin are lasers, fillers and other therapies doctors prescribe. The skin analysis typically costs about $100.