Q: Aside from exercise, healthy eating and avoiding smoking, excess alcohol and sun exposure, what are the best natural approaches and newest esthetic treatments for achieving healthy, rejuvenated skin with minimal downtime?

A: If your skin is stuck in a do-nothing rut, consider the following natural approaches options to fight the problems that affect clarity, tone, and skin laxity.

• Inflammation under the skin’s surface can lead to skin sensitivity and accelerated aging. Address underlying causes of inflammation such as food sensitivities or allergies.
• Stress has a thinning effect on our skin, making existing skin conditions worse and contributing to lines around the eyes, mouth and forehead. Managing daily life stressors through meditation and anti-stress botanicals such as rhodiola, ashawaganda and licorice helps keep your skin looking younger, and also you’ll feel better overall.
• Skin is a reflection of your internal health. Enhance digestive function and reduce toxic body burden through a colon and liver detox, which includes glutamine, N-acetyl cysteine, milk thistle and probiotics.
• Incorporate organic botanicals that contain potent antioxidants in your diet and skincare products, including polyphenols found in berries, citrus fruits, acai, green tea and reishi.
• Brighten skin and correct your skin tone with kojic acid, licorice extract, niacin and vitamin C.

For esthetic treatments, consider laser skin rejuvenation. Newer methods of laser resurfacing include non-ablative lasers which cause fewer complications and have faster recovery times. In particular, Q-switched Nd-YAG lasers offer a quick and painless procedure, which works best on minor wrinkles as well as age spots, uneven complexion, skin laxity and enlarged pores. For more information on natural and aesthetic approaches to skin rejuvenation, contact your naturopathic doctor or esthetic physician.

Q: Now that summer is over in Vancouver and the autumn rain has started, do I still have to wear sunscreen every day?

A: Absolutely! Most of us understand that up to 80 percent of what we perceive as “aging” in the skin is directly attributable to the effects of ultraviolet rays from the sun. We diligently wear our wide brimmed hats and SPF on summer days, but what many people don’t realize is that even on Vancouver’s cloudiest days, we are exposed to a significant amount of skin-aging rays. Just because you can’t see the sun doesn’t mean ultraviolet rays aren’t getting through. Sitting in your car or sitting indoors in front of a window won’t protect you from dermatoheliosis (the technical term for sun damage). UV rays are even emitted from some light bulbs and computer screens. Just because you’re not lying on a beach doesn’t mean your skin doesn’t need protection. If you’re looking for the single least expensive and simplest thing to add to your anti-aging regimen, forget expensive lasers, Botox and dermal fillers, and start using sunscreen every day, all day. Your skin will thank you.