Plastic surgeon says ‘true anti-aging powerhouse’ is the key to youthful skin & names ‘off-brand’ TikTok trend to avoid
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A PLASTIC surgeon is giving the gift of glowing skin with his top anti-aging tips.
He also wants you to stay away from certain social media skincare trends.
Dr. Christopher Costa, founder of in Las Vegas, shared which holy grail product turns back time with The U.S. Sun.
"Retinol is a true anti-aging powerhouse," Dr. Costa told The U.S. Sun.
"It stimulates collagen production, improves skin texture, enhances skin firmness, and reduces fine lines, wrinkles, and sun damage," he added.
"Retinol also accelerates cell turnover which promotes the shedding of dead skin cells to reveal more healthy, glowing, youthful skin."
The best part is it's much cheaper than plastic surgery.
Target sells for $8.60.
The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalene, $8.60 from Target
The find is described as being able to combat the signs of aging and dryness while targeting uneven skin tone.
Another one of Dr. Costas' skincare commandments includes not being fooled by TikTok fads - especially hyaluron pens.
"These are essentially off-brand, unregulated fillers being administered by unqualified people," he said.
"These are extremely dangerous and can cause infection and vascular issues if the product gets into the bloodstream and even blindness."
You'll also want to take extra care of your skin this summer.
And that means avoiding sunscreen contouring.
"This is when people try to contour by applying sunscreen to the areas they don’t want to tan to achieve a sculpted look," he said.
"This is directly contradictory to preserving the skin and anti-aging."
The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalene, $8.60 from Target
Dr. Costa explained how not all skincare products are worth the price — and wants you to take advice from the experts, not the stars.
"I think there's a ton of expensive skincare product lines with fancy marketing and celebrity endorsements that often lack substantial scientific evidence to justify their high price tags," he said.
He advises being wary of "eye-catching packaging" and "false promises."
"Medical-grade skincare which has been backed by scientific studies and research generally delivers much more high-quality results," he said.
He emphasizes spending money on only those products with clinically proven ingredients.
You can also ask for individualized treatment recommendations from medical professionals.
Dr. Costa previously spoke with The U.S. Sun about his tips for preventing wrinkles.
He says the most common mistake you're making is neglecting your skin until you're older.
"Sunscreen is the best preventative way to preserve aging because sun damage is the leading cause of wrinkles and hyperpigmentation," he said.