Sprucing up your wardrobe for spring? It’s also time to spruce up your skin care routine.

For starters, take a look at your sunscreens, lotions and cleansers and discard anything that is past the expiration date, is more than three years old, has been exposed to high temperatures or has obvious changes in color or consistency.

If you haven’t been faithful about applying sunscreen over the winter, now is the time to start.

And remember, spring is the perfect time to kick-start repair.

There are procedures offering minimal downtime leaving fresh and revitalized skin texture as well as a glow.

  1. I’m afraid this past winter has left me looking a bit tired. What kinds of procedures are available to help me look refreshed?
  2. There are a number of different laser treatments and fillers available.

Cosmetic procedures can give you a boost and help you look and feel refreshed.

Botox can erase years from the face or neck by reducing the appearance of lines and wrinkles – specifically targeting the muscles that make crow’s feet, forehead lines, frown lines between the eyebrows and neck bands.

The injections are quick; side effects are very rare and minimal.

Laser treatments: Ablative lasers are effective at smoothing wrinkles, but limiting downtime is a goal.

Fraxel laser is ablative with insignificant downtime, because it preserves most of the surface while having its effect deeper in the skin.

Fillers: Most injectable wrinkle fillers can give you a more youthful look in less than 30 minutes with results that can last from six months to two years.

  • Sculptra is a synthetic and biocompatible material that is injected below the surface of the skin in the area of fat loss.

It provides a gradual and significant increase in areas of fat and bone loss due to aging, improving the appearance of folds and sunken areas, by lifting facial contours.

Sculptra is the longest-lasting filler on the market at this time.

  • Restylane is composed of hyaluronic acid, which is found naturally in your skin and other tissues. It gives more superficial volume to the skin, correcting wrinkles, lifting facial contours, and enhancing lips.
  • Juvederm is similar to Restylane and is used to smooth out wrinkles, plump lips, remove lip lines, and correct nasolabial folds (“smile lines” or “parentheses”) and acne scars.

It is a hyaluronic acid gel that is injected into these areas of the face.

  • Radiesse is dermal filler that immediately adds volume to safely contour, correct and beautify facial features for a soft, natural look.

Spring is a beautiful time, and you should feel beautiful. Adjusting your moisturizer and sunscreen coverage are great precursors to skincare preparation for summer.

Cosmetic procedures at your dermatologist can give you a boost and help you to look and feel as fresh as the season.

Dr. Oswald Lightsey Mikell, certified by the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, is the owner of Dermatology Associates of the Lowcountry.