10 Top Skincare Tips Dermatologists Are Dying To Tell You

When it comes to skincare, there’s no better way to know what really works than to turn to the pros about their personal routines. They are the experts, after all. We've collected ten of the best tips from dermatologists to throughly take care of your skin. The secrets these top doctors spill will make you look younger and feel healthier.

Hydrate your skin on the outside and inside
"Despite what you hear all the time, the amount of water you drink daily doesn't translate into proper skin hydration. It's vital to hydrate your skin from the outside in with serums, creams, and hydrating mists." — Dendy Engelman, dermatologist at Manhattan Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery

Apply sunscreen to your neck, chest, and hands first
"Apply sunscreen to the neck, chest, and hands before the face–these areas age faster and are harder to improve than the face. We often forget to apply sunscreen there even though they're exposed as much as the face." — Doris Day, dermatologist, New York City

Get a full body exam
“You have to get a full-body skin exam by a dermatologist by the time you turn 30. It’s important to have expert eyes take a look at any moles you may have and be able to follow them for changes in the future. Also, the dermatologist can teach you how to do a proper skin check on yourself. This is very important because melanoma, the deadliest type of skin cancer, is almost 100% curable if caught in its earliest stages. If women are armed with information on what to look for, it may save their lives.” — Elizabeth Tanzi, MD

Treat wrinkles overnight
"Retinols are an integral part of my p.m. anti-aging regimen. Your skin goes into repair mode while you sleep, and giving it an ingredient that boosts collagen production and skin cell turnover is preventative skin care at its best.” — Annie Chiu, dermatologist, California

Drink green juice
“My number one tip is absolutely my favorite skincare tip: Drink a green juice every day. It will be a great replacement to your afternoon coffee and will transform your skin in a matter of days. The ingredients in the juice help oxygenate the skin and stimulate lymphatic drainage, so it’s de-puffing too! Start by eating a bit of avocado every day or even throwing half of an avocado into your morning smoothie. Avocado supplies the skin with healthy fats and phytonutrients to hydrate from the inside out and bring back your glow.” — Joanna Vargas, celebrity facialist and founder of Joanna Vargas Salon and Joanna Vargas Skincare

Let your lips guide you
"One tip to know when your skin is ready for seriously creamy moisturizers: Your lips feel dry first, so you know the humidity has dropped, and it's time for more moisture." — Ellen Marmur, dermatologist, New York City

Try a jade roller for lymphatic drainage
“Another great at-home treatment is lymphatic drainage massage to keep skin clear, de-puffed, and glowing. For dry skin, massage in circular motions upward. Start at the base of the neck where your arteries are. Massage in gentle circles upwards, toward the jaw, up the sides of the face, and around the eyes. This will help coax nutrients into the tissue. You want to do the opposite motion and start on the top of the face by the eyes if you are prone to breakouts—this will draw the waste away. Lymphatic drainage massage can completely change the look of someone’s face and is a great, under-the-radar skincare tip.” — Joanna Vargas

Never ignore your neck
“Here’s the sad news about the neck for those in their 20s: While you have the wisdom of caring for your skin better than your mother did (due to more awareness and better products available now than ever before), with technology more so embraced by younger people, you are creating what is known as ‘tech neck.’ The 45-degree angle that you hang your head to look at your cell phone causes a repeated squishing of the neck, resulting in premature folds and wrinkles. To treat neck this, most people know to apply moisturizer to the neck, and many do this, but the mistake is made in treating the neck as an afterthought. This particularly applies with sunscreen, since the number one cause of premature skin aging is UV rays given off from the sun. The best way to apply sunscreen to this area is by doing a full second application exclusively to the neck. In addition to sunscreen, be sure to apply your serums and moisturizers in an upward motion to go against gravity.” — Renée Rouleau, celebrity esthetician

Take advantage of downtime to treat your skin
"I keep extra beauty treatments in my car in a little bag. When I'm in bad traffic (at a red light of course), I apply serum, an eye mask, teeth whitening strips, eyebrow gel, and more!" — Francesca Fusco, dermatologist, New York City.

Sleep 7-8 hours a night
“I often explain this concept to patients by giving the analogy of our minds being like a computer that need to be rebooted every night so as to process everything we put into them. Seven to eight hours of sleep allows this to happen.” — Vermén Verallo-Rowell, MD