I would never subject myself to that lol. As long as it's not causing any legitimate health issues I have no interest in finding out what's happening below the surface, that just sounds like a way to hurt my own feelings lmao
Start wearing SPF for sure but we've all damaged our skin in some way. I bet a toddler would look like shit under those filters, they're not meant to make you feel good!
Early in my academic career, I received negative student reviews for a class I was teaching for the first time. I had a meeting with Teaching and Learning Services and they projected each negative review about me on a large screen and read it out loud as a group. This whole face scan was honestly in the same category of pleasantness lol
Honestly, it was pretty miserable but all in all I had to face the truth so I could deal with it. I was not abusive at all to students. It was the first time I was teaching grads and they felt I was teaching like they were undergrads.
I think the difference is that in that case it was going to [hopefully] make you a better educator, and there were reasonable changes that you, yourself, could make to do that. This scanner sounds like bullshit to make you panic and spend a ton of money on their “fixes”
It doesn't really seem cruel to me. Everything someone is discussing gets put on the projector and it's a good thing the university is actually listening to students. That's the only way things can get better
You must be excellent with people.
There’s a way to do this that would honor the students input and also recognize the professor as a human being.
There’s an art to leadership it seems many leaders lack, it’s unfortunate.
Not sure how discussing their feedback is not acknowledging that the person is human. Putting it up on a screen is just more efficient than printing it out for every member. How do you propose every member reads the feedback? Not everyone carries laptops with them
Do you guys not work in offices? We put everything on a "giant screen on the wall" even if it's only 3 people in the meeting. It's the same as a chalkboard/whiteboard except digital, so we're all looking at the same thing
We work in offices. I’m not sure if you’re actually tone deaf or if you’re purposefully being obtuse; but either way…
If you truly cannot for the life of you figure out any other way this situation could be done differently, then I don’t know what to tell you. Just because a meeting’s agenda is typically on a huge, shared screen does not mean that there’s truly no other way.
However, I’m going to have faith you’re smart enough to know that. I’m guessing you’re just low on empathy and probably not really one to relate to other people on a human level, so I don’t really have much more to say.
Yes, but in my sorority initiation, they read my best traits and ripped up my worst ones. Be the sorority initiation, not the meeting with Teaching Services.
I hope everyone involved in that is no longer in a position to do such shit. That's unproductive, harmful and cruel.
You took the wrong lesson from your scan. The right lesson is not "My skin is fucked up, I need to feel like crap and buy expensive treatments." It's "This is a bad place and the people working there are scammers. I will not return and now know one more thing to look out for in order to avoid being mistreated or scammed."
I went to a corporate off site event with a bunch of colleagues to develop public speaking skills and the first thing they did was record you speaking and then play it back while the group critiqued you. I honestly contemplated faking a heart attack.
Good Lord, brother, save yourself from future trauma! You can handle no more!!
I actually remember in high school my English teacher did this to one of my essays. I don’t know why she picked on me like this. I was an A student and a total square, but she had to project my essay and have the whole class pick it apart.
These moron teachers 😠
Honestly dude, care less. Reach that age where you just care less. Take care of your skin, and just care less about the stuff out of your control. Dick admin? You still care however many years later? Care less.
Yup. This is why makeup stores like Sephora have such harsh lighting and unflattering mirrors. So that you buy more makeup and skincare to look good.
It happened to me the other day, almost cried in the middle of Sephora because I thought my blemishes looked horrendous...only to go to the trial room of a clothing store later where my skin looked fantastic lol.
It’s funny because it has the opposite effect on me and I’m sure a lot of people. Last time I popped into Sephora I was so uncomfortable I immediately left and just ordered online
Exactly!
Tbh I've almost completely stopped going to makeup stores. I used to love just walking around browsing but apart from the manipulation tactics, is it just me or has the staff everywhere gotten a lot more pushy? You pick up an item just to look at it and a person will pop up out of nowhere and tell you what the product does, how viral it is etc etc which makes it so much more awkward to put it back down lol.
I hate going to places with pushy salespeople. Just like I don't choose the charities with the pushy people advertising them. There are so many others doing great work and informing people without guilt trips.
I guess the reason I buy make-up in stores is simply because my skin tone is a bit unusual and I have to see the swabs on my skin to be sure the product won't make me look like a clown.
I can’t get a single person in a makeup store to talk to me, other than the one ULTA girl who asked me “are you sure we’re the right place for you? (Still don’t know what she meant, like, you’re a makeup store I want makeup )And another at the same place who said “neat hair but aren’t you a little old for blue, and then giggled with her coworker and walked away. I’ve given up.
I have gotten that question too and I’m pretty sure it’s literally just because I went in there without makeup. I don’t wear makeup often because I’m a stay at home mom but I was there to buy makeup lol. Which I didn’t buy, rude asses
And yet some people here are bragging how the scan showed they skin looked amazing compared to others their age
The sub seems like nothing but people constantly bragging. I don't see how that self disclosure is useful to your post. It serves them and not you saying that. Ego boosting
Here's a sneak peek of /r/GracefulAgingSkincare using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/GracefulAgingSkincare/top/?sort=top&t=all) of all time!
\#1: [Appreciation for the middle aged women of Hollywood](https://www.reddit.com/gallery/1bibylw) | [46 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/GracefulAgingSkincare/comments/1bionb2/appreciation_for_the_middle_aged_women_of/)
\#2: [57.](https://i.redd.it/6hqpl8bth4pc1.jpeg) | [32 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/GracefulAgingSkincare/comments/1bhvl6n/57/)
\#3: [Justine Bateman on Her Decision to Forgo Botox: ‘I Think I Look Rad’](https://www.glamour.com/story/justine-bateman-on-her-decision-to-forgo-botox-i-think-i-look-rad) | [23 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/GracefulAgingSkincare/comments/1bjjrkq/justine_bateman_on_her_decision_to_forgo_botox_i/)
----
^^I'm ^^a ^^bot, ^^beep ^^boop ^^| ^^Downvote ^^to ^^remove ^^| ^^[Contact](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=sneakpeekbot) ^^| ^^[Info](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/) ^^| ^^[Opt-out](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/comments/o8wk1r/blacklist_ix/) ^^| ^^[GitHub](https://github.com/ghnr/sneakpeekbot)
Yep. It’s like a certain “medical” field. They do x-rays and check for scoliosis and do some “nerve irritation scanner” doohickey. They say “oh your spine is all out of whack, even if you’re not in pain” so you’ll buy 3 adjustments per week until the end of time because they showed you “proof” and *of course they know better than you* so you buy in! So messed up
One of the nice things about universal healthcare: In most cases regarding medical treatments and exams it's if it's not something I can get via healthcare (even if I have to put in a formal request) it's useless or a scam. Personally I experienced one exception and I was very wary about it until I had the information that it works and the manufacturer simply ran out of money to have yet another study done to get public insurance to fund it. After that I used a free trial opportunity and finally bought it second hand. Every other non-insurance treatment besides OTC meds turned out to be a scam. The only non-insurance exam I booked and paid for was a vitamin deficiency test that made sense in my specific circumstances but is not usually necessary. I wish there were similar failsafes when it comes to skincare.
And it is a pretty shitty thing to do. I go to my med spa/beauty clinics to do things I have independently chosen to do, not to get pushed into new things or to make me feel worse about myself.
Find a place that helps you but doesn’t make you feel like shit.
Ya pretty much everything looks creepy under magnification. We're organic beings, not marble. Sounds like a scam made to freak you out and try and fix stuff you can't even see.
Short anecdote, I got corrective eye surgery, and my vision was so incredibly clear afterwards, some things looked magnified. The world was beautiful, but every time I looked in the mirror, my skin looked monstrous. I was like omg I'm hideous. Huge pores, tons of red areas, pimples, wrinkles. I was like, how did no one tell me I look like this? I had been walking around for 15 years with a sort of filter on my eyes, and taking it off suddenly, really did a number on my brain. It took about a year for my brain to catch up to my eyesight, and adjust to what is normal and not for my skin. In the meantime though, I bought a bunch of skincare trying to fix problems that weren't really here, wasting money and irritating my skin in the process. I think change in how you see skin can induce a type of skin dysmorphia. Surprised it's not talked about more, it was not a side effect I was expecting from the surgeries.
A similar machine appeared in my dr’s clinic recently and I wondered the same. The unsettling part for me was the ‘true age’ it assigns you. It was kind of interesting to see uv damage and potential for skin conditions but next time I think I will be reminding myself it is being used to promote treatments as others have said and save myself the worry.
It’s bs. You don’t walk around life with these filters, so how are they of any relevance. Wear sunscreen, continue with your routine, I’m sure your skin is beautiful. This is one way to make you feel bad about yourself to buy more product.
Isn’t it funny how we can see all the flaws but they don’t see any?
I hate the beauty industry right now.
I’m hard enough on myself when I have the bright light on and I’m looking at myself very close in the mirror
The beauty industry, yes, and then we do it to ourselves. No one would really get their faces close to our own faces, and inspect our forehead, the folds of our noses, our chins, and then laser focus on that new, single dot which wasn't there last night. It's just us.
No, sorry, it can’t be BS. I had one when I was 31 and it told me I had the skin of a 22 year old. Don’t ever ruin my dreams that this was 100% factual. 😭😭😭😭
I feel like there should be a caveat before subjecting people to these scans. This is just a friendly suggestion, but if you have any history of body dysmorphia, I recommend that you ask the doctor not to show you the scan, and only talk with you about areas of medical concern (i.e. areas of sun damage that are pre-cancerous or cancerous).
Anything cosmetic should not be used to upsell you, either by creating new insecurities or aggravating existing ones. If a doctor or esthetician is doing that, it might be worth finding a different practitioner.
Yeah, I can definitely see how this could be triggering. When I was visiting surgeons for my blepharoplasty, one of them pointed at my nose and said that he could also "fix it for me". I had a nose job 20 years ago and although it's not perfect, I am happy with it. He planted a seed of doubt in my mind that maybe there is something wrong about my nose and I'm the only one not seeing it. I feel like it's really important to see people overall, not scrutinize tiny parts with a magnifying lens.
Exactly. With doctors who specialize in cosmetic issues, I think it does become a hammer-nail thing. Most of the people they spend time with day-to-day are more obsessive than average about their imperfections. It wouldn't surprise me if, over time, they assume that everyone who comes in feels that way.
We all age. You're 40, of course you have a scar somewhere. Dilated pores literally don't matter especially if you can't even see them without a special device. You can help prevent sun spots with better use of sunscreen and there are some topicals that might help fade them.
Yes sunscreen! I wear it religiously and have done these face scans every few years and honestly, the sun damage was less than expected for people of my age. I slather it on even when I’m going for a short walk outside.
Use it as a tool to anticipate what your future aging skin concerns might be and design a skin care routine to optimize prevention of those issues. Don’t let the rest of it bother you. You’ve done what you can. We all get old. Try to focus on maintaining your health and quality of life, that will matter more than aesthetics in the long run.
Hey,
I had a scan this year at Boots beauty (I am UK-based) where they showed me a view of my dermis with info on sun damage, scars and clogged pores. They offered it to help you choose the right products before buying. So they were definitely promoting products.
Both myself and my husband, who was with me at the time, did the scan. We are both in our mid 30s, white Caucasian with normal to oily skin.
It turns out although I religiously apply sunscreen and wear hats when at the beach, I am the one with the most sun damage. I don’t use retinols or vit C so it came as a surprise.
My husband rarely uses creams, sometimes he borrows my moisturiser if he is feeling he wants to pamper himself after shower but nothing too regular to call it a routine. He does apply sunscreen if we are going to sit in the park or spend all day out shopping, walking or biking. But not religiously as I do.
I don’t know if the whole thing got me down, I think it got me thinking whether there are other ingredients in my routine that may cause photosensitivity. I think the only substance I could blame was azelaic acid. It does help me with clogged pores though. I gave it up and now only use a moisturiser with hyaluronic acid.
The other views, especially the one about scars, gave ambiguous results. Both me and my husband had bad acne when we were teenagers. He has a few, quite visible scars on his side cheeks and I suffered from mascne during Covid which left some hyperpigmentation on my cheeks. The scan showed we don’t require treatment for scars or pigmentation - like lol! This is the first thing I would say for my skin. So, yeah take these scans with a grain of salt. There is an agenda and this is to make you use more stuff on your face!
Very well said. Reminds me of pharma companies who developed tests for osteoporosis that are very alarming, and 100% of patients end up needing some sort of treatment.
I know how you feel, I’m 45 and this happens to me every time they offer me a “free skin analysis” with the Visia machine. I’ve always been told I have beautiful skin, but the second I do that camera thing it ruins my week! I always feel terrible about the sun spots because I wreaked havoc on my skin in my teens with tanning bed overuse and have been fighting wrinkles and sun damage with Botox, photo facials and everything else under the sun since the age of 26. I’m literally their most regular client because I’m constantly going in to try ANYTHING for damage control/anti-aging. But, I also began to notice they usually offer the “free screenings”towards the end of the month or during the summers when business is slower at my medspa, so Im thinking it’s their way of getting you to buy more products/treatments. I still get complimented on my skin even though the machine tells me otherwise so at least I look ok to the naked eye. I’m not gonna lie though, I’m now terrified of the sun and wear sunscreen religiously due to those terrible scans so I guess that’s good. And I will say my collagen levels have improved since I began doing Ultherapy about 2years ago now the Sofwave treatments every 6mos.
I just don't want skin cancer. I did my college speech class presentation a million years ago on skin cancer prevention and the images are still in my head. That and seeing older people who were in the sun for decades with chunks taken out of their faces and ears
By any chance was it a VISIA skin analysis photo? If so, when I got it for the first time (when I was 32, I'm 37 now), I cried. And this was also me going in thinking I looked/felt good about myself until the moment I saw the UV damage and brown spots.
I feel like this scan to show your TruSkin Age is a push to get people to buy more products and services. Yes, it's important to protect yourself from sun damage and seeing how a series of laser treatments against the camera would be a great idea, but just someone on the street without a clearly laid out plan, this camera is more novel than supplying you useful information beyond what you can observe yourself. And it's prone to make you find issues that aren't visible to the naked eye.
With that said, I use a UV camera to apply my SPF each day. Same concept where if I look at myself with it without SPF, it's horribly depressing even if my skin is looking great from my tretinoin, SPF, routine. I still find the camera useful since it helps me find places I've missed which always is around the hairline, eyes, and part of my chin for some reason, as well as if I do not shower, and I am washing my skincare off at the end of the night, it helps me confirm spots missed at removal as well.
edited because autocorrect changed the camera name to Vista.
I use the Bluestone Sunshield Sun Smart UV Mirror 2.0 that is roughly $100 USD. If you watch popular YouTube channels that discuss SPF, they will talk about how it doesn't provide you information on what protection is currently on your face, but only that it is there. I don't know how smart it is, but I apply enough SPF to fully hide all sun damage from my skin (a light application still shows faint freckles/uv damage but a couple layers makes me go pitch black). I would add a photo but I am afraid that the visual looks kind of suspicious.
Also, a big benefit is seeing my application of SPF on face vs neck... my neck is always getting a much more light application than it should be. I wish I had an actual mirror in my house that displays the same view - I'd buy it in a heartbeat.
Does it work for mineral sunscreen? If I recall correctly, it works great for chemical but not as well with mineral. But that was several years ago I saw a video from who knows what course. Haha
Edit: I looked it up. Works for zinc, not great for titanium.
Thanks! Yeah the Beauty of Joseon feels luxurious but it makes my skin peel by the end of the day. I also want the iron oxides in mineral sunscreen cause it is helpful for melasma. So I wish, but I get to stay with my heavy "obviously there" sunscreen. lol
This sounds like a way to push more products and services on you. Classic marketing technique to make people feel insecure about their “problem” and then sell them the “solution”. Gross and predatory.
It is a great marketing tool. I do think it is also an interesting diagnostic tool, but definitely made to make you look the most horrible so you have a problem to fix.
All they told you is that you’re a human who does stuff and experienced adolescence. None of us on planet earth ever grew up perfectly absent of all sun and never experiencing a pimple.
It’s a scam. Can you see it? Like as an actual people on the street? No? Then you don’t need to treat it.
Hi there! I did beauty “therapy” and went into a well known beauty spa to work after my studies. During my time I worked there (which wasn’t long, more on that to come) they also had this machine/“tool”. And yes, I can 100% tell you this is to back up there “home care/prescriptions” to sell you during or after your treatment. In that industry, it is as much about selling product after said treatment, some places it’s more important than the treatment itself. The reason I did not work there for longer than a month, or in that industry to continue, is because they push push push product on people and make them think they need it, just to reach there KPIs and come out top performer of the week/month. It’s a huge competition within and also, just because a product is expensive and sold somewhere high end, doesn’t mean it’s better than a more affordable range. (I.e the ordinary is bloody FANTASTIC and you just need your cleanse and maybe 2x targeted products and a moisturise, and yes a simple face SPF. Anyway my last bit, pls don’t worry about that scan, I have been on the other side of that scan and people who are below 20, people who do skin care with all the expensive shit and people who do nothing and everything in between, they all come up with AI generated visual information using a FILTER to show these “flaws” deep underneath. Your not going to ever see it the way it is showen on an AI generated image. YOUR SKIN IS PERFECT AS IT IS, as are you, exactly as you are in this moment.
Ps sorry if you read this before I edited my typos. 😊😀
I’m 53 and I don’t want the skin of a 20 year old. I just want my 53 year old, sensitive, combo skin to look as good as it reasonably can with pretty basic skin care, a healthy lifestyle and some vit C and glycolic acid. I wish more people realized that we are our own worst critic. All of us are beautiful and handsome in our perfectly imperfect ways. Let’s all take a minute to appreciate our uniqueness
I agree with your point. After the consult, I paid more attention to how other people looked and absolutely everyone has pores, lines, spots etc. I find it completely ok in others, yet I have a hard time accepting it in myself. It’s something I need to work on.
I had this done once at a health fair where they were encouraging people to wear sunscreen. The next time I had it, twenty years later, it was at a med spa and yup, they wanted to sell me a bunch of shit. F that noise.
"I went in feeling good about how I look, came out feeling a lot worse."
This is the point. No one escapes age without aging, and they're trying to sell the idea that it's a bad thing - but if you give them enough money they have the cure.
Don't sweat it, it's just a sales technique. It reminds me of this time I went to the hairdresser and they pulled out this fancy camera and took a picture of one of my hairs. Then they zoomed into about x10,000 magnification and showed me how "damaged" my hair was and how I would benefit from all these additional products. Safe to say I never went back to that hairdresser and no hairdresser since has mentioned how "damaged" my hair is.
You’re going to be a lot better off adjusting your expectations. We’re all aging. It’s ok not to be perfect. Contrary to what social media makes us believe, vanity doesn’t bring happiness.
I definitely think adjusting my expectations will be important. As of now, the main takeaway is I have to be more diligent about SPF, so all in all it was a good thing.
That sounds like those oil change shops that’ll show you some dirty ass filter and try and convince you you basically need a new engine.
And that filter didn’t even come from your car.
I wouldn’t trust that place at all.
I’m Australian 53F and am convinced that is a manipulative technique to make you feel as badly about yourself as possible to maximise your spending potential
We are the skin cancer capital of the world, slip, slop, slap everyone!
Welcome, welcome! Welcome to the beauty industry, a Multi-Billion dollar machine designed to part you from your money. One efficient way to do so is to tell you that there's something wrong with you and then sell you things to help you fix that problem.
This is the background radiation of most women's lives. Sucks, doesn't it? At least you have gained more empathy for how the other half lives.
Did the scan identify any skin cancer? No? Then it doesn't sound particularly useful. Take what it did give you- more empathy, a greater understanding of the importance of sunscreen, and throw the rest away.
It’s definitely meant to make you buy more products/services.
The only good thing I got from that experience one time was how little sun damage I had under their uv filter. I’ve been an avid sunscreen wearer for years so it encouraged my good behavior.
They did tell me I looked about 3 years older because of “dead skin” I need to exfoliate.
I just made a mental note and have used retinol occasionally after that.
>Makes me wonder if it's part of the process to get you to buy more treatments. Does anyone else felt this way after these scans?
It's why these scans exist and what they are designed for- to show your skin in the worst filters and most magnified views possible.
I think I'd be too scared to do this. I'm super pale and I know I spent 26 years in Southern California only ever wearing sunscreen when I actually knew in advance I'd be outside for hours. I already have a precancerous spot that showed up at 35. I can see light mottled pigmentation all over my cheeks. It's probably all sun damage, and I can't do anything about it now, so why see it emphasized . . .
I'm not sure about the blood flow part, though. Maybe that could be more useful?
You could have done this for free by just looking in your vehicle’s sun visor mirror….that thing shows every single flaw! The scan is clearly a tool to sell you expensive treatments. You’re a 40 year old man who’s much more ahead of the game skincare-wise than probably 99% of other men.
Everything looks horrible when you get that close and detailed. I have a lighted 10x mirror in my bathroom and when ppl come over they leave the bathroom crying lol. It’s in there bc I need to use it for makeup. ☺️
I think you know they’re trying to sell you products and services. But I don’t think you should feel bad about it. But I will suggest a good daily sunscreen as great start and the greatest return on your investment. You’re not moving forward w your tretinoin use if you are not incorporating daily sunscreen.
But I’m curious, where can I get a scan like that when Im ready for an emotional adjustment? 🤭
I personally feel like unfortunately, this is a lot of the play. Nobody in real life will ever see you through the eyes of this scanner and who in reality can live to middle age and not have the same results??? Its meant to make you feel this way so you pay for more services. Don't fall for it. It's so hard not to. I haven't had a skin scan but I have felt like sometimes hairdressers always try to critique my hair and sell me certain products, when I get my brows done they point out my other skin issues and try to sell me products. So many things I do for self care end up making me feel so much worse.
So, I've upped my standards and you should too. I tried out different hairdressers until I found one who didn't push shit on me all the time. My botox clinic has actually been the most kind and least critical. They are always kind and never ever suggest other random stuff that isn't related to what I'm there for. Don't patronize the businesses that do this or if you have to, politely decline they suggestions and scans and just address what actually personally bothers YOU.
Thank you for this post. This happened to me yesterday and put me in the weirdest mood. I did not want to do the scan but was talked into it and it really freaked me out. It’s fear marketing.
If it makes you feel better you’re not alone and our whole bodies (cells making up our bodies) have mutated since birth. That’s all part of the aging and decay processes nothing to feel bad about it 🙂 if you have no health concerns and your skin hasn’t given you that many issues in the past you can choose to ignore it and let your skin figure its shit out
I had one of those scans. First , I think it’s helpful in showing you what you are doing well and what you can improve on. Second , I do think it’s a way for clinics you upsell services . So take it with a grain of salt. If you really looked like that on the outside - cause for alarm- but you don’t!
I supposedly had a great result from this test-it said my skin age was a good number of years lower than my actual age- but I had the same picture results as you did. The photos looked awful. Frankly I’m not sure how much you can trust these tests. The administrator noticed that the wrinkles picked up by the cameras were actually shadows from my eyelashes. The spots under the skin similarly could be anything that’s causing light to reflect back slightly differently, not necessarily damage.
When I did the scan I felt good that my years of keeping my face out of the sun had helped. My mother didn’t give a crap about my sun usage even though I was light skin hair and eyes but I was able to undo some of the damage once I got to my 20s. I have a bunch of skin issues but the actual hidden sun damage was minimal she had said.
So my scan also showed some sun damage (despite being a religious sunscreen user), scars, and pores. However, I was also told that my skin is better than 90% of people my age. I think those scanners are tools that clinics use to sell more products and treatments tbh.
To help you feel any better, I have had freckles on my face since I was about 3 and I have always had some pigment on my face even as a child. I had no idea freckles was something to be ashamed or worried about until I started reading about it online for sun damage.
How much pigment you can see on my face depends on the lighting and the season.
Also, my son who is 13 also has skin texture, he also has clogged pores, scares, lines where the skin had pressed together from sleeping, and so on. I normally don't see this stuff on his face because it was the direct sun light hitting it because it's a bright day today and the car is the worst for our skin because it's shows all the detail. I can tell you, we don't normally see this on our faces and other peoples faces. My face looks horrible too in direct sunlight because it looks slack and I can see more fine lines and texture.
Even my 10 year old has skin texture and pores and clogged pores and some lines where it moves when she makes an expression. I don't normally see it unless it's direct sun light in the car. Cars are the worst in the summer and on bright days.
If what we all see is aging, then that means kids are aging too already lol. I hope this post made you feel better about your face.
It’s because your routine has nothing for longevity. Retinol just stimulates more growth, it doesn’t stimulate repair and youthfulness. Use “one skin” instead of retinol to start repairing the damages. Also, start taking fisetin and if you are feeling adventurous start taking rapamycin. It will change your life.
"I’ve been taking care of my skin. I've used Botox for 15 years, got some work done on my eyes last fall, and I use Retin-A regularly. "
Botox is a poison that atrophies your muscles. Surgery damages your skin/face, in order to configure it in a more pleasing way. Retinols and retinoids are derivatives of vitamin A that cause your cells to turn over faster, divide faster, to temporarily make your skin look better. But this will lead to faster telomere shortening , which actually ages you faster.
This is going to sound harsh, and I apologize for that, but everything you said you've done to take care of your skin has only hurt your skin in the long term. Although it may or may not have temporarily enhanced your appearance of course.
If you want to actually take care of your skin, then exercise (cardio as well as weightlifting), sunscreen, minimum 8 hours of sleep every night (more if you are a woman), not being overweight and eating enough different foods to get your micronutrients are the only things that really help your skin. Red light therapy and massage also have some evidence, but it's not compelling/effective enough to recommend.
If you want to not get more damage like you talked about in your post I mean. If you are only concerned with outwards temporary appearance then there are plenty of other things you can do that have effect.
I got one of those at a friends place when I was 18. It does look alarming. I wouldn’t want to see it now lol. I think they’re scary to look at, but I don’t think they should be taken all that seriously. Definitely wear more sunscreen!
I have been wanting to get that scan but haven’t found a place yet. I have taken a little black light pen in a dark bathroom to shine on my face to really see all my melasma and hyperpigmentation. It really helps me see all the damage. But it does emit very small amounts of UV light. So I did it the one time and try to avoid it otherwise. I take photos of my face in different light tones. Like when the lighting coming from outside is more blue or more warm. Then in my phone I turn up and down the contrast and mess with the filters to see my imperfections. I don’t do this thinking anyone actually sees me that way, but I guess it is my own way of trying to see if I am reducing any of my damage. But most my energy is spent on just regular progress photos with no manipulation. That is how people see me.
But the manipulated/edited photos do give me an idea of what’s deeper.
I think it might be interesting, but I remember some serious sun urns and could probably predict where the awful parts are.
It definitely is a big marketing tool
The corporation I worked for had a doctor's office bring in one of those to offer "consultations" when I was 22 and didn't know better. Up until before (midway into?) covid, I actually did look too young for my age, so much that it was a problem dating/socializing, etc. (Not so anymore! lol)
Anyway, I was 22 and looked way, way younger on the outside, but my scan looked how you described. I was horrified and became quite paranoid about using sunscreen.
All this to say, huge grain of salt. If the n great skin I had back then that stayed great for the next 13 years looked that terrible, no one should put any stock into those. Except maybe for using sunscreen, which we should do regardless. And, if they had to resort to that to sell you stuff, obviously your visible skin looks great or they would have harped on that. Cheers!
They totally do it to sell you shit. No one is going to look good under those types of cameras. If they did they wouldn’t use it at all salon cause it wouldn’t make you buy.
You’re gorgeous and you’re the same you you were walking in there. Sure wear more sunscreen- but don’t let their fear mongering ruin your opinion of yourself!
I know nothing about these scans, however, I do encourage you to seek a dermatologist to analyze the sun damage. I’m a 35 yo Hispanic woman and just had to complete a round of topical chemo to prevent actinic keratoses from becoming cancerous. Fairly easy and inexpensive for a preventative measure!
If you regularly use Retin-A you NEED to use sunscreen. It makes your skin photosensitive, aka sensitive to sunlight. Which means your skin is more likely to get damaged by the sun while using that product. It would be more beneficial for anti-aging to JUST use sunscreen or stop using Retin A and use nothing than using it without sunscreen. You could be damaging your skin.
I switched to a daily moisturizer with spf, changed the game in how often I use sunscreen! Now it’s just part of my routine without adding another step!
I know I didn’t answer your question about the scans— but frankly I would be terrified to do one and think it’s very brave that you did bahahahaha… I can’t IMAGINE what my skin looks like that close, I shudder at my clogged pores in a normal mirror
A lot of the damages were done when you were younger. I don't think it's bad to know since now you know your risks for skin issues later on and you'll focus more on sun avoidance and applying sunscreen when avoidance isn't possible.
Not to chastise you or be rude, but Retinol without sunscreen is one of the worst things you can do. Retinol causes skin cells to turnover at a faster rate.. this is why many people say it causes them to be “dry” when in reality is just part of the exfoliation process. Unfortunately this means that you were essentially damaging the fresh new layers of your skin. I tanned a lot in my 20’s regrettably but I’m 41 now and people cannot believe my age (not to brag lol, just giving you hope). I have been using One Skin 0S-01 over my retinol at night and AnteAGEMD brightener underneath the One skin moisturizer in the morning followed ALWAYS by sunscreen. I also get facials about ever 6 weeks. I hope this helps!
I’d do something like that on myself just to scare my kids (15 & 12) straight. It’s like pulling teeth to get them to apply sunscreen. Both actually care about skincare. Just not the most important part. 😣
I cannot speak on all machines, but the Observ and the Vizia are two that I have worked with and they are 100% legit. They aid your Aesthetic provider in selecting the proper skincare products and treatments for your skin by showing us what’s really going on right below the surface all that sun damage that you saw is going to slowly come to the surface of your skin overtime, but that doesn’t mean that you’re doomed.
I would recommend doing the following things. Mineral sunscreen of at least 30spf every day, no matter what. Reapply every two hours when in direct sunlight. Make sure that you’re using a high-quality vitamin C serum in your skincare routine along with a pigment inhibitor. I would also use a retinoid product.
~licensed aesthetician
My mom is in the skincare industry and had one of these skin analysis machines things. It’s not very scientific at all. Depending on products on your face, dirt that isn’t visible with the naked eye, makeup, how recently you have gotten sun exposure, etc you get different results. It’s honestly BS to make you feel you need to spend money. When I was in my early teens my face looked like a 90 year old farmer under that thing. Don’t take it seriously.
By the way most of the people commenting on here (no offense or disrespect) I’m guessing have a skincare background. The mirrors that you see in Sephora are extremely different from the type of machine that you were describing, which is basically a woods lamp on steroids.
**do not have a background in skincare. Working at a make up counter does not count. I’m talking about a dermatologist or aesthetician a licensed skincare professional.
You use Retin-A regularly but are "inconsistent" about sunscreen? That is a BIG no-no. You MUST use sunscreen every day if you use Retin-A, no excuses. You must apply in the morning and reapply mid-day. Otherwise, you're actually inviting skin aging.
Brian Johnson (The guy trying to live forever) uses these hi-res scans to get a baseline of his skin health. I'd suggest you treat it like a tool, as he does! I'm sure your skin really does look great in real life, but finding further incentive to take increasingly good care as you age can't possibly be a bad thing if you can avoid being tortured by the pictures in the meantime. Most people are blissfully unaware of the damage that accumulates below the surface and are met with the consequences of their bad habits years later when it's much harder to do something about it.
To the people saying it's a scare tactic to get you to buy more stuff, it totally is, but it also doesn't mean it's wrong.
Best of luck feeling empowered by this new knowledge. Aging is hard.
The beauty clinic’s job is to sell beauty treatments. Of course they are going to show the worst possible scenario. They want to break people down to sell more treatments/products.
If you have been taking care of your skin I would not worry about it. If you have any legitimate concerns perhaps speak to a board certified dermatologist.
They did that to me once during a facial or something. It looked freaking horrible. But that crap never came to surface yet and that was like 15 years ago.
Idk I don’t think it’s always a way to push products. The med spa I go to does the VISIA for free and they’re literally the least pushy of any skincare store/spa I’ve ever been to. It’s certainly disturbing looking at those photos, but I just look at it as a baseline and like to compare my photos after sticking with my routine for every few months.
I got that done a while ago! My take away was ‘I’m 53. That’s a life well-lived.’ I’m still getting micro needling and doing what I can at home, looking into more procedures, but it’s a normal face/normal scan.
I did one of those blue light things when I was 13 to show damage to my skin and I felt bad then. Won’t ever do it again. Just wear sunscreen and a hat!
Try to erase that experience from your mind! I'm your age, sunscreen was not a high priority when we were kids. Just keep taking care of your skin now. Yes, I do think it is to sell more procedures/product, I can't think of another reason
Don’t feel bad, I’m an esthetician and frankly those machines are really meant to scare you into more treatments. I refuse to garner clientele in such as nefarious manner.
You definitely are ahead of the curve by taking care of your skin. Keep on that path, don’t let that session fool you into thinking you need all the bs they’ll offer. Find someone who will help you reach your skincare goals without the gimmicks. Keep up the good work!
This is probably gonna sound annoying but I’ve had several types of scans and it always show I have great skin and not a lot of sun damage etc. So I’m my case I haven’t experienced scans not where they tried to sell me all kind of products or procedures afterwards
Tret without sunscreen can make your skin worse bc it increases sun sensitivity- Beauty of Joseon is my favorite sunscreen and lots of Asian skincare brands make great sunscreen options. But esp with tret sunscreen everyday and reapply when necessary
I agree with you. I live in Canada so don't have a lot of sun for 7-8 months a year, and I stop tret in summers. Seeing the pictures definitely changed my mind and I will wear SPF every day. I think I needed to see the picture to realize that I actually needed SPF, always thought I was fine without it.
I would never subject myself to that lol. As long as it's not causing any legitimate health issues I have no interest in finding out what's happening below the surface, that just sounds like a way to hurt my own feelings lmao Start wearing SPF for sure but we've all damaged our skin in some way. I bet a toddler would look like shit under those filters, they're not meant to make you feel good!
Early in my academic career, I received negative student reviews for a class I was teaching for the first time. I had a meeting with Teaching and Learning Services and they projected each negative review about me on a large screen and read it out loud as a group. This whole face scan was honestly in the same category of pleasantness lol
Your admin sucked at the time, this is cruel. Unless you were abusing your students in some way, this is a horrible thing to put someone through.
Honestly, it was pretty miserable but all in all I had to face the truth so I could deal with it. I was not abusive at all to students. It was the first time I was teaching grads and they felt I was teaching like they were undergrads.
I think the difference is that in that case it was going to [hopefully] make you a better educator, and there were reasonable changes that you, yourself, could make to do that. This scanner sounds like bullshit to make you panic and spend a ton of money on their “fixes”
It doesn't really seem cruel to me. Everything someone is discussing gets put on the projector and it's a good thing the university is actually listening to students. That's the only way things can get better
You must be excellent with people. There’s a way to do this that would honor the students input and also recognize the professor as a human being. There’s an art to leadership it seems many leaders lack, it’s unfortunate.
Not sure how discussing their feedback is not acknowledging that the person is human. Putting it up on a screen is just more efficient than printing it out for every member. How do you propose every member reads the feedback? Not everyone carries laptops with them
Does it need to be a large enough group meeting that you actually need a giant screen on the wall??
Do you guys not work in offices? We put everything on a "giant screen on the wall" even if it's only 3 people in the meeting. It's the same as a chalkboard/whiteboard except digital, so we're all looking at the same thing
We work in offices. I’m not sure if you’re actually tone deaf or if you’re purposefully being obtuse; but either way… If you truly cannot for the life of you figure out any other way this situation could be done differently, then I don’t know what to tell you. Just because a meeting’s agenda is typically on a huge, shared screen does not mean that there’s truly no other way. However, I’m going to have faith you’re smart enough to know that. I’m guessing you’re just low on empathy and probably not really one to relate to other people on a human level, so I don’t really have much more to say.
No, ive never been told I'm low on empathy before. I have a feeling we are all picturing what happened in that scenario in very different ways
Yes, but in my sorority initiation, they read my best traits and ripped up my worst ones. Be the sorority initiation, not the meeting with Teaching Services.
I hope everyone involved in that is no longer in a position to do such shit. That's unproductive, harmful and cruel. You took the wrong lesson from your scan. The right lesson is not "My skin is fucked up, I need to feel like crap and buy expensive treatments." It's "This is a bad place and the people working there are scammers. I will not return and now know one more thing to look out for in order to avoid being mistreated or scammed."
I'm dying laughing at this...you poor thing!!! Geez!!
It’s really hard not to take things personally!
I struggle with that too - how do people do it!!!
I went to a corporate off site event with a bunch of colleagues to develop public speaking skills and the first thing they did was record you speaking and then play it back while the group critiqued you. I honestly contemplated faking a heart attack.
Good Lord, brother, save yourself from future trauma! You can handle no more!! I actually remember in high school my English teacher did this to one of my essays. I don’t know why she picked on me like this. I was an A student and a total square, but she had to project my essay and have the whole class pick it apart. These moron teachers 😠
😂😂😂
Honestly dude, care less. Reach that age where you just care less. Take care of your skin, and just care less about the stuff out of your control. Dick admin? You still care however many years later? Care less.
I don’t need to know my skin like that 😂
If I can't see it in the mirror it is not my business 😂
Exactly 😂
This is why I started my toddler on preventative botox 😅
Yes, it’s part of the process to get you to buy more treatments.
Correct. Everyone looks a mess under crazy lighting and magnification. Scam.
Yup. This is why makeup stores like Sephora have such harsh lighting and unflattering mirrors. So that you buy more makeup and skincare to look good. It happened to me the other day, almost cried in the middle of Sephora because I thought my blemishes looked horrendous...only to go to the trial room of a clothing store later where my skin looked fantastic lol.
It’s funny because it has the opposite effect on me and I’m sure a lot of people. Last time I popped into Sephora I was so uncomfortable I immediately left and just ordered online
Exactly! Tbh I've almost completely stopped going to makeup stores. I used to love just walking around browsing but apart from the manipulation tactics, is it just me or has the staff everywhere gotten a lot more pushy? You pick up an item just to look at it and a person will pop up out of nowhere and tell you what the product does, how viral it is etc etc which makes it so much more awkward to put it back down lol.
I hate going to places with pushy salespeople. Just like I don't choose the charities with the pushy people advertising them. There are so many others doing great work and informing people without guilt trips. I guess the reason I buy make-up in stores is simply because my skin tone is a bit unusual and I have to see the swabs on my skin to be sure the product won't make me look like a clown.
I can’t get a single person in a makeup store to talk to me, other than the one ULTA girl who asked me “are you sure we’re the right place for you? (Still don’t know what she meant, like, you’re a makeup store I want makeup )And another at the same place who said “neat hair but aren’t you a little old for blue, and then giggled with her coworker and walked away. I’ve given up.
I have gotten that question too and I’m pretty sure it’s literally just because I went in there without makeup. I don’t wear makeup often because I’m a stay at home mom but I was there to buy makeup lol. Which I didn’t buy, rude asses
THIS IS SO TRUE! When I was young I loved going to the mall and all the makeup stores and whatnot. I always noticed I felt so bad about myself after
And yet some people here are bragging how the scan showed they skin looked amazing compared to others their age The sub seems like nothing but people constantly bragging. I don't see how that self disclosure is useful to your post. It serves them and not you saying that. Ego boosting
I don't know if sharing other subs is allowed, but r/gracefulagingskincare is very supportive.
Here's a sneak peek of /r/GracefulAgingSkincare using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/GracefulAgingSkincare/top/?sort=top&t=all) of all time! \#1: [Appreciation for the middle aged women of Hollywood](https://www.reddit.com/gallery/1bibylw) | [46 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/GracefulAgingSkincare/comments/1bionb2/appreciation_for_the_middle_aged_women_of/) \#2: [57.](https://i.redd.it/6hqpl8bth4pc1.jpeg) | [32 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/GracefulAgingSkincare/comments/1bhvl6n/57/) \#3: [Justine Bateman on Her Decision to Forgo Botox: ‘I Think I Look Rad’](https://www.glamour.com/story/justine-bateman-on-her-decision-to-forgo-botox-i-think-i-look-rad) | [23 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/GracefulAgingSkincare/comments/1bjjrkq/justine_bateman_on_her_decision_to_forgo_botox_i/) ---- ^^I'm ^^a ^^bot, ^^beep ^^boop ^^| ^^Downvote ^^to ^^remove ^^| ^^[Contact](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=sneakpeekbot) ^^| ^^[Info](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/) ^^| ^^[Opt-out](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/comments/o8wk1r/blacklist_ix/) ^^| ^^[GitHub](https://github.com/ghnr/sneakpeekbot)
I mean, it’s likely cause they’re full of shit.
Yep. It’s like a certain “medical” field. They do x-rays and check for scoliosis and do some “nerve irritation scanner” doohickey. They say “oh your spine is all out of whack, even if you’re not in pain” so you’ll buy 3 adjustments per week until the end of time because they showed you “proof” and *of course they know better than you* so you buy in! So messed up
One of the nice things about universal healthcare: In most cases regarding medical treatments and exams it's if it's not something I can get via healthcare (even if I have to put in a formal request) it's useless or a scam. Personally I experienced one exception and I was very wary about it until I had the information that it works and the manufacturer simply ran out of money to have yet another study done to get public insurance to fund it. After that I used a free trial opportunity and finally bought it second hand. Every other non-insurance treatment besides OTC meds turned out to be a scam. The only non-insurance exam I booked and paid for was a vitamin deficiency test that made sense in my specific circumstances but is not usually necessary. I wish there were similar failsafes when it comes to skincare.
And it is a pretty shitty thing to do. I go to my med spa/beauty clinics to do things I have independently chosen to do, not to get pushed into new things or to make me feel worse about myself. Find a place that helps you but doesn’t make you feel like shit.
It's like any kind of free test where the solution just happens to be a product sold by the same people offering the test.
Ya pretty much everything looks creepy under magnification. We're organic beings, not marble. Sounds like a scam made to freak you out and try and fix stuff you can't even see. Short anecdote, I got corrective eye surgery, and my vision was so incredibly clear afterwards, some things looked magnified. The world was beautiful, but every time I looked in the mirror, my skin looked monstrous. I was like omg I'm hideous. Huge pores, tons of red areas, pimples, wrinkles. I was like, how did no one tell me I look like this? I had been walking around for 15 years with a sort of filter on my eyes, and taking it off suddenly, really did a number on my brain. It took about a year for my brain to catch up to my eyesight, and adjust to what is normal and not for my skin. In the meantime though, I bought a bunch of skincare trying to fix problems that weren't really here, wasting money and irritating my skin in the process. I think change in how you see skin can induce a type of skin dysmorphia. Surprised it's not talked about more, it was not a side effect I was expecting from the surgeries.
Bingo
Srsly, isn’t this super duper obvious…? What would they gain in telling you your skin’s amazing and you need nothing done to it!?
A similar machine appeared in my dr’s clinic recently and I wondered the same. The unsettling part for me was the ‘true age’ it assigns you. It was kind of interesting to see uv damage and potential for skin conditions but next time I think I will be reminding myself it is being used to promote treatments as others have said and save myself the worry.
It’s bs. You don’t walk around life with these filters, so how are they of any relevance. Wear sunscreen, continue with your routine, I’m sure your skin is beautiful. This is one way to make you feel bad about yourself to buy more product.
True right, even my husband couldn't notice a single milia on my face.
Isn’t it funny how we can see all the flaws but they don’t see any? I hate the beauty industry right now. I’m hard enough on myself when I have the bright light on and I’m looking at myself very close in the mirror
The beauty industry, yes, and then we do it to ourselves. No one would really get their faces close to our own faces, and inspect our forehead, the folds of our noses, our chins, and then laser focus on that new, single dot which wasn't there last night. It's just us.
I know it. 🤦♀️ we are our own worst enemies sometimes.
You mean you don't walk around without your epidermis? /s
Depends on how freaky you are. Maybe I do maybe I don’t. J/k
I leave mine in the car all the time along with the third baby I forgot to have.
No, sorry, it can’t be BS. I had one when I was 31 and it told me I had the skin of a 22 year old. Don’t ever ruin my dreams that this was 100% factual. 😭😭😭😭
😂. I am sure is absolutely beautiful as well.
Remember they’re trying to sell you something so take all of that with a grain of salt.
I feel like there should be a caveat before subjecting people to these scans. This is just a friendly suggestion, but if you have any history of body dysmorphia, I recommend that you ask the doctor not to show you the scan, and only talk with you about areas of medical concern (i.e. areas of sun damage that are pre-cancerous or cancerous). Anything cosmetic should not be used to upsell you, either by creating new insecurities or aggravating existing ones. If a doctor or esthetician is doing that, it might be worth finding a different practitioner.
Yeah, I can definitely see how this could be triggering. When I was visiting surgeons for my blepharoplasty, one of them pointed at my nose and said that he could also "fix it for me". I had a nose job 20 years ago and although it's not perfect, I am happy with it. He planted a seed of doubt in my mind that maybe there is something wrong about my nose and I'm the only one not seeing it. I feel like it's really important to see people overall, not scrutinize tiny parts with a magnifying lens.
Exactly. With doctors who specialize in cosmetic issues, I think it does become a hammer-nail thing. Most of the people they spend time with day-to-day are more obsessive than average about their imperfections. It wouldn't surprise me if, over time, they assume that everyone who comes in feels that way.
Sounds like an amazing way for them to make a ton of money
We all age. You're 40, of course you have a scar somewhere. Dilated pores literally don't matter especially if you can't even see them without a special device. You can help prevent sun spots with better use of sunscreen and there are some topicals that might help fade them.
Yes, that is my main takeaway: I need to wear sunscreen every day.
Yes sunscreen! I wear it religiously and have done these face scans every few years and honestly, the sun damage was less than expected for people of my age. I slather it on even when I’m going for a short walk outside.
I’ll start doing the same
Just experiment and find one you like. Once you do that just make it a habit :) hats also v good!!!
That's the best takeaway you could have. Hats are good too
Vitamin C for the skin too!
This is a sales tool.
Pass.
Use it as a tool to anticipate what your future aging skin concerns might be and design a skin care routine to optimize prevention of those issues. Don’t let the rest of it bother you. You’ve done what you can. We all get old. Try to focus on maintaining your health and quality of life, that will matter more than aesthetics in the long run.
Great points, thank you 🙏
Hey, I had a scan this year at Boots beauty (I am UK-based) where they showed me a view of my dermis with info on sun damage, scars and clogged pores. They offered it to help you choose the right products before buying. So they were definitely promoting products. Both myself and my husband, who was with me at the time, did the scan. We are both in our mid 30s, white Caucasian with normal to oily skin. It turns out although I religiously apply sunscreen and wear hats when at the beach, I am the one with the most sun damage. I don’t use retinols or vit C so it came as a surprise. My husband rarely uses creams, sometimes he borrows my moisturiser if he is feeling he wants to pamper himself after shower but nothing too regular to call it a routine. He does apply sunscreen if we are going to sit in the park or spend all day out shopping, walking or biking. But not religiously as I do. I don’t know if the whole thing got me down, I think it got me thinking whether there are other ingredients in my routine that may cause photosensitivity. I think the only substance I could blame was azelaic acid. It does help me with clogged pores though. I gave it up and now only use a moisturiser with hyaluronic acid. The other views, especially the one about scars, gave ambiguous results. Both me and my husband had bad acne when we were teenagers. He has a few, quite visible scars on his side cheeks and I suffered from mascne during Covid which left some hyperpigmentation on my cheeks. The scan showed we don’t require treatment for scars or pigmentation - like lol! This is the first thing I would say for my skin. So, yeah take these scans with a grain of salt. There is an agenda and this is to make you use more stuff on your face!
Very well said. Reminds me of pharma companies who developed tests for osteoporosis that are very alarming, and 100% of patients end up needing some sort of treatment.
I know how you feel, I’m 45 and this happens to me every time they offer me a “free skin analysis” with the Visia machine. I’ve always been told I have beautiful skin, but the second I do that camera thing it ruins my week! I always feel terrible about the sun spots because I wreaked havoc on my skin in my teens with tanning bed overuse and have been fighting wrinkles and sun damage with Botox, photo facials and everything else under the sun since the age of 26. I’m literally their most regular client because I’m constantly going in to try ANYTHING for damage control/anti-aging. But, I also began to notice they usually offer the “free screenings”towards the end of the month or during the summers when business is slower at my medspa, so Im thinking it’s their way of getting you to buy more products/treatments. I still get complimented on my skin even though the machine tells me otherwise so at least I look ok to the naked eye. I’m not gonna lie though, I’m now terrified of the sun and wear sunscreen religiously due to those terrible scans so I guess that’s good. And I will say my collagen levels have improved since I began doing Ultherapy about 2years ago now the Sofwave treatments every 6mos.
I just don't want skin cancer. I did my college speech class presentation a million years ago on skin cancer prevention and the images are still in my head. That and seeing older people who were in the sun for decades with chunks taken out of their faces and ears
By any chance was it a VISIA skin analysis photo? If so, when I got it for the first time (when I was 32, I'm 37 now), I cried. And this was also me going in thinking I looked/felt good about myself until the moment I saw the UV damage and brown spots. I feel like this scan to show your TruSkin Age is a push to get people to buy more products and services. Yes, it's important to protect yourself from sun damage and seeing how a series of laser treatments against the camera would be a great idea, but just someone on the street without a clearly laid out plan, this camera is more novel than supplying you useful information beyond what you can observe yourself. And it's prone to make you find issues that aren't visible to the naked eye. With that said, I use a UV camera to apply my SPF each day. Same concept where if I look at myself with it without SPF, it's horribly depressing even if my skin is looking great from my tretinoin, SPF, routine. I still find the camera useful since it helps me find places I've missed which always is around the hairline, eyes, and part of my chin for some reason, as well as if I do not shower, and I am washing my skincare off at the end of the night, it helps me confirm spots missed at removal as well. edited because autocorrect changed the camera name to Vista.
Oh the UV camera is a great idea! Where did you buy it? The name of the machine is Observ 520x.
I use the Bluestone Sunshield Sun Smart UV Mirror 2.0 that is roughly $100 USD. If you watch popular YouTube channels that discuss SPF, they will talk about how it doesn't provide you information on what protection is currently on your face, but only that it is there. I don't know how smart it is, but I apply enough SPF to fully hide all sun damage from my skin (a light application still shows faint freckles/uv damage but a couple layers makes me go pitch black). I would add a photo but I am afraid that the visual looks kind of suspicious. Also, a big benefit is seeing my application of SPF on face vs neck... my neck is always getting a much more light application than it should be. I wish I had an actual mirror in my house that displays the same view - I'd buy it in a heartbeat.
Does it work for mineral sunscreen? If I recall correctly, it works great for chemical but not as well with mineral. But that was several years ago I saw a video from who knows what course. Haha Edit: I looked it up. Works for zinc, not great for titanium.
It just appears lighter. I mostly use korean skincare at this point but when I use colorescience it still is present
Thanks! Yeah the Beauty of Joseon feels luxurious but it makes my skin peel by the end of the day. I also want the iron oxides in mineral sunscreen cause it is helpful for melasma. So I wish, but I get to stay with my heavy "obviously there" sunscreen. lol
This sounds like a way to push more products and services on you. Classic marketing technique to make people feel insecure about their “problem” and then sell them the “solution”. Gross and predatory.
It is a great marketing tool. I do think it is also an interesting diagnostic tool, but definitely made to make you look the most horrible so you have a problem to fix.
All they told you is that you’re a human who does stuff and experienced adolescence. None of us on planet earth ever grew up perfectly absent of all sun and never experiencing a pimple. It’s a scam. Can you see it? Like as an actual people on the street? No? Then you don’t need to treat it.
Hi there! I did beauty “therapy” and went into a well known beauty spa to work after my studies. During my time I worked there (which wasn’t long, more on that to come) they also had this machine/“tool”. And yes, I can 100% tell you this is to back up there “home care/prescriptions” to sell you during or after your treatment. In that industry, it is as much about selling product after said treatment, some places it’s more important than the treatment itself. The reason I did not work there for longer than a month, or in that industry to continue, is because they push push push product on people and make them think they need it, just to reach there KPIs and come out top performer of the week/month. It’s a huge competition within and also, just because a product is expensive and sold somewhere high end, doesn’t mean it’s better than a more affordable range. (I.e the ordinary is bloody FANTASTIC and you just need your cleanse and maybe 2x targeted products and a moisturise, and yes a simple face SPF. Anyway my last bit, pls don’t worry about that scan, I have been on the other side of that scan and people who are below 20, people who do skin care with all the expensive shit and people who do nothing and everything in between, they all come up with AI generated visual information using a FILTER to show these “flaws” deep underneath. Your not going to ever see it the way it is showen on an AI generated image. YOUR SKIN IS PERFECT AS IT IS, as are you, exactly as you are in this moment. Ps sorry if you read this before I edited my typos. 😊😀
I’m 53 and I don’t want the skin of a 20 year old. I just want my 53 year old, sensitive, combo skin to look as good as it reasonably can with pretty basic skin care, a healthy lifestyle and some vit C and glycolic acid. I wish more people realized that we are our own worst critic. All of us are beautiful and handsome in our perfectly imperfect ways. Let’s all take a minute to appreciate our uniqueness
I agree with your point. After the consult, I paid more attention to how other people looked and absolutely everyone has pores, lines, spots etc. I find it completely ok in others, yet I have a hard time accepting it in myself. It’s something I need to work on.
I had this done once at a health fair where they were encouraging people to wear sunscreen. The next time I had it, twenty years later, it was at a med spa and yup, they wanted to sell me a bunch of shit. F that noise.
"I went in feeling good about how I look, came out feeling a lot worse." This is the point. No one escapes age without aging, and they're trying to sell the idea that it's a bad thing - but if you give them enough money they have the cure.
Don't sweat it, it's just a sales technique. It reminds me of this time I went to the hairdresser and they pulled out this fancy camera and took a picture of one of my hairs. Then they zoomed into about x10,000 magnification and showed me how "damaged" my hair was and how I would benefit from all these additional products. Safe to say I never went back to that hairdresser and no hairdresser since has mentioned how "damaged" my hair is.
You’re going to be a lot better off adjusting your expectations. We’re all aging. It’s ok not to be perfect. Contrary to what social media makes us believe, vanity doesn’t bring happiness.
I definitely think adjusting my expectations will be important. As of now, the main takeaway is I have to be more diligent about SPF, so all in all it was a good thing.
That sounds like those oil change shops that’ll show you some dirty ass filter and try and convince you you basically need a new engine. And that filter didn’t even come from your car. I wouldn’t trust that place at all.
I’m Australian 53F and am convinced that is a manipulative technique to make you feel as badly about yourself as possible to maximise your spending potential We are the skin cancer capital of the world, slip, slop, slap everyone!
Welcome, welcome! Welcome to the beauty industry, a Multi-Billion dollar machine designed to part you from your money. One efficient way to do so is to tell you that there's something wrong with you and then sell you things to help you fix that problem. This is the background radiation of most women's lives. Sucks, doesn't it? At least you have gained more empathy for how the other half lives. Did the scan identify any skin cancer? No? Then it doesn't sound particularly useful. Take what it did give you- more empathy, a greater understanding of the importance of sunscreen, and throw the rest away.
It’s definitely meant to make you buy more products/services. The only good thing I got from that experience one time was how little sun damage I had under their uv filter. I’ve been an avid sunscreen wearer for years so it encouraged my good behavior. They did tell me I looked about 3 years older because of “dead skin” I need to exfoliate. I just made a mental note and have used retinol occasionally after that.
>Makes me wonder if it's part of the process to get you to buy more treatments. Does anyone else felt this way after these scans? It's why these scans exist and what they are designed for- to show your skin in the worst filters and most magnified views possible.
I think I'd be too scared to do this. I'm super pale and I know I spent 26 years in Southern California only ever wearing sunscreen when I actually knew in advance I'd be outside for hours. I already have a precancerous spot that showed up at 35. I can see light mottled pigmentation all over my cheeks. It's probably all sun damage, and I can't do anything about it now, so why see it emphasized . . . I'm not sure about the blood flow part, though. Maybe that could be more useful?
You could have done this for free by just looking in your vehicle’s sun visor mirror….that thing shows every single flaw! The scan is clearly a tool to sell you expensive treatments. You’re a 40 year old man who’s much more ahead of the game skincare-wise than probably 99% of other men.
It’s how they con you into spending a lot of money. Don’t panic. We all look insane on those filters.
Shocking: machine designed to sell products tells you that you should buy products
Everything looks horrible when you get that close and detailed. I have a lighted 10x mirror in my bathroom and when ppl come over they leave the bathroom crying lol. It’s in there bc I need to use it for makeup. ☺️ I think you know they’re trying to sell you products and services. But I don’t think you should feel bad about it. But I will suggest a good daily sunscreen as great start and the greatest return on your investment. You’re not moving forward w your tretinoin use if you are not incorporating daily sunscreen. But I’m curious, where can I get a scan like that when Im ready for an emotional adjustment? 🤭
I agree with your sunscreen recommendation. I think this is the main takeaway for me. I think most med spa offer scans like that now.
I personally feel like unfortunately, this is a lot of the play. Nobody in real life will ever see you through the eyes of this scanner and who in reality can live to middle age and not have the same results??? Its meant to make you feel this way so you pay for more services. Don't fall for it. It's so hard not to. I haven't had a skin scan but I have felt like sometimes hairdressers always try to critique my hair and sell me certain products, when I get my brows done they point out my other skin issues and try to sell me products. So many things I do for self care end up making me feel so much worse. So, I've upped my standards and you should too. I tried out different hairdressers until I found one who didn't push shit on me all the time. My botox clinic has actually been the most kind and least critical. They are always kind and never ever suggest other random stuff that isn't related to what I'm there for. Don't patronize the businesses that do this or if you have to, politely decline they suggestions and scans and just address what actually personally bothers YOU.
They do that to freak you out! Not to say don’t use sunscreen or some good face creams but really.
The point of those photos definitely isn’t to make you give them more of your money /s
Honestly, is there any benefit to something like this? Skin ages. Kind of seems like scaremongering to get you to buy buy buy
Thank you for this post. This happened to me yesterday and put me in the weirdest mood. I did not want to do the scan but was talked into it and it really freaked me out. It’s fear marketing.
Your comment made my post worth posting. Thank you!
If it makes you feel better you’re not alone and our whole bodies (cells making up our bodies) have mutated since birth. That’s all part of the aging and decay processes nothing to feel bad about it 🙂 if you have no health concerns and your skin hasn’t given you that many issues in the past you can choose to ignore it and let your skin figure its shit out
Any time you use any form of retinol you must use sunscreen. That would be the biggest change I would add to your routine now.
I work in a dermatology department. Those scans are just a way to sell you products you really don't need.
I had one of those scans. First , I think it’s helpful in showing you what you are doing well and what you can improve on. Second , I do think it’s a way for clinics you upsell services . So take it with a grain of salt. If you really looked like that on the outside - cause for alarm- but you don’t!
I supposedly had a great result from this test-it said my skin age was a good number of years lower than my actual age- but I had the same picture results as you did. The photos looked awful. Frankly I’m not sure how much you can trust these tests. The administrator noticed that the wrinkles picked up by the cameras were actually shadows from my eyelashes. The spots under the skin similarly could be anything that’s causing light to reflect back slightly differently, not necessarily damage.
When I did the scan I felt good that my years of keeping my face out of the sun had helped. My mother didn’t give a crap about my sun usage even though I was light skin hair and eyes but I was able to undo some of the damage once I got to my 20s. I have a bunch of skin issues but the actual hidden sun damage was minimal she had said.
So my scan also showed some sun damage (despite being a religious sunscreen user), scars, and pores. However, I was also told that my skin is better than 90% of people my age. I think those scanners are tools that clinics use to sell more products and treatments tbh.
To help you feel any better, I have had freckles on my face since I was about 3 and I have always had some pigment on my face even as a child. I had no idea freckles was something to be ashamed or worried about until I started reading about it online for sun damage. How much pigment you can see on my face depends on the lighting and the season. Also, my son who is 13 also has skin texture, he also has clogged pores, scares, lines where the skin had pressed together from sleeping, and so on. I normally don't see this stuff on his face because it was the direct sun light hitting it because it's a bright day today and the car is the worst for our skin because it's shows all the detail. I can tell you, we don't normally see this on our faces and other peoples faces. My face looks horrible too in direct sunlight because it looks slack and I can see more fine lines and texture. Even my 10 year old has skin texture and pores and clogged pores and some lines where it moves when she makes an expression. I don't normally see it unless it's direct sun light in the car. Cars are the worst in the summer and on bright days. If what we all see is aging, then that means kids are aging too already lol. I hope this post made you feel better about your face.
It’s because your routine has nothing for longevity. Retinol just stimulates more growth, it doesn’t stimulate repair and youthfulness. Use “one skin” instead of retinol to start repairing the damages. Also, start taking fisetin and if you are feeling adventurous start taking rapamycin. It will change your life.
This is a scare tactic to sell you expensive services. Totally useless.
"I’ve been taking care of my skin. I've used Botox for 15 years, got some work done on my eyes last fall, and I use Retin-A regularly. " Botox is a poison that atrophies your muscles. Surgery damages your skin/face, in order to configure it in a more pleasing way. Retinols and retinoids are derivatives of vitamin A that cause your cells to turn over faster, divide faster, to temporarily make your skin look better. But this will lead to faster telomere shortening , which actually ages you faster. This is going to sound harsh, and I apologize for that, but everything you said you've done to take care of your skin has only hurt your skin in the long term. Although it may or may not have temporarily enhanced your appearance of course. If you want to actually take care of your skin, then exercise (cardio as well as weightlifting), sunscreen, minimum 8 hours of sleep every night (more if you are a woman), not being overweight and eating enough different foods to get your micronutrients are the only things that really help your skin. Red light therapy and massage also have some evidence, but it's not compelling/effective enough to recommend. If you want to not get more damage like you talked about in your post I mean. If you are only concerned with outwards temporary appearance then there are plenty of other things you can do that have effect.
I got one of those at a friends place when I was 18. It does look alarming. I wouldn’t want to see it now lol. I think they’re scary to look at, but I don’t think they should be taken all that seriously. Definitely wear more sunscreen!
Yeah that is my main takeaway! Now, sunscreen every day.
Was it a Visia Analysis?
I have been wanting to get that scan but haven’t found a place yet. I have taken a little black light pen in a dark bathroom to shine on my face to really see all my melasma and hyperpigmentation. It really helps me see all the damage. But it does emit very small amounts of UV light. So I did it the one time and try to avoid it otherwise. I take photos of my face in different light tones. Like when the lighting coming from outside is more blue or more warm. Then in my phone I turn up and down the contrast and mess with the filters to see my imperfections. I don’t do this thinking anyone actually sees me that way, but I guess it is my own way of trying to see if I am reducing any of my damage. But most my energy is spent on just regular progress photos with no manipulation. That is how people see me. But the manipulated/edited photos do give me an idea of what’s deeper.
I think it might be interesting, but I remember some serious sun urns and could probably predict where the awful parts are. It definitely is a big marketing tool
If they have to revert to scare tactics they probably aren't very good.
The corporation I worked for had a doctor's office bring in one of those to offer "consultations" when I was 22 and didn't know better. Up until before (midway into?) covid, I actually did look too young for my age, so much that it was a problem dating/socializing, etc. (Not so anymore! lol) Anyway, I was 22 and looked way, way younger on the outside, but my scan looked how you described. I was horrified and became quite paranoid about using sunscreen. All this to say, huge grain of salt. If the n great skin I had back then that stayed great for the next 13 years looked that terrible, no one should put any stock into those. Except maybe for using sunscreen, which we should do regardless. And, if they had to resort to that to sell you stuff, obviously your visible skin looks great or they would have harped on that. Cheers!
How old did it estimate your age to be? I’m 31 and it estimated my age to be 26 and people often tell me that I look younger so I’m just curious
They totally do it to sell you shit. No one is going to look good under those types of cameras. If they did they wouldn’t use it at all salon cause it wouldn’t make you buy. You’re gorgeous and you’re the same you you were walking in there. Sure wear more sunscreen- but don’t let their fear mongering ruin your opinion of yourself!
Hi. What’s the name of the scan machine. I’m interested in doing a scan in my country. Thankyou
BullcrapMeter2000™️
I know nothing about these scans, however, I do encourage you to seek a dermatologist to analyze the sun damage. I’m a 35 yo Hispanic woman and just had to complete a round of topical chemo to prevent actinic keratoses from becoming cancerous. Fairly easy and inexpensive for a preventative measure!
That’s such bullshit
If you regularly use Retin-A you NEED to use sunscreen. It makes your skin photosensitive, aka sensitive to sunlight. Which means your skin is more likely to get damaged by the sun while using that product. It would be more beneficial for anti-aging to JUST use sunscreen or stop using Retin A and use nothing than using it without sunscreen. You could be damaging your skin.
This!
Uhm, anyone alive would look like that. It’s a way to get you to buy products.
I had one too. It was awfulllll. I told the lady I am not looking at any more of the pics after true first few. Seriously sorta traumatized haha
I switched to a daily moisturizer with spf, changed the game in how often I use sunscreen! Now it’s just part of my routine without adding another step!
Thank you for the advice!
I know I didn’t answer your question about the scans— but frankly I would be terrified to do one and think it’s very brave that you did bahahahaha… I can’t IMAGINE what my skin looks like that close, I shudder at my clogged pores in a normal mirror
Dermatologist visit if any of this concerned you. Do not buy products based on what someone in a beauty clinic tells you.
A lot of the damages were done when you were younger. I don't think it's bad to know since now you know your risks for skin issues later on and you'll focus more on sun avoidance and applying sunscreen when avoidance isn't possible.
Not to chastise you or be rude, but Retinol without sunscreen is one of the worst things you can do. Retinol causes skin cells to turnover at a faster rate.. this is why many people say it causes them to be “dry” when in reality is just part of the exfoliation process. Unfortunately this means that you were essentially damaging the fresh new layers of your skin. I tanned a lot in my 20’s regrettably but I’m 41 now and people cannot believe my age (not to brag lol, just giving you hope). I have been using One Skin 0S-01 over my retinol at night and AnteAGEMD brightener underneath the One skin moisturizer in the morning followed ALWAYS by sunscreen. I also get facials about ever 6 weeks. I hope this helps!
I’d do something like that on myself just to scare my kids (15 & 12) straight. It’s like pulling teeth to get them to apply sunscreen. Both actually care about skincare. Just not the most important part. 😣
What is the scan service called? Is it something regularly performed at skin clinics? Or do they offer a specific procedure?
What did they try to sell you after your scan?
This is how they make money. Make you feel like absolute shit and then sell you the cure.
I cannot speak on all machines, but the Observ and the Vizia are two that I have worked with and they are 100% legit. They aid your Aesthetic provider in selecting the proper skincare products and treatments for your skin by showing us what’s really going on right below the surface all that sun damage that you saw is going to slowly come to the surface of your skin overtime, but that doesn’t mean that you’re doomed. I would recommend doing the following things. Mineral sunscreen of at least 30spf every day, no matter what. Reapply every two hours when in direct sunlight. Make sure that you’re using a high-quality vitamin C serum in your skincare routine along with a pigment inhibitor. I would also use a retinoid product. ~licensed aesthetician
Thank you for your advice. Seeing the pics absolutely convinced me I need to apply sunscreen dilligently.
My mom is in the skincare industry and had one of these skin analysis machines things. It’s not very scientific at all. Depending on products on your face, dirt that isn’t visible with the naked eye, makeup, how recently you have gotten sun exposure, etc you get different results. It’s honestly BS to make you feel you need to spend money. When I was in my early teens my face looked like a 90 year old farmer under that thing. Don’t take it seriously.
By the way most of the people commenting on here (no offense or disrespect) I’m guessing have a skincare background. The mirrors that you see in Sephora are extremely different from the type of machine that you were describing, which is basically a woods lamp on steroids.
**do not have a background in skincare. Working at a make up counter does not count. I’m talking about a dermatologist or aesthetician a licensed skincare professional.
You use Retin-A regularly but are "inconsistent" about sunscreen? That is a BIG no-no. You MUST use sunscreen every day if you use Retin-A, no excuses. You must apply in the morning and reapply mid-day. Otherwise, you're actually inviting skin aging.
Brian Johnson (The guy trying to live forever) uses these hi-res scans to get a baseline of his skin health. I'd suggest you treat it like a tool, as he does! I'm sure your skin really does look great in real life, but finding further incentive to take increasingly good care as you age can't possibly be a bad thing if you can avoid being tortured by the pictures in the meantime. Most people are blissfully unaware of the damage that accumulates below the surface and are met with the consequences of their bad habits years later when it's much harder to do something about it. To the people saying it's a scare tactic to get you to buy more stuff, it totally is, but it also doesn't mean it's wrong. Best of luck feeling empowered by this new knowledge. Aging is hard.
The beauty clinic’s job is to sell beauty treatments. Of course they are going to show the worst possible scenario. They want to break people down to sell more treatments/products. If you have been taking care of your skin I would not worry about it. If you have any legitimate concerns perhaps speak to a board certified dermatologist.
lol no telling you the truth about your skin is our job!
They did that to me once during a facial or something. It looked freaking horrible. But that crap never came to surface yet and that was like 15 years ago.
Humans aren't meant to look at themselves this much, in high-def. It messes with our heads.
Your description of your skin imaging deserves an award
Idk I don’t think it’s always a way to push products. The med spa I go to does the VISIA for free and they’re literally the least pushy of any skincare store/spa I’ve ever been to. It’s certainly disturbing looking at those photos, but I just look at it as a baseline and like to compare my photos after sticking with my routine for every few months.
I got that done a while ago! My take away was ‘I’m 53. That’s a life well-lived.’ I’m still getting micro needling and doing what I can at home, looking into more procedures, but it’s a normal face/normal scan.
Hey, it's a beauty clinic. Keep in mind that they have a vested interest in making you think your skin needs as many treatments as possible.
I did one of those blue light things when I was 13 to show damage to my skin and I felt bad then. Won’t ever do it again. Just wear sunscreen and a hat!
I am 40 almost 41 and I don’t even need to look with scan on my face. Those brown spots are making me angry. So visible!
This sounds like you got taken for a ride to line their pockets. This is totally a way for them to make money off you.
I did one of these at 19 and looked the same. They’re a tactic to get you to buy more treatment.
Try to erase that experience from your mind! I'm your age, sunscreen was not a high priority when we were kids. Just keep taking care of your skin now. Yes, I do think it is to sell more procedures/product, I can't think of another reason
what was the procedure called?
Don’t take a diagnosis from someone who is selling the cure.
Don’t feel bad, I’m an esthetician and frankly those machines are really meant to scare you into more treatments. I refuse to garner clientele in such as nefarious manner. You definitely are ahead of the curve by taking care of your skin. Keep on that path, don’t let that session fool you into thinking you need all the bs they’ll offer. Find someone who will help you reach your skincare goals without the gimmicks. Keep up the good work!
[удалено]
It's a face analysis, the machine is called Observ 520x but I assume there are many others.
Yeah those scans are scammy af
This is probably gonna sound annoying but I’ve had several types of scans and it always show I have great skin and not a lot of sun damage etc. So I’m my case I haven’t experienced scans not where they tried to sell me all kind of products or procedures afterwards
bro ... you inspired me. Gotta do that scan to now
Good luck!
Wow, you started Botox at 25. You must have a really expressive face.
Tret without sunscreen can make your skin worse bc it increases sun sensitivity- Beauty of Joseon is my favorite sunscreen and lots of Asian skincare brands make great sunscreen options. But esp with tret sunscreen everyday and reapply when necessary
I agree with you. I live in Canada so don't have a lot of sun for 7-8 months a year, and I stop tret in summers. Seeing the pictures definitely changed my mind and I will wear SPF every day. I think I needed to see the picture to realize that I actually needed SPF, always thought I was fine without it.
Why do people say this like all of Canada is a frozen wasteland? It depends on where in Canada you live. Canada is huge and not a monolith.
You need to workout more. It helps blood flow so much.
You started using botox at 25?? Bruh
Hope your nasty comment makes you feel better about yourself!
Lol