Skincare Tips from a Physician Assistant
I reached out to one of my friends who is a Physician Assistant in dermatology to answer some questions regarding skincare and what it’s like to be a PA.
Q: Hi! Let's start with the basics. What exactly is a Physician Assistant (PA)?
A physician assistant is an advanced practice provider that works under the supervision of a physician while having the ability to be autonomous and see patients of their own. PAs attend formalized training similar to medical school and can work in any specialty or clinical setting. They can diagnose, treat, and manage medical conditions as well as perform procedures in the office.
Q: Can you tell me a little bit about the training you went through to become a PA?
After graduating Syracuse University with a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition, I spent 2.5 years at the Pace University Lenox-Hill Physician Assistant Program obtaining my Masters degree in Physician Assistant Studies. Prior to this, I took many prerequisite science courses and gained hours of direct patient care experience to prepare me as a competitive applicant.
Q: What do you do now and did your training prepare you for your current job?
I currently work full time in dermatology at a private practice in downtown NYC and per diem in the Pediatric Emergency Room at Lincoln Medical Center in the Bronx. While my schooling definitely gave me a foundation of medical knowledge and taught me how to interact with patients, a lot of my training was definitely on the job learning from real life scenarios.
Q: What types of clients do you work with and what do you normally treat?
I work with both insured and self paying patients of all ages, treating conditions such as acne, rosacea, eczema, psoriasis, rashes and warts, as well as doing full skin cancer screening exams. Additionally, I love doing aesthetic medicine—Botox, fillers, lasers, microneedling and PRP are some procedures that I do.
Q: Have you ever struggled with your skin health? If so, what were those struggles and how did you go about restoring your skin health?
I think my personal struggles with my skin were what drew me to the field of dermatology in the first place. As a teen, I struggled with acne similar to many others but to me I really felt consumed by it and it definitely played a role on my self esteem. Looking back, while my acne was not even very severe, to me it was something I struggled with and I want to meet my patients where they are at no matter the severity of the condition.
Q: Do you recommend using a moisturizer daily? If so, which do you recommend?
The short answer is YES. If you are too dry your skin can produce more oils but I think it also depends on your skin type. If you are super oily, you may not need a moisturizer but I always recommend SPF daily which many of the formulas have a moisturizer in them as well. I moisturize twice daily and would consider myself to have combination skin.
My favorite go-to daily moisturizers are currently Neutrogena Hydroboost, Indie Lee Squalane Facial Oil, or The Ordinary Plant-based Squalane.
Q: What is your favorite sunscreen?
Hands down, EltaMD UV Clear or Tinted. If you know me, I say this ad nauseum but it is really one of the best formulations that is extremely thin and cosmetically elegant while being effective with good ingredients.
Q: How often do you recommend applying sunscreen when you are in the sun for an entire day?
You should ideally apply sunscreen 20-30 minutes before leaving the house and then reapply SPF every 2 hours. While it is important that you apply, reapplying is just as crucial because once the sunscreen is no longer effective, it is like starting from square one again!
Q: What is your morning skincare routine?
I’m definitely a minimalist when it comes to my skincare routine and constantly tell patients that less is more. I also think that not everyone wants a strict regimen, so for my patients, I make sure to tailor it to what they are willing to do. In the morning I usually wash my face with water or a gentle cleanser (Neutrogena hydro boost is a fav lately), apply Vitamin C serum (I love ISDIN Flavo-C Ampoules because they are hydrating as well) and then my EltaMD SPF 46 always- rain or shine!
Q: What is your bedtime skincare routine?
I usually shower at night and wash my face with a gentle hydrating cleanser, then get out of the shower and apply a retinoid derivative (I like have been using Altreno lotion - it is prescription and not terribly drying) or if I decide to take a night off, I will use the Ordinary Zinc Niacinamide serum which helps with inflammation and redness. I currently love to seal the deal with either Indie Lee Squalane Facial Oil or The Ordinary Plant-based Squalene.
Q: Do you use non-toxic makeup? If so, which do you recommend?
I definitely use a combination of both. While I think that non-toxic makeup is great-what does that really mean? Non-toxic to our environment (ie: not using ingredients like oxybenzone which can harm coral reefs, non-toxic to animals (ie: cruelty free) or non-toxic to our skin (“natural”, “paraben free”, “mineral”, “organic”). I am not a firm believer that something “natural” or “organic” is better than another product that is tried and true, but I definitely experiment with a mix of products. For example, I love Neutrogena and Cerave which are not exactly “natural”, but I don’t feel they harm my skin. I also incorporate products from other more natural brands such as The Ordinary and Indie Lee.
In addition to practicing medicine, I have been tutoring and mentoring pre-PA students for the past 3+ years which is something I’m extremely passionate about so if you find yourself wondering what it would be like to go into this amazing field, definitely reach out to me! @sculpted_by_sydney