L'OFFICIEL speaks with dermatologist and founder of Macrene Actives Dr. Macrene Alexiades about what skin concerns arose during the pandemic and what measures to take to reverse them now.

Now that pandemic restrictions are lifting, many are ready to put their best faces forward in the unmasked world&mdash;but after a stressful year spent inside, they may be seeing the physical toll it&rsquo;s taken on their skin. Without access to estheticians and dermatologists, our complexions were at the mercy of our own hands, for better or worse. &ldquo;For some, the pandemic shut-in has been a blessing and for others a curse,&rdquo; dermatologist and founder of <a href="https://macreneactives.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Macrene Actives</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/drmacrene/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dr. Macrene Alexiades</a> tells L&rsquo;OFFICIEL. &ldquo;Many have been able to focus on rest, eating healthy, and taking care of their skin routine. For others, stress and difficulty in accessing medical care and healthy food has had the opposite effect, worsening their skin.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Here, Dr. Alexiades shares more about what effects the pandemic had on our skin and what people can do to reverse them now.&nbsp;

What are the most common skin concerns that arose during the pandemic?

Stress-related signs like <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/beauty/alternative-treatments-avoid-botox-skin-rejuvenation-wrinkles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrinkles</a>, creases, and <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/beauty/dark-under-eye-circles-tiktok-trend" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dark circles</a> proliferated during the pandemic. The dermatologist also notes that more serious skin conditions largely went unaddressed. &ldquo;The most problematic has been untreated skin cancers,&rdquo; she shares. &ldquo;Once my patients emerged from lockdown there were a number of them with progressed skin cancers that required aggressive treatment.&rdquo;

Dr. Alexiades recommends a combination of injectables and lasers for the most effective treatment for wrinkles and dark circles. Although, skincare can make a difference, too. Dr. Alexiades&rsquo; own line, <a href="https://macreneactives.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Macrene Actives</a>, is packed with plant-derived active ingredients that target signs of aging and stress. &ldquo;The goal of the brand is to replace cosmetic procedures with active ingredients and I believe I accomplished my goal,&rdquo; Dr. Alexiades says. &ldquo;The pandemic closure proved that it works in the absence of cosmetic treatments, an experiment that could not have been performed had clinics not been closed and at-home skincare the only option.&rdquo; When paired with more aggressive in-office procedures, a solid skincare routine can visibly improve the complexion and can prolong the results of the lasers and injectables.&nbsp;

What is the top skincare treatment that is worth the investment?

For a supercharged boost, a vampire facial may be the answer. The notorious <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/beauty/vampire-facial-prp-for-hair" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PRP facial</a> (also known as the vampire facial) involves drawing the patient&rsquo;s blood, which then gets put in a centrifuge to separate the red blood cells. The remaining platelet-rich plasma (the PRP) are applied to the face and microneedled into the skin for maximum absorption. Dr. Alexiades says she is &ldquo;able to quickly get the skin back in rejuvenated form&rdquo; with her special Macrene RF Microneedle PRP protocol. &ldquo;You are back to beautiful in a day.&rdquo;

Steinberg photographed by Azahara Fernandez for L'OFFICIEL Spain March 2018.

What Skincare Treatments to Get for a Post-Pandemic Boost, According to a Dermatologist

What Skincare Treatments to Get for a Post-Pandemic Boost, According to a Dermatologist

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