596: How to Get Better, More Youthful, More Resilient Skin Without a 10-Step Routine | Doris Day, MD

Max Lugavere (0:00)

What's going on, everybody? It's episode 596 of The Genius Life. Let's rock.

The Genius Life.

Welcome back to The Genius Life. Now summer may be behind us, but if you want healthier, better looking skin, the habits that matter most don't take the fall off. And this episode is for you, whether you're a woman or a fella. My guest today is board certified dermatologist, Dr. Doris Day. No, not that Doris Day, though this one also knows a thing or two about looking good on camera. Doris has spent nearly 30 years helping people understand why skin ages the way it does and what we can actually do about it. We talk about how to enjoy the sun while being smart about UV exposure. For the ladies, what changes in your skin during perimenopause and why you probably don't need a 10-step skin care routine. We also get into retinoids, collagen supplements, the skin's own microbiome, and whether building muscle can help your skin look younger. Before we dive in, a quick shout out to Abu Dhabi. As you're listening to this, I'll be in Abu Dhabi for the first time speaking at LiveX about how to make healthy food and healthy behaviors easier to access and easier to choose. I'm hoping to explore a little while in there. So if you know a place I shouldn't miss, DM me on Instagram. I'll share a few updates from the road there as well. Now if you're enjoying the show, please guys don't forget to follow The Genius Life wherever you're listening and join my free weekly newsletter at maxlugavere.com/newsletter.

You know, if you like science. And now with all that out of the way, let's get into it with Dr. Doris Day. Here we go. Dr. Doris Day, welcome to the show. How you doing?

Doris Day (1:44)

Great, thanks for having me.

Max Lugavere (1:46)

I'm very excited to have you on. Skin health is important. It's how we show up in the world. I value having skin that looks healthy.

I'm excited to have an expert such as yourself in studio to walk us through all the biggest myths, the more actionable steps that we can take to improve our skin health, our skin quality. And we are right now at the tail end of UV Safety Awareness Month.

Doris Day (2:11)

That should be every month, really.

Max Lugavere (2:12)

You think?

Doris Day (2:13)

Yeah, it's all year round. UV rays are all year round. We have to protect all year round.

Max Lugavere (2:17)

Particularly strong in the summer, though, right?

Doris Day (2:20)

Well, the UVB rays are stronger in the summer, but UVA rays, anytime there's daylight, there's UVA rays. And UVA rays go right through the skin, and they break down collagen, and we now know they also cause skin cancer. So people think of it as, well, if it's sunny or if I feel hot, I have to protect. But I see the worst burns on cloudy days, when people don't realize. They spend more time outdoors. There's often a breeze. They don't feel hot, so they don't think they need to reapply it. And sun exposure is cumulative. It's not from one exposure. One exposure can do a lot of damage, but it's really cumulative exposure over time that causes that damage. And it can take 20 to 30 years to show.

Max Lugavere (2:58)

Well, how do you balance then knowing what you know about the effects of photo aging and what you know about the value of sun from the standpoint of overall health?

Doris Day (3:09)

Yeah, no, it is difficult because people, you need the sun. The sun is really good for you, and being outdoors is healthy. It's good for your mood. It's good for your skin. It's good for your body. I think it's healthy in so many ways.

It's never about an all-or-none situation. So I think of it as being sun smart. You want to be out more when the UV index is 3 or below, and then you could be out without sunglasses, even without sunscreen. It's fine, depending on your skin type, right? But generally, that's the safer level. And then you want to be more protective. And just know, no matter what you do, you're getting sun. So you can use an SPF 100 But first of all, nobody's using the right amount. Nobody's reapplying it often enough. And it's not blocking 100%.

It's just giving you more time outdoors before you burn. So sunlight is still getting through. You're still getting exposure. And if it's about vitamin D, which is like the claim of why people say you shouldn't use sunscreen, you get vitamin D from natural sources. You can get it from nuts, from eggs, from foods, from supplements. There's lots of even natural ways of getting vitamin D that are not sun related. So the sun is not the essential factor for vitamin D.