The Exact Routine This Dermatologist Uses to Fight Her Psoriasis

I wash my face with a gentle cleanser that's pH-balanced, meaning it won't disrupt my skin's barrier. Americans are so addicted to that squeaky-clean feeling on their face, but that means your skin has been stripped of its natural oils.

Buy it: Skinceuticals Purifying Cleanser ($34, skinceuticals.com)

RELATED: This Is the Perfect Type of Face Cleanser for Lazy Girls 

To protect against UV as well as infrared and visible light rays, I boost my SPF-moisturizer combo (of at least SPF 30) with a few drops of an antioxidant serum. I mix it together in my palm before applying it to my face, neck, chest, and the tops of my hands.

Buy it: The Organic Pharmacy Antioxidant Serum ($160, theorganicpharmacy.com); La Roche-Posay Anthelios 60 Face & Body Melt-In Sunscreen Milk ($36, laroche-posay.us)

I use the same cleanser I used in the morning. But if I'm traveling, the change in the mineral content of the water can cause dryness, so I stick with micellar water, which contains surfactants that draw out dirt and oil without H2O.

Buy it: Simple Skincare Micellar Water ($8, ulta.com)

Underneath a rich cream, I apply the same serum from the morning. Skin repairs itself at night, and antioxidants quell inflammation. Putting a heavier lotion on top helps the serum penetrate further and also soothes and hydrates the outer layer of skin.

Buy it: Josie Maran Whipped Argan Oil Face Butter ($40, sephora.com)

RELATED: Are You Wearing the Wrong Moisturizer for Your Skin Type? 

On Sundays and Thursdays, I exfoliate, choosing between a scrub or 10 percent glycolic pads; I set my iPhone to remind me. It keeps my skin looking luminous and helps my anti-aging products sink in better. I'm highly sensitive, so if I did it more than that, I'd get blotchy and red.

Buy it: Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion Age Defying Exfoliator ($79, drbrandtskincare.com)

This derivative of vitamin A is the most research-backed anti-aging ingredient we've got, but it's also a known irritant. I use it only once a week, on a night when I'm not already exfoliating, and use a version that also contains calming and moisturizing agents like glycerin and hyaluronic acid.

Buy it: Avon Anew Clinical Line Eraser with Retinol Treatment ($40, avon.com)

RELATED: Exactly How to Use Retinol to Get Younger-Looking Skin

Because I got so much sun as a kid—even using tanning beds as a teen (what was I thinking?)—I had wrinkles in my twenties. So I got religious about SPF and started getting botulinum toxin injections. This helped reverse the lines around my eyes and forehead by stopping the two causes of wrinkles: sun damage and muscle contraction.

The other action I took to undo the sun damage of my youth was to get a series of three Fraxel (fractionated laser) treatments, which resurface and stimulate collagen. They improved the rough texture of my skin and removed brown spots across my face. For maintenance, I now do it once every fall to erase whatever sun damage I incurred over the summer.

This article was originally published in the November 2016 issue of Women's Health, on newsstands now.