A Minute With: Dr. Rhonda Rand

Tatiana Bido, Special Projects Editor | December 03, 2015

As a leading skin care expert in the 90210, Beverly Hills dermatologist Rhonda Rand, MD, is relied upon by Hollywood’s A-list clientele to help get them camera and red-carpet ready. Below, the celebrity dermatologist reveals her skin care must-haves, the latest procedures and treatments that actually work and celebrity secrets for healthy, glowing skin.

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NewBeauty: What are the latest procedures that your well-known celebrity clients are requesting?
Dr. Rand: The procedure they’re coming in for now is a radio-frequency procedure called Exilis, which tightens and lifts the face and neck. They like it because they get a lot of benefit out of it and there’s basically no downtime. They can go right back to work afterward. Another popular procedure that we’re doing is a very light resurfacing laser called Clear + Brilliant. It’s actually being written into their contracts that they should be getting Clear + Brilliant during filming because their skin gets such a glow. It’s nonablative  so they look OK the next day, but their skin looks amazing over the next week. Celebrities also love HydraFacials because they plump up their skin and leave them red-carpet ready.

NB: What newest product or procedure do you consider to be a game changer?
Dr. Rand: The two that have just come out this year are procedures for the neck. One is called Kybella, which helps dissolve fat under the chin. Another one that came out in the last month or two is the CoolMini applicator from CoolSculpting. It freezes the fat underneath the chin. So, even if you’re at your ideal body weight and you just can’t get rid of the fat underneath your chin, these are two of the newest treatments that work quickly and effectively to give you results. The nice thing about the CoolMini is that you don’t get as much swelling as with Kybella. But with Kybella, even though there might be some swelling, you can treat a smaller double-chin with just one or two dissolving sessions. With CoolMini, you need to have more fat in that area to begin with to be a good candidate. 

NB: What are the essential skin-care steps you consider must-haves for a good daily regimen?
Dr. Rand: I try to keep it simple. You have to use a cleanser, wash your face twice a day and use sunscreen. The best thing to do is minimize the number of steps. The most popular product that I have right now is my Dermbasics RR Perfection Cream; it’s similar to a BB cream. It’s that one step in the morning, after washing, that combines several necessary steps into one. It has a universal tint, it’s a moisturizer, it contains antioxidants and it has an SPF of 50. I find it’s better to use a product that has it all in one. You can still take all of the essential steps separately, but when you begin layer on all of these products, you end up deluding everything and reducing their efficacy.

NB: What products or procedures should a woman incorporate into her routine as she transitions from her 30s to her 40s?
Dr. Rand: People are more into prejuvenation now or preventing lines. I don’t want to treat a 35-year-old differently than I would a 45-year-old. It’s all about preventing the lines from forming early on. If you’re a little more proactive about how you take care of yourself in your 30s, you’re going to have better skin in your 40s. I recommend the same procedures to my patients at both ages, whether it’s laser resurfacing, putting them on a good regimen or using some fillers and Botox. You should start using Botox in your 30s if you can, so the lines never get creased in, like a pair of pants. Once those lines are super creased in, you cannot get rid of them.

NB: What beauty trend have you seen over the course of your career that you wish would go away?
Dr. Rand: The use of those old, deep phenol chemical peels. I know some people still do them. We have lasers now and don’t need them. I don’t like what they do to the skin or how they make people look. Patients can end up with scars or have a lot of complications afterward.

NB: What is the one anti-aging myth you wish everyone would stop believing?
Dr. Rand: There are a few of them. One is that using moisturizer will help prevent wrinkles. Moisturizer might help you look better that day, but for prevention, you need sunscreen. If you used moisturizer on just one side of your face, both sides will age the same way. You need to use a lot more than just moisturizer; you need the right moisturizer that contains either peptides, ceramides, antioxidants or Retin-A. Another anti-aging myth is that if you drink more water, your skin will look better. This only helps you if you’re dehydrated to begin with. The biggest myth out there is that you don’t need sunscreen on a cloudy day. This is absolutely not true.

NB: What is the secret to healthy, glowing skin?
Dr. Rand: Sleep right, eat right and go to the dermatologist. Going to the dermatologist is key because they’re going to get you on a good regimen of products. I still really love Retin-A products at night, sunscreen in the morning and certain necessary procedures to maintain your skin. Maybe it’s some laser resurfacing, fruit acid peels or IPL (Intense Pulsed Light); it really depends on the individual problems or issues you have. But, you should check in with your dermatologist several times a year and have some treatments done to help maintain your skin.