A person can look younger or older depending on how well that person has taken care of his or her skin. Adopting a skin care routine that’s best for your unique skin is a must. So learning which health habits help protect the skin is a good first step:
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1. No matter what type of skin you have, cleansing should be gentle, being careful not to remove your skin’s protective lipid barrier. Gels are ideal for oily skin in the winter, while creams are good for dry skin year round and normal skin in the winter.
2. Not cleansing the skin before going to bed can clog the pores that lead to breakouts and blackheads. This may not prevent breakouts, but they will be worse.
3. Ten minutes of sun exposure here and there add up. Sooner or later, every little bit shows up as lines, wrinkles, age spots, and eventually, skin cancer. Protect yourself daily with an SPF 25 UVA/UVB sunscreen. And don’t forget the afternoon application.
4. You can spot a smoker a mile away, with that yellow skin, and lines around the mouth and eyes. Second hand smoke is just as harmful as smoking yourself. So beware of smoky bars and restaurants. Smoking dramatically increases your skin’s free radical activity. It is actually the most potent inducer of free radicals. Topical antioxidants like vitamins E and C can decrease the free radicals effect on your skin.
5. Everyone benefits from exfoliation. It smoothes and clarifies the skin by sloughing away dead cells and speeding healthy new cells to the surface. Regular exfoliation with products containing up to 10% alpha hydroxy acids is recommended and regular analysis with periodic microdermabrasion or 70% alpha hydroxy acids.
6. Stress plays a significant role in a number of skin diseases. Stress can aggravate acne, psoriasis, herpes, hives, rosacea and hair loss. Stress management through regular exercise, meditation, aroma and music therapy all help.
7. Except in the case of iodized salt, which can worsen acne in some sufferers, there is no direct food-skin connection. However, a steady diet of nutritionally bankrupt junk food can cause the body to save its limited resources for more vital organs causing the skin to fend for itself.
8. The skin needs a steady supply of fluid. Moisturizers really keep the fluids inside the skin. Treating dry skin by moisturizers makes no sense. Dry flaky skin indicates the need for exfoliation in a lot of cases. Drink 8 glasses or so daily, more if you are exercising, pregnant, or drinking a lot of caffeinated beverages.
9. Picking at your skin can exacerbate a problem or permanently damage your skin. So, except for cleansing and spot treatment, it’s best to leave troubled, blemished skin in the hands of your dermal clinician.
10. For most people, the occasional drink will have no harmful effect on the skin. If you drink too heavily too often, you may start to see spidery capillaries appear on your face, and stay there. It means that your overworked blood vessels have dilated and broken. Better switch to water. For most people, the occasional drink will have no harmful effect on the skin. If you drink too heavily too often, you may start to see spidery capillaries appear on your face, and stay there. It means that your overworked blood vessels have dilated and broken. Better switch to water.