Skin care: 5 tips for healthy skin
Good skin care, like sun protection and gentle cleansing, can keep skin healthy and radiant.
1. Protect yourself from the sun
Don’t have time for intensive skin care? You can still pamper yourself by following the basics. Good skin care and choosing a healthy lifestyle can help you delay natural aging and prevent various skin problems. Start with these five sensible tips.
One of the most important ways to take care of the skin is to protect it from the sun. A lifetime of sun exposure can lead to wrinkles, age spots, and other skin problems, as well as an increased risk of skin cancer.
To get the most complete sun protection:
Use sunscreen. Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen that has a sun protection factor of at least 15. Put on plenty of sunscreen, and reapply it every two hours — or more often if you’re swimming or perspiring.
Find shady places. Avoid the sun between 10 in the morning and 4 in the afternoon, when the sun’s rays are more intense.
Wear protective clothing. Protect your skin with tight-knit, long-sleeved clothing, long pants, and wide-brimmed hats. Also be aware of laundry products that can provide clothing with an extra layer of UV protection during a specified number of washes, or special garments to protect you from the sun, which are specially designed to block UV rays.
2. Don’t smoke
Smoking gives your skin an aged appearance and contributes to the formation of wrinkles. Smoking narrows the small blood vessels in the most superficial layers of the skin, which decreases blood flow and pales the skin. This also removes oxygen and nutrients that are important to good skin health.
Smoking also damages collagen and elastin, the fibers that provide strength and elasticity to the skin. Also, repeated facial expressions you make when you smoke, such as pursing your lips when inhaling and squinting to exhale the smoke, can contribute to wrinkles.
Additionally, smoking increases the risk of squamous cell carcinoma. If you smoke, quitting is the best way to protect your skin. Ask your doctor for advice or treatments to help you quit smoking.
3. Treat the skin gently
Daily cleaning and shaving can harm your skin. To treat it gently:
Limit the length of the bath. Hot water and long showers or baths remove natural oils from the skin. Limit the duration of the bath or shower and use warm water instead of hot water.
Avoid strong soaps. Strong soaps and detergents can remove natural oils from the skin. Instead, use mild cleansers.
Shave carefully. To protect and lubricate the skin, apply shaving cream, lotion, or gel before shaving. For a closer shave, use a clean, sharp razor. Shave in the direction the hair grows, not against the grain.
Pat yourself dry. After washing or bathing, gently pat your skin dry with a light pat so that some moisture remains on your skin.
Moisturizes dry skin. If you have dry skin, use a moisturizer that suits your skin type. For daily use, consider a moisturizer that contains sun protection factor.
4. Follow a healthy diet
A healthy diet can help you look and feel your best. Eat fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein in abundant amounts. The relationship between diet and acne is unclear; however, according to some research, a diet high in fish oil or fish oil supplements and low in unhealthy fats and processed or refined carbohydrates may promote younger-looking skin. Drinking plenty of water helps keep skin hydrated.
5. Manage stress
Uncontrolled stress can make the skin more sensitive, causing acne breakouts and other skin problems. To promote healthy skin – and a healthy mood – take steps to manage stress. Get enough sleep, set reasonable limits, shorten your to-do list, and take time to do the things you enjoy. The results may be more noticeable than you expect.