Don’t
have time for intensive skin care? You can still pamper yourself by acing the
basics. Good skin care and healthy lifestyle choices can help delay natural
aging and prevent various skin problems. Get started with these five no-nonsense
tips.
have time for intensive skin care? You can still pamper yourself by acing the
basics. Good skin care and healthy lifestyle choices can help delay natural
aging and prevent various skin problems. Get started with these five no-nonsense
tips.
1.Protect yourself from the sun
One of the mostimportant ways to take care of your skin is to protect it from the sun. A
lifetime of sun exposure can cause wrinkles, age spots and other skin problems
— as well as increase the risk of skin cancer.
lifetime of sun exposure can cause wrinkles, age spots and other skin problems
— as well as increase the risk of skin cancer.
For the most
complete sun protection:
complete sun protection:
·
Use sunscreen. Use a
broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15. Apply sunscreen
generously, and reapply every two hours — or more often if you’re swimming or
perspiring.
Use sunscreen. Use a
broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15. Apply sunscreen
generously, and reapply every two hours — or more often if you’re swimming or
perspiring.
·
Wear protective clothing. Cover
your skin with tightly woven long-sleeved shirts, long pants and wide-brimmed
hats. Also consider laundry additives, which give clothing an additional layer
of ultraviolet protection for a certain number of washings, or special
sun-protective clothing — which is specifically designed to block ultraviolet
rays.
Wear protective clothing. Cover
your skin with tightly woven long-sleeved shirts, long pants and wide-brimmed
hats. Also consider laundry additives, which give clothing an additional layer
of ultraviolet protection for a certain number of washings, or special
sun-protective clothing — which is specifically designed to block ultraviolet
rays.
2.
Don’t smoke
Smoking makes yourskin look older and contributes to wrinkles. Smoking narrows the tiny blood
vessels in the outermost layers of skin, which decreases blood flow and makes
skin paler. This also depletes the skin of oxygen and nutrients that are
important to skin health.
vessels in the outermost layers of skin, which decreases blood flow and makes
skin paler. This also depletes the skin of oxygen and nutrients that are
important to skin health.
Smoking also damages
collagen and elastin — the fibers that give your skin strength and elasticity.
In addition, the repetitive facial expressions you make when smoking — such as
pursing your lips when inhaling and squinting your eyes to keep out smoke — can
contribute to wrinkles.
collagen and elastin — the fibers that give your skin strength and elasticity.
In addition, the repetitive facial expressions you make when smoking — such as
pursing your lips when inhaling and squinting your eyes to keep out smoke — can
contribute to wrinkles.
In addition, smokingincreases your risk of squamous cell skin cancer. If you smoke, the best way to
protect your skin is to quit. Ask your doctor for tips or treatments to help
you stop smoking.
protect your skin is to quit. Ask your doctor for tips or treatments to help
you stop smoking.
3.
Treat your skin gently
Daily cleansing and
shaving can take a toll on your skin. To keep it gentle:
shaving can take a toll on your skin. To keep it gentle:
·
Limit bath time. Hot water and
long showers or baths remove oils from your skin. Limit your bath or shower
time, and use warm — rather than hot — water.
Limit bath time. Hot water and
long showers or baths remove oils from your skin. Limit your bath or shower
time, and use warm — rather than hot — water.
·
Avoid strong soaps. Strong soaps
and detergents can strip oil from your skin. Instead, choose mild cleansers.
Avoid strong soaps. Strong soaps
and detergents can strip oil from your skin. Instead, choose mild cleansers.
·
Shave carefully. To protect and
lubricate your skin, apply shaving cream, lotion or gel before shaving. For the
closest shave, use a clean, sharp razor. Shave in the direction the hair grows,
not against it.
Shave carefully. To protect and
lubricate your skin, apply shaving cream, lotion or gel before shaving. For the
closest shave, use a clean, sharp razor. Shave in the direction the hair grows,
not against it.
·
Pat dry. After washing
or bathing, gently pat or blot your skin dry with a towel so that some moisture
remains on your skin.
Pat dry. After washing
or bathing, gently pat or blot your skin dry with a towel so that some moisture
remains on your skin.
·
Moisturize dry skin. If your skin
is dry, use a moisturizer that fits your skin type. For daily use, consider a
moisturizer that contains SPF.
Moisturize dry skin. If your skin
is dry, use a moisturizer that fits your skin type. For daily use, consider a
moisturizer that contains SPF.
4.
Eat a healthy diet
A healthy diet canhelp you look and feel your best. Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole
grains and lean proteins. The association between diet and acne isn’t clear —
but some research suggests that a diet rich in fish oil or fish oil supplements
and low in unhealthy fats and processed or refined carbohydrates might promote
younger looking skin. Drinking plenty of water helps keep your skin hydrated.
grains and lean proteins. The association between diet and acne isn’t clear —
but some research suggests that a diet rich in fish oil or fish oil supplements
and low in unhealthy fats and processed or refined carbohydrates might promote
younger looking skin. Drinking plenty of water helps keep your skin hydrated.
5.
Manage stress
Uncontrolled stresscan make your skin more sensitive and trigger acne breakouts and other skinproblems. To encourage healthy skin — and a healthy state of mind — take steps
to manage your stress. Get enough sleep, set reasonable limits, scale back your
to-do list and make time to do the things you enjoy. The results might be more
dramatic than you expect.
to manage your stress. Get enough sleep, set reasonable limits, scale back your
to-do list and make time to do the things you enjoy. The results might be more
dramatic than you expect.