SOURCE: mayoclinic.org (edited)
Basic skin care and healthy lifestyle choices can keep your skin healthy and glowing. Get started with these five tips.
1. Protect yourself from the sun
One of the most important 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, including the risk of skin cancer.
For the most complete sun protection:
Use sunscreen / Use a palm-sized amount of broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30. Put on more sunscreen every two hours or more often if you swim or sweat.
Seek shade / Try to stay out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. That’s when the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays are strongest.
Wear protective clothing / Cover your skin with tightly woven long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and wide-brimmed hats; Dark colors tend to give more protection.
2. Don’t smoke
Smoking makes skin look older and plays a part in wrinkles forming. Smoking narrows the tiny blood vessels in the outermost layers of skin, which lessens blood flow to your skin and depletes the skin of the oxygen and nutrients that are key for skin health.
Smoking also damages collagen and elastin fibers that give skin strength and suppleness and increases the risk of squamous cell skin cancer, especially on the lips. If you smoke, the best way to protect your skin is to quit.
3. Treat your skin gently
Follow these tips for gentle skin care:
Limit bath time / Some experts say it’s ideal to bathe for no longer than five minutes at a time. Use warm water rather than hot.
Choose mild cleansers / Strong soaps and detergents can strip oil from the skin.
Shave carefully / It’s ideal to shave after bathing when your skin is moist. Put on shaving cream, lotion, or gel before shaving. Use a clean, sharp razor and shave in the direction the hair grows, rinsing razor after each stroke.
Pat dry / After you wash or bathe, gently pat or blot your skin dry with a towel. That way, some moisture stays on your skin.
Moisturize dry skin / For dry skin, use a moisturizer that fits your skin type. For daily use, try a moisturizer that contains SPF to help protect your skin from the sun.
4. Eat a healthy diet
A balanced diet can help you look and feel your best. Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Fresh fruits and vegetables may be especially helpful at preventing damage that can lead to early skin aging.
Drink plenty of water to help keep your skin hydrated too. Limit foods and drinks with added sugar, processed snacks, and other refined carbohydrates.
5. Manage stress
Too much stress can make skin more sensitive and trigger acne breakouts and other skin conditions.
To boost your chances for healthy skin and a healthy state of mind, take some steps to manage your stress:
• Get enough sleep.
• Add more movement into your day, such as taking a brisk walk.
• Scale back your to-do list.
• Try meditation or yoga.
• Make time to do the things you enjoy and see the people you care about.
The results for your skin might be more dramatic than you expect!
