The Five Secrets to Beautiful Skin
The Five Secrets to Beautiful Skin
As we age our skin becomes thinner and less resilient.
Fine wrinkles begin to show and sebaceous glands become less active leaving skin
drier. In addition, the number of blood vessels decreases making skin more
fragile with less of the youthful glow it once had. Though these
physiological changes may be inevitable they can be delayed through some basic
skin care habits.
1. Protect Your Skin.
Ultraviolet light damages the skin, causing thickening,
sagging and a harsh, leathery texture. The worst time to expose your skin to the
sun is between 10am and 4 pm so try getting your outside activities over with in
the early morning or do them later in the day.
If you are going out into the intense sunlight then make
sure you wear protective clothing. Heads, ears, eyes and face are very
susceptible to sun damage so wear a wide brimmed hat and sunglasses. Some
fabrics and types of clothing are more protective than others. For
instance, long sleeve shirts will protect better than short and close weave
materials like denim are better than light cloth. There are also clothes
that offer a sun protective factor and keep you cool and comfortable.
Use sunscreen with an SPF greater than 15 that is
non-toxic. Many sunscreens offer inadequate protection and contain
chemicals that do more harm than good. The
Environmental Working Group has research sunscreens and has created a list
of the
best and worst.
2. Don't Smoke
Smoking damages the tiny blood vessels on the surface of
the skin causing a decrease in blood flow. This depletes the skin of
nutrients like oxygen and vitamin A. In addition, the pursing of the lips
to inhale smoke and squinting of eyes from the smoke may cause wrinkles.
Our clinic offers several services that can help you quit smoking: Neuro
Linguistic Programming, Emotional Freedom Technique and acupuncture
3. Cleanse Gently
Hot water and harsh soaps can strip skin of oils that
help keep it moisturized and supple. Avoid long hot showers, and use
cleansers that
remove dirt from the skin gently.
4. Moisturize Regularly
Moisturizers help keep moisture at adequate levels by
keeping water from escaping. If your skin feels tight 20 minutes after
showering or bathing you need to moisturize. For those with very dry skin apply
moisturizer right after you cleanse so your skin gets an extra touch of moisture
from the remaining water.
5.Shave Carefully
Shaving can damage skin that is already thin, dry or
sensitive. Try these methods to help reduce shaving impact.
- Apply a warm cloth first to soften hair.
- Shave during shower.
- Use shaving lotion or gel and avoid dry shaving.
- Make sure you use a clean, sharp razor.
- Shave in direction of hair growth.
- Rinse and moisturize after shaving.
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