Skin

Skin care: Top 5 habits for healthy skin

Proactive skin care, from skin protection to proper shaving technique, will help you keep your skin youthful and healthy.

Your busy lifestyle leaves little time for pampering skin care. The result: Your skin isn’t the baby-soft body glove you were born with. As you age, your skin gradually becomes thinner and finely wrinkled. Oil-producing (sebaceous) glands grow less active, leaving your skin drier. The number of blood vessels in your skin decreases, your skin becomes more fragile, and you lose your youthful color and glow.

Good skin care – such as avoiding the sun, washing your skin gently and applying moisturizer regularly – can help delay the natural aging process and prevent many skin problems. These simple skin-care habits will help you protect your skin to keep it healthy and glowing for years to come.

1. Protect yourself from the sun.

The most important way to take care of your skin is to protect it from the sun. Ultraviolet light – the invisible but intense rays from the sun – damages your skin, causing deep wrinkles, dry, rough skin, liver spots, and more serious disorders, such as noncancerous (benign) and cancerous (malignant) skin tumors.

2. Don’t smoke.

Smoking accelerates aging of your skin and increases wrinkles. Skin changes from smoking can appear in young adults after 10 years of smoking.

Smoking causes narrowing of the tiny blood vessels in the outermost layers of skin. This decreases blood flow, depleting the skin of oxygen and nutrients, such as vitamin A, that are important to skin health. All of these factors increase damage to the elastic fibers (elastin) and collagen, which 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 – may contribute to wrinkles. It’s also possible that repeated exposure to the heat from burning cigarettes may damage your facial skin over time.

3. Wash your skin gently

Cleansing is an essential part of caring for your skin. The key is to treat your skin gently.

Use warm water and limit bath time. Hot water and long showers or baths remove oils from your skin. Limit your bath or shower time to about 15 minutes or less, and use warm, rather than hot, water.
Avoid strong soaps. Strong soaps – those most capable of stripping oil from your skin – can leave your skin dry. Instead, choose mild soaps or detergent substitutes with added oils and fats. Good choices include Dove, Vanicream, Cetaphil and Purpose.
Avoid irritating additives. If your skin is sensitive, avoid products containing perfumes or dyes. These can irritate your skin and may trigger an allergic response.
Remove eye makeup carefully. Use a soft sponge, cotton cloth or cotton balls when removing eye makeup to avoid damaging the delicate tissue around your eyes. If you wear heavy, waterproof makeup, you may need to use an oil-based product, such as Eucerin, Aquaphor or petroleum jelly, to remove makeup.
Pat dry. After washing or bathing, gently pat or blot your skin dry with a towel so that some moisture remains on the skin. Immediately moisturize your skin with an oil or cream.

4. Moisturize regularly

Moisturizers help maintain your skin’s natural moisture levels. They work by providing a seal over your skin – to keep water from escaping – or by slowly releasing water into your skin.

The moisturizer that’s best for you and the frequency with which you need to moisturize depend on many factors, including your skin type, your age and whether you have specific conditions such as acne. A good way to test if you need a moisturizer is to wait 20 minutes after bathing. If your skin feels tight, you should

5. Shave carefully

Shaving is a common and inexpensive way to remove unwanted hair. But shaving can cause skin irritations, especially if your skin is thin, dry or very sensitive. For a smooth shave:

Press a warm wash cloth on your skin before shaving to soften the hair. Or shave after a warm bath or shower.
Don’t shave dry skin, which can cause razor burn. Apply shaving cream, lotion or gel before shaving to protect and lubricate your skin.
Use a clean, sharp razor. If using an electric razor, don’t use the closest setting, which can aggravate the skin.
Shave in the direction of hair growth, not against it.
Rinse your skin afterward with warm water.

If irritation does occur, apply a lotion that doesn’t contain ethyl or isopropyl alcohol. Though alcohol and alcohol-based products may feel cooling, they don’t really soothe irritated skin because the alcohol evaporates rapidly from the skin.

What to Eat For Glowing Healthy Skin

The old adage “you are what you eat” not only applies to our overall health and nutrition, but how our skin looks and feels as well. As the largest organ in the body, our skin can benefit from the same nutrition we get from foods that have a positive effect on our heart and other major organs. In fact, new research suggests that eating foods rich in protein and certain vitamins and minerals might provide valuable anti-aging effects.

Your Meal Ticket to Healthy Skin

Eating well and drinking plenty of water will help your skin, as well as the rest of your body, stay healthy. But can certain nutrients help prevent skin problems, such as dryness or loss of elasticity? And how much is too much?

Vitamin A

Best bets: sweet potatoes, tomato sauce, liver, eggs, milk

Also found in: orange, red and yellow fruits and vegetables, such as mangoes, apricots, pink grapefruit, tomatoes, asparagus; green leafy vegetables, such as spinach and broccoli

Essential for: antioxidant properties, which help reduce the risk for certain diseases, including cancer, and help fight and prevent infection; growth and repair of cells, tissues and skin; relieving allergy symptoms

When lacking, can cause: dryness, itching and loss of skin elasticity

B Complex Vitamins (riboflavin, niacin, B-6, B-12 and biotin)

Best bets: whole grains and whole-grain cereals; enriched and fortified grain and cereal products

Also found in: rice, wheat germ, oatmeal, sunflower seeds, fish, eggs, almonds, liver, yeast, low-fat dairy products

Essential for: relieving dryness and itchiness; easing stress

When lacking, can cause: dry, flaky, sensitive skin; eye disorders

Riboflavin (B2)

Best bets: whole grain and enriched breads and cereals; milk and other dairy products; meat and organ meats; eggs; nuts; green leafy vegetables

Niacin

Best bets: whole-grain, enriched and fortified breads and cereals; poultry, fish, beef, peanut butter, legumes, enriched and fortified grains and grain products

Note: Too much niacin, typically as a result of supplements, can cause flushed skin, rashes and liver damage.

B-6 (pyridoxine)

Best bets: organ meats, chicken, pork, fish, whole grains, nuts, legumes

B-12 (cobalamin)

Found in: fish, milk and milk products, eggs, meat, poultry, fortified breakfast cereals

Note: Certain people may be at risk for B12 deficiency and should speak to a physician or dietitian before using a supplement. They include adults over 55, those with pernicious anemia or gastrointestinal disorders, and vegans (vegetarian who eats plant products only).

Biotin

Best bets: eggs, liver, yeast breads, cereals

Vitamin C

Best bets: citrus fruits, berries, red bell peppers, broccoli

Also found in: potatoes, garlic, onions, dark green and green leafy vegetables (spinach, parsley), apples, cabbage, tomatoes, sprouts, melons

Essential for: antioxidant properties; antihistamine effects; fighting skin infections and healing wounds; producing collagen and elastin for firm skin; healthy gums and firm capillaries

When lacking, can cause: scurvy; loose teeth and swollen gums; excess bleeding; wounds that won’t heal

Vitamin E

Best bets: green leafy vegetables, broccoli, oils, almonds, hazelnuts

Also found in: peanuts, red bell peppers, olives, brown rice, apples, whole grains, wheat germ, sweet potatoes, legumes (beans, lentils, split peas)

Essential for: antioxidant properties; reducing risk of disease; fighting free-radical damage; potential to help slow aging

Sodium (salt)

Essential for: regulating fluids and blood pressure

Note: Nearly everyone gets enough salt. Large amounts of sodium are found in highly processed foods (fast food, canned products, frozen dinners). These foods should be eaten infrequently, because an excess of sodium causes fluid retention and swelling and may contribute to other health problems.

Zinc

Best bets: meat, seafood, liver, eggs, milk, whole grains, wheat germ, fermented soybean paste (miso)

Also found in: apricots, peaches, onions, seafood (oysters), cocoa

Essential for: healing and overall skin health; working with vitamin A to maintain and repair skin; providing strength, elasticity and firmness to skin; promoting tissue growth; playing a role in many vital functions in the body

When lacking, can cause: reduced resistance to infection

Macro Nutrients

Carbohydrates

Best bets: whole-grain carbohydrates (breads, barley, brown rice, whole-wheat pasta, quinoa, couscous, oatmeal)

Essential for: energy, fiber and B vitamins

Protein

Best bets: meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dry beans, nuts, tofu

Essential for: energy and repair of body tissues and cells

Note: Excess protein is stored in the body as fat.

Fats (essential fatty acids linoleic acid and alpha linolenic acid)

Best bets: vegetable oils, poultry fat, soy oils, nuts and seeds

Essential for: maintaining healthy, hydrated skin

When lacking: dry, scaly and flaky skin; hair loss

Water

Best bets: water, fruits and vegetables, dairy products, cooked grain products

Essential for: proper hydration of cells; regulating body temperature; carrying nutrients to cells and wastes away from cells

When lacking, can cause: dehydration

Note: Check your urine color to see if you’re getting enough water.

Light yellow good
Clear maybe too much
Dark yellow/orange not enough

Chapped lips: What is the best remedy?

Most people get chapped lips from time to time. Dry, cracked or sore lips can interfere with many daily activities, such as smiling, kissing, eating and talking.

Lips may become chapped for a variety of reasons. These include:

Exposure to wind, sun, and cold, dry air
Obstructed breathing, such as in allergic rhinitis, which can force you to breathe through your mouth
Contact dermatitis due to irritants or allergens in cosmetics or skin-care products
Certain medications, such as those used to treat acne
A habit of frequently licking your lips
Dehydration

To treat or prevent chapped lips, consider these tips:

Use an oil-based lubricating cream, such as Aquaphor Healing Ointment, or lip balm containing petrolatum or beeswax.
Apply lip cream, balm or lipstick before going out in cold, dry weather. Reapply several times while outside.
Choose a lip cream or balm that contains sunscreen. Sun exposure contributes to chapped lips.
Avoid licking your lips. Saliva evaporates quickly, leaving lips drier than before you licked them.
Avoid using a flavored lip balm, which can tempt you to lick your lips.
Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids. Dehydration can contribute to chapped lips.
Use a humidifier at home to keep air moist.

If chapping is severe and self-care measures don’t seem to help, consult your doctor. Rarely, persistent chapped lips may indicate an underlying problem, such as dermatitis.

What Type of Skin Do You Have?

Find out the difference between oily, normal, dry skin

Here are the five different skin types and their characteristics.

Type 1: Oily Oily skin tends to shiny with enlarged pores, and is prone to blackheads and blemishes. You might experience some tightness.
Type 2: Combination/normal This skin type has medium pores, a smooth and even texture, good circulation, healthy color, may tend toward dryness on the cheeks while being oily in the t-zone.
Type 3: Sensitive Sensitive skin tends to be thin, delicate with fine pores. It flushes easily, is prone to broken capillaries, is frequently allergic and can be rashy.
Type 4: Dry Dry skin feels tight, especially after cleansing. You have a tendency towards fine wrinkles, flaking and red patches. In women of color, skin may appear ashy or dull from dead skin buildup.
Type 5: Aging or sun-damaged This skin also feels tight with visible wrinkles, slack skin tone — especially around the cheeks and jawline — with leathery texture and broken capillaries.