5 Skin Care Tips from Dr. Alan Parks
You don’t have to be an expert dermatologist to know what’s good for your skin. Knowing your skins limits and what affects your skin is the first step in reaching a healthy body. Foods, vitamins, skin care treatments, drugs and alcohol, stress and sun ray exposure all have a great impact on how your skin looks and feels. How determined are you to reach the beautiful skin that you’ve always wanted?
Below are 5 skin care tips that will help your skin reach its ultimate potential:
1. Protection from the sun
You love the summertime where you can lay outside, soak in the sunrays and get that tan you’ve always wanted, but did you know that a lifetime of sun exposure can cause wrinkles, age spots and other skin problems – as well as highly increase the risk of skin cancer?
For the most complete sun protection:
- Use sunscreen. Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15. When you’re outdoors, reapply sunscreen every two hours — or more often if you’re swimming or perspiring.
- Seek shade. Avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun’s rays are strongest.
- 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. Smoking is bad for you
Everyone knows that smoking is bad for you, but do you know the harm that it does to your skin? Smoking makes your skin look older and contributes to wrinkles. Smoking narrows the tiny blood vessels in the outermost layers of skin, which decreases blood flow. This 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 its 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.
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.
3. Treat your skin gently
Daily cleansing and 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.
- 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.
- 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 can help 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 vitamin C and low in unhealthy fats and processed or refined carbohydrates might promote younger looking skin.
5. Manage stress
Uncontrolled stress can make your skin more sensitive and trigger acne breakouts and other skin problems. To encourage healthy skin — and a healthy state of mind — take steps to manage your stress. 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.
Pamper yourself with the basics. Good skin care and healthy lifestyle choices can help delay the natural aging process and prevent various skin problems. Get started with these five no-nonsense tips to get beautiful skin.
Eastside Dermatology and Skin Care Center is a top dermatologist in Columbus, Ohio specializing in medical, surgical, and cosmetic procedures. Our Eastside Dermatology team works hard to earn your trust and respect by consistently providing the best medical, surgical, and cosmetic skin care in a relaxed, and comfortable atmosphere. Contact us today for a free consultation!