Skin is the largest organ in the human body, yet it's often
woefully taken for granted. People pamper their hearts and
agonize over their waistlines, but their skin can get totally
overlooked. Sure, they might spread a little lotion on dry
elbows from time to time, or dab a bit of sunscreen on
untanned noses before hitting the beach, but that's often the
extent of many skin-care regimes beyond a few daily scrubs
with the washcloth.
That is not, however, what dermatologists recommend. Skin
needs a little TLC to stay healthy, just like every other organ
you have, and that means making some time for it on a daily
basis. Some of this stuff is just sound advice that benefits
other parts of the body as well, but lots of it is quite specific
to skin. So in no particular order, here are 10 daily must-
haves if you want to sport younger, healthier looking skin.
10: Cleansers
We'll kick it off with the basics: Cleansers are your friends.
This probably doesn't come as a big shock to anyone, but one
of the simplest strategies for making sure your skin has a
healthy glow is to wash it. Different skin types need different
cleansers, so as with many skin-care products, look for one
tailored to your specific needs.
Facing shelf after shelf of cleansers at the grocery store can be
daunting, but here are a few quick tips. Fragrances and dyes
can irritate some people's skin, so you may want to avoid
those if you aren't sure yours can handle it. Mild and gentle is
also a good route to go — it may feel satisfying to put your
face through a super-scrub session, but an ordeal like that
usually harms more than it helps. Skin doesn't need to feel
tight and dry to be considered clean. In fact, that usually
means you've stri*ped away important layers of natural oils
or left some soapy residue behind. So cut your skin some
slack and it'll thank you for it later.
9: Chill Time
Nope, we're not recommending you spend time hanging
around walk-in freezers, but we are recommending people
take a little "me time" and relax. Stress can wreak havoc on
even the best skin, and it causes lots of other unpleasant
effects on the body, too.
If skin is under undue duress (even if bad skin is what's
stressing you out in the first place) it can eventually become
thin and less able to regenerate itself. And if you thought the
acne was bad, just wait until the itching, redness and eczema
set in.
So try to calm down — that zit doesn't look as awful as you
think, and if you don't get everything done on your to-do list
for the day, chances are excellent the world won't come
screeching to a halt. With any luck, your skin will start to
mellow out, too.
8: Exercise
You might be tired of hearing how important exercise is for
good health, but how about just once more? Exercise is
important for good health — including skin health. Plus, it's
really not that bad. Just try hitting the gym or taking a brisk
stroll around the block, and you might find yourself enjoying
the feeling of a solid workout.
Regular exercise not only helps flush out pores and fight acne,
it can also aid skin by promoting toxin removal and
decreasing signs of aging by boosting collagen production and
diminishing wrinkles.
The acne bit tends to work like this, although like the rest of
these benefits, results may vary. Stress amps up the
production of certain hormones — many of which have been
linked to acne flare-ups — and exercise is believed to help
decrease stress levels. Ergo, less acne. A good workout also
sends more oxygen and nutrients pumping through your
bloodstream.
7: Nutritious Diet
Not all products that are skin-care musts are found in
bathroom drawers; some pop up in the kitchen. Although
more extensive research needs to be done on the subject,
many foods are strongly suspected of helping skin stay young
and healthy looking.
It's a good idea to eat foods that are fresh and not overly
processed — try shopping around the edges of the grocery
store and avoiding the aisles — that's where the less healthy
food typically lurks. A balanced mix of nutrients, vitamins,
minerals and antioxidants should keep your skin vibrant.
Biotin, a type of vitamin B, helps replenish skin, along with
your hair and nails. Vitamin A is big when it comes to
repairing damaged tissue and maintaining healthy skin.
Vitamins C and E are examples of antioxidant powerhouses
that box out free radicals and work to protect skin from the
sun's fierce rays.
These sorts of good guys can be found in loads of fruits and
veggies, as well as many other foods. The right kinds of
protein are also important — they help cells fix themselves
when damaged. One study suggests that people who eat things
like legumes, vegetables and olive oil, coupled with less
sugary foods and dairy products, had less wrinkly skin in old
age [source: Purba]. So find a good diet that makes your skin
happy and stick to it.
6: Sleep
Don't feel guilty the next time you swat the snooze button and
roll over in bed. Getting a good night's rest is a daily ritual
that your skin will punish you for skimping on. That's
because sleep is your skin's time to rejuvenate and relax.
Whether you love to smile or wear a constant frown, that's a
lot of action for your skin to handle. Throw in the occasional
cut, scratch, scrape and bruise, and skin is about ready to call
it quits.
Skin gets busy replenishing itself during a sound sleep. It's
also great because, at least for a portion of the day, skin gets
to avoid all the dirt, pollution and any other nastiness floating
around in the air.
4: Sunscreen
It may sound a little extreme, but experts often recommend a
surplus of sunscreen, even at times and in places many might
not consider normally. It's one thing to slap some on before
you head down to the pool, for example, but what about for
the ride to work or on a quick run to the grocery store? Yup,
then, too.
These extreme anti-UV tactics might not be up everyone's
alley, but it's a good idea to consider sunscreen as part of
your daily regimen. That way, anytime you might be exposed
to the sun, you'll be prepared for the onslaught of skin-
ravaging rays.
Also, keep in mind that despite laudable labels and proud
product claims, many sunscreens can't keep you safe all day
long. They usually need to be reapplied about every two hours
to maintain maximum efficiency. And for sunbathers who
want a tan but manage to put on a concessionary coat of
sunscreen — that SPF 2 or SPF 4 isn't doing a heck of a lot
of good. It usually takes at least an SPF 15 to keep skin
healthy.
3: Bad Habits (A Lack of Them, Actually)
You've started wearing sunscreen and eating better. You go
for a jog every morning now that you're going to bed on time
and getting a good night's rest. But darned if there isn't
usually a soda can or a coffee cup parked innocently on your
desk every day, and after work, you still enjoy the occasional
cigarette or frosty cold one now and then.
These little foibles might not seem like a big deal, but they're
often displayed plain as day on your face, which suffers from
activities like smoking and drinking caffeine and alcohol.
Smoking slows blood flow to the skin which robs it of oxygen
and nutrients, and can also lead to a more aged appearance —
puckered mouths inhaling smoke and squinted eyes keeping it
out can cause an abundance of extra wrinkles.
Drinking alcohol and caffeine can both dehydrate skin, so if
you absolutely can't kill your craving for a cup of joe or a
glass of wine, try to make up for it by drinking plenty of
water. Alcohol can also damage blood vessels over time,
causing spots of skin to turn permanently red.
But now that we've dealt with the "don'ts," let's head over to
the last couple of "do's."
2: Exfoliants
It can also be good to have an exfoliant on hand. Everyone's
surely heard those startling statistics about how dead skin
cells constantly pour off our bodies in vast numbers. Only
sometimes after they die, they stick around for a while and a
little encouragement is needed to send them on their way.
This is where exfoliants and facial scrubs come in. They
whisk away dead skin and polish up what remains, leaving it
shiny and fresh. Only keep in mind, you don't want an
exfoliator that's too rough or it can scrape your skin and leave
it damaged. Get something that's gentle and not overly
coarse, especially if you tend to break out a lot, because harsh
exfoliation can aggravate acne.
1: Moisturizers
We started out discussing how fundamental a cleanser is to
any top-notch daily skin-care routine, so to wrap up the list,
let's return to its all important sidekick: moisturizer. Even if
you're on the oilier end of the spectrum, you probably still
need a good moisturizer, although a lighter one is usually
best. One good trick is to look for one that says
"noncomedogenic" on the label. (Don't let that tricky-to-say
word worry you; according to the Mayo Clinic, it just means
the product isn't likely to clog your pores.) Creams and
ointments often work better than lotions for people with dry
skin.
It's best to slap on some moisturizer right after you bathe —
this locks in all the water your skin was able to soak up in the
shower. Just gently pat yourself dry and smooth on the
moisturizer. It'll have you looking healthier in no time, with
soft, hydrated skin.
FIT N HEALTH
