A rosy, glowing complexion is generally regarded as a sign of good health and vigor. It’s important to take good care of your skin in order to keep yourself looking and feeling your best. The best skin care regimen involves caring for it both from the inside and the outside (topically). Follow these tips to keep your skin healthy all year round.
Did you know that the skin is the largest organ of the body, with a total area of about 20 square feet? It protects us from microbes, germs, and the elements, helps regulate our body temperature, and allows us to feel sensations like touch, heat, and cold. One of the most important ways to keep this vital organ healthy is to improve your overall good health.
The National Sleep Foundation recommends 7–9 hours per night for adults. In addition to having an overall deleterious effect on your health (increasing your chances of heart attack, heart failure, stroke, diabetes, obesity, and more), chronic sleep deprivation can lead to premature wrinkling and dark circles under the eyes. Lack of sleep can also lead to increased levels of the stress hormone cortisol in the body, which breaks down collagen—the protein that keeps skin smooth.
Studies show that regular vigorous exercise is effective for keeping skin looking younger and may even reverse skin aging in people who start exercising later in life.
Reducing your stress levels can improve your overall health as well as your skin’s appearance. In addition to causing increased levels of cortisol, which can cause oiliness and breakouts, stress can aggravate psoriasis, rosacea, and eczema. It can also cause hives and other types of skin rashes or trigger a flare-up of fever blisters.
Drinking plenty of water can also help your skin stay supple and youthful. If your skin is not getting enough water, it will become dry, tight, and flaky. Dry skin has less resilience and is more prone to wrinkling.
Improve your diet, and avoid sugar. Replace refined, sugary foods with nutrient-dense foods including fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and complex carbohydrates. Choose foods high in Omega-3 fatty acids (like sardines, chia seeds, flaxseed, and walnuts), vitamin C (bell peppers, strawberries, citrus fruits, kale, and broccoli), and vitamins A and E (almond butter, wheat germ, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, carrots, and cantaloupe) for maximum skin-brightening benefits. Some herbs and spices, like turmeric, may also help encourage glowing skin.
Exposure to sunshine is an easy way to get the recommended daily allowance of vitamin D3, but it doesn’t take much time. You only need to expose your bare skin to the ultraviolet B rays of the sun for about half the time it takes for your skin to begin to burn. The rate at which your body produces vitamin D from sunlight depends on where you live in the world and the time of day, as well as the color of your skin and how much skin you expose.
Although beautiful skin starts from the inside, the environment can also affect your skin’s health and appearance. Take some simple steps to protect your skin from the outside, too.
It’s essential to wear sunscreen every day to protect yourself from the harmful effects of sun exposure: greater risk of skin cancer, sunburns, premature wrinkling, and other signs of skin aging. One 4.5 year study showed 24 percent less observable skin aging in a group that used sunscreen daily compared to a group using sunscreen at their own discretion.
Keep your home at a moderate temperature and humidity year round. In the winter, cold outside air typically has very little moisture, and your heating system does little to boost the humidity. Running a humidifier while you sleep can help combat dry skin, lips, and sinuses during the cold, dry season. Also, use a high quality air filtration system to make sure your HVAC isn’t circulating dust and other skin-irritating particles through your heating and cooling system.
Remove your makeup every day! Leaving makeup on overnight can clog pores and cause blemishes and/or blackheads. Clarisonic has facial cleansers and brushes that will gently remove makeup and deep clean your skin, leaving you feeling rejuvenated.
Cleanse your skin gently, avoiding harsh cleaners and hot water. Especially for the delicate skin on your face, make sure you use high quality, non-irritating skincare products, cleansers, and moisturizers like those from Revision Skincare.
Regular spa facial treatments, massages, and use of spa care products can give your skin an extra boost to keep it bright and beautiful.
Urban Effects MedSpa in Des Moines, Iowa, offers a wide range of medical spa treatments in our skin wellness center. We can help you treat problem skin conditions, improve your overall appearance, and keep your complexion glowing. We are authorized distributors of many professional-grade products and will help you look and feel your best. For a complimentary consultation, contact us online or call us at (515) 987-5188.