Physical health (27)
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- Skin care: 5 tips for healthy skin
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Skin care: 5 tips for healthy skin
3. Treat your skin gently
Daily cleansing and shaving can take a toll on your skin, so 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.
- Avoid strong soaps. Strong soaps can strip oil from your skin. Instead, choose mild cleansers.
- 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.
- Pat dry. After washing or bathing, gently pat or blot your skin dry with a towel so that some moisture remains on your skin.
- Moisturize dry skin. Find a moisturizer that fits your skin type and makes your skin look and feel soft.
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 research suggests that a diet rich in vitamin C and low in fats and carbohydrates may 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 — takes 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 may be more dramatic than you expect.
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- Sunscreens/sunblocks. American Academy of Dermatology. http://www.aad.org/public/publications/pamphlets/sun_sunscreens.html. Accessed Aug. 17, 2009.
- UV information. The Skin Cancer Foundation. http://www.skincancer.org/understanding-uva-and-uvb.html. Accessed Aug. 17, 2009.
- Skin care. American Osteopathic College of Dermatology. http://www.aocd.org/skin/dermatologic_diseases/skin_care.html. Accessed Aug. 17, 2009.
- Dry skin and keratosis pilaris. American Academy of Dermatology. http://www.aad.org/public/publications/pamphlets/skin_dry.html. Accessed Aug. 17, 2009.
- Morita A. Tobacco smoke causes premature skin aging. Journal of Dermatological Science. 2007;48:169.
- Cosgrove MC, et al. Dietary nutrient intakes and skin-aging appearance among middle-aged American women. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2007;86:1225.
- Stress and skin. American Academy of Dermatology. http://www.aad.org/media/background/factsheets/fact_stressandskin.html. Accessed Aug. 21, 2009.
- Pavlovsky L, et al. Pathogenesis of stress-associated skin disorders: Exploring the brain-skin axis. Current Problems in Dermatology. 2007;35:136.
- Spencer EH, et al. Diet and acne: A review of the evidence. International Journal of Dermatology. 2009;48:339.
