Keep yourself hydrated by drinking plenty of water all year round. Skin is the largest organ. Adults carry about 20 square feet of it. Skin acts as a barrier that shields our body from bacteria and excessive water loss. Skin also maintains the body’s temperature – keeping the body cool during the summer and warm during the winter months. Broken skin will drop a body’s resistance against bacteria and possible infection. So, our obligation is to keep our skin healthy and hydrated. If we ignore our skin, it dries up and is prone to cracks which will make us susceptible to infection or irritation.
Stop smoking! What does smoking have to do with healthy skin? A lot! Aside from major life-threatening health issues, such as increased risk of lung cancer, smoking affects your appearance by expediting premature wrinkles. Wrinkles can add a few years to your look. With time, smoking depletes collagen in skin. Collagen is a protein that provides strength and prevents sagging. Nicotine also causes discoloration of skin by contracting the blood vessels which result in the depletion of oxygen from blood.
Reduce sun exposure. Apply sunscreen with the minimum of SPF 15. We all enjoy the sun and would like to absorb all the sun rays we are able to. But, we need to be careful; too much exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays comes with consequences such as damaging elastin in the skin. Elastin is one of the proteins in skin that keeps it flexible and tight. Break down of elastin causes our skin to sag and prevents skin from snapping back to its shape after stretching.
Other tips to keep your skin healthy:
- Control stress
- Treat your skin gently by moisturizing daily and avoid strong soaps
- Pursue a healthy diet