4 Tips for Healthier, Happier Skin

We know life gets busy, but it’s vital that you have a daily skin care routine. There is so much information available on skin care that it could seem overwhelming. There’s no doubt however, that good skin care and healthy lifestyle choices can help delay natural ageing and prevent various skin problems. Below are 4 tips that can you can follow to maintain healthy, glowing skin.

1. Sun Means SPF

The most important skin care tip, at the top of the list, is to protect your skin from the sun. Sunlight travels to Earth as a combination of both, visible and invisible rays. The most harmful rays,  ultraviolet (UV) light, can cause irreversible skin damage. When UV rays enter skin cells, they agitate the fragile processes that affect the skin’s appearance. In time, these rays can make your skin less elastic. Your skin may even become leathery, wrinkled, thickened or even thinned. Excessive sun exposure can also increase your risk of skin cancer. The most effective way to protect your skin from the sun is to use sunscreen.

It is recommended that you use sunscreen that is SPF 50 or higher daily. The SPF number gives an indication of how long it will take for the sun rays to start reddening your skin. So with SPF 50, it will take 50 times longer to burn your skin than if you used no protection at all. SPF 50 blocks 98% sun rays while SPF 15 that only blocks out 93%. It’s known that we don’t apply sunscreen as we should, so opting for a higher SPF is far more beneficial. 

It is important to use sunscreen products that are dermatologically approved.  Once a dermatologist has tested and approved a product, this product will effectively protect you from the damaging effects of UV rays. This has additional benefits which will help with maintaining an even skin tone, reducing signs of ageing, and overall skin health. It is important, when spending time at the pool or on the beach, to reapply sunscreen every two hours, especially when swimming or sweating.

2. Quit the Habit

If you’re a smoker you might want to consider kicking the habit. Smoking undeniably has a negative effect on your skin, it makes you look older by advancing wrinkles. Smoking constricts the blood vessels in the outermost layers of your skin, this reduces blood flow and your skin appears paler. It also depletes the skin of oxygen and nutrients which are vital to skin health. Smoking also impairs elastin and collagen, these are the fibres that strengthen your skin. The repetitious facial expressions you make while smoking, like pursing your lips when inhaling or squinting your eyes to keep smoke out, all contribute to wrinkles. If you’re a smoker the best way to protect your skin is to stop, it’s not easy but consulting your doctor could be helpful in finding a solution.

3. Healthy Eating

A healthy diet directly affects your skin. It is important that we are conscious of what we put into our bodies. It’s important to realise that many of the foods that contribute to healthy skin also stimulates good health overall. It is encouraged that instead of focusing on specific foods for healthy skin, we should concentrate on a healthy diet in general. It’s important to eat plenty fruits and veg. Consume low-fat or fat-free dairy products. Incorporate nuts, seeds and beans into your favourite dishes. Choose whole-grain breads and pasta. Limit sweet treats. Strive for a balance when you're making healthy food choices.

4. Stress Less

Have you noticed that when you are stressed, you’re likely to have a breakout? Stress has many negative effects on the body and mind. Stress stimulates a chemical response in your body making your skin more sensitive and reactive. Stress causes your body to produce excess hormones like cortisol, which make the glands in your skin produce more oil. Oily skin is more prone to acne and other skin issues. Stress can also make existing skin conditions worse. Stress is known to aggravate  psoriasis, rosacea and eczema. It can possibly cause hives and various types of skin rashes, even triggering a flare-up of fever blisters. 

When we’re feeling over stressed it might interfere with our daily skin regime. Stress may cause you to neglect this part of your routine, which can worsen skin issues. It can also be stressful to have problems with your skin, especially if your job requires you to engage with people. If you have  skin problems that don’t heal or reappears continuously, perhaps you need to look into managing stress better. To maintain healthy skin and more importantly a healthy state of mind, it’s super important take steps to reduce stress levels. Getting enough sleep, setting attainable goals, reducing your to-do list and making time for you is important. The results may be more noticeable than you expect.

Yes, our daily lives can become so busy that we tend to be complacent with how we treat our skin. But these tips are a reminder that a little extra effort can go a long way in preventing rapid ageing and skin damage. We also advise that you pamper your skin. Book an appointment at World of Faces and choose one of our many treatments, each one designed for specific skin related issues and care. Love the skin you're in.