Keeping your skin well hydrated will improve its appearance and keep in healthy. The following suggestions are practical, inexpensive and easy to implement.
- Avoid direct sunlight: In addition to causing dryness, sun exposure is the leading cause of skin cancer. It is best to minimise sun exposure, especially during the peak sun hours of 10, am and 3 pm. When the sun’s rays are the most intense. A wide brim hat is a useful tool to block direct sunlight exposure.
- Daily use of sunscreen: Routine use of a sunscreen will prevent the damaging effects of the sun as well as minimise the drying impact of the sun. For regular everyday use, an S.P.F ( sun protection factor) of 15 is most likely adequate. A higher S.P.F. of 30 to 45 is recommended for high suns exposure activities such as snow skiing or travel to the beach.
- Bathe only once daily: Bathing more frequently can worsen dryness of the skin by stripping away the natural protective oils of the skin although bathing more than once a day may seem to relieve itching at first, it is counter-productive in the long run. Hot water should also be avoided to minimise drying of the skin.
- Cautious use of bath oil: Although bath oil is an effective moisturiser, adding it to bath water is dangerous because it makes the tub slippery. Also, the residue may be difficult to clean from the tub. If you do use bath oil, add it to the water after you have been soaking for 15 minutes. Otherwise the oil will coat your body and prevent the water from penetrating the skin. A safer use of bath oils is to smooth it on the skin after you get out of the tub.
- Use mild soaps: Only mild soaps with moisturising contents should be used; otherwise it is best to use face wash.
- Pat yourself dry: Vigorous rubbing disrupts the smooth skin surface. Gently patting of the skin is much less irritating and will decrease drying, flaking and cracking of the skin.
- Use a humidifier: Low humidity will dry the skin. The lower the humidity, the faster the skin will lose water. If the air in your home is dry, a humidifier can raise moisture and slow dehydration of the skin.
- Using the air conditioner: The air conditioner has a drying effect on the skin. The difference in the temperature when you step out from the air-conditioned interiors into the environmental one has a devastating impact on the skin.
- Tone up the skin: toning is the process of balancing dry and damp patches of skin, neutralising the chemicals and giving the skin an even tone. Also, toner removes all traces of excess oil.
- Moisturise: You should moisturise at least once daily. The best time to moisture is immediately after bathing because that’s when the moisturiser can trap the water into the skin. Moist skin is happy skin, so always moisturise your skin even if it is oily skin. It is a good idea to let your skin breathe while you sleep, so wash your face about the idea to let your skin breathe while you sleep, so wash your face about half an hour after applying moisturiser so it would have absorbed a sufficient amount of moisture by the time your wash it off.
- See a dermatologist: The dermatologist has the final key to a youthful skin. Alpha hydroxy acids, as well as Retin-A creams, have been shown to reverse the signs of ageing and return a more youthful appearance to the skin. Laser therapy, which can remove liver warts, age spots, spider veins, broken blood vessels, red blotches or birthmarks, can also remove years from your appearance.
Persistent dryness, itching, eczema, blisters or sores should be evaluated by a dermatologist, as this can be an indication of a more serious medical condition such as liver disease, cancer, kidney disease, diabetes, thyroid disease, lupus or anaemia.
The above 11 ways will contribute to youthful, healthy skin.Even though ageing is inevitable, these measures will help to slow the age-associated changes in the skin. It is never too late to start treating your skin with care.