Everyone wants healthy, glowing skin, but not everyone knows how to get it. A healthy lifestyle can go a long way towards keeping your skin looking young and fresh — eating right, drinking lots of water, and getting regular exercise will keep your skin hydrated and supplied with nutrients. A healthy lifestyle isn?t the only factor in keeping your skin looking good, though. It?s also important to protect yourself from the sun and find a skin care routine that works for you. Keep your skin in great shape with these five tips.
Use sunscreen every day.
Did you know that those fine lines on your face are caused by ultraviolet light? The sun is the number one cause of skin damage as you get older. In fact, the Skin Cancer Foundation reports that an estimated 90% of skin aging is actually caused by sun damage over time. Wearing sunscreen every day is the simplest and most surefire way to protect your skin from wrinkles, sun spots, and other side effects of too much sunshine. Choose sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15, and you could reduce your skin?s appearance of aging by almost one-quarter. Other ways to protect yourself from the sun include wearing broad-brimmed hats and staying in the shade.
Drink eight glasses of water a day.
Healthy, glowing skin starts from within, and what you put in your body has a big effect on the way your skin looks. Start with the basics: make sure you?re drinking enough water. Staying hydrated flushes out toxins from your body, keeps your cells healthy, and prevents your skin from looking flaky or dry. Aim to drink at least eight glasses a day.
Eat plenty of fruits and veggies.
Eating a healthy diet will give your skin the nutrients it needs to look its best, but the benefits of fruits and vegetables don?t stop there. Fresh, colorful fruits and veggies like blueberries, strawberries, broccoli, and kale contain antioxidants that pack a punch in terms of skin healing power. Antioxidants help with skin rejuvenation by speeding up your skin?s cell turnover rate and preventing oxidative damage.
Get regular cardiovascular exercise.
When you get your heart pumping, your skin benefits just as much as the rest of your body. Regular exercise carries blood to your skin, supplying your skin cells with oxygen and nutrients while carrying away toxins and cellular debris. Exercise also cuts down on stress, which is often a major contributor to acne.
Keep your face fresh with chemical peels.
Chemical peels are one of the oldest skin treatments known to man — the ancient Egyptians used a version of a chemical peel made with sour milk. A chemical peel is a topical skin treatment made with a mild acid. The acid strips away dead skin cells, causing the skin to generate fresh new cells. Chemical peels make the skin look brighter and smoother, and they can help lighten or remove acne scars, hyperpigmentation, and even wrinkles. Different types of chemical peels exist for treating different skin conditions. Some are gentle enough to use at home, but others should only be applied by qualified medical professionals. A dermatologist can advise you on what kind of chemical peel is right for you.
Keeping your skin healthy doesn?t have to be complicated. By living a balanced lifestyle and finding skin care treatments that work for you, you can keep your skin looking great for years. Everybody?s skin is unique, so if you?re not sure what kind of skin care routine to adopt, a dermatology clinic in your area can help you determine which products and treatments are perfect for your skin.