Medicosnext
Words by Dr. Saroj Paudel
Great skin is not simply a matter of DNA — your daily habits, in fact, have a huge impact on what you see in the mirror. But depending on which product reviews you read or doctors you consult, there is a dizzying number of opinions on everything from how to moisturize your skin to how to protect yourself from UV rays. Ultimately, caring for your skin is simply personal. Here’s what you should keep in mind to sort through all the noise.
Change is never easy, but consistency is the key — especially with skin care. Regular use of high quality skin care will make a huge difference over the long term but don’t expect results overnight, particularly when it comes to reducing signs of aging. Take retinoids, for example: they’re known to reduce fine lines and wrinkles but it can take up to six months of regular use before you’ll see the improvements. So any resolution you make now, plan to stick with it for the best results.
Do Apply Sunscreen Every Day, Every Season
Sunscreen may seem basic, but it’s your most effective skin-care tool. When people ask what the No. 1 anti-aging cream is, it’s the sunscreen. The benefits are more than just cosmetic. It’s been shown that consistent use of sunscreen has the greatest impact in preventing accelerated aging and skin cancers. Wearing a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher, and searching for a moisturizer with SPF, too is beneficial. Broad spectrum means the sunscreen will guard against the harmful effects of UVA rays, which contribute to premature skin aging, and UVB rays, which cause sunburn.
Don’t Sleep in Your Makeup
Sleeping with makeup on can cause a host of skin issues, including clogged pores, breakouts, and extreme lip dryness. It can also pose a risk of severe damage to your eyes. That’s a bad habit a lot of people have. Luckily, resolution is simple: Wash your face before your head hits the pillow. If you’re wearing oil-based concealer, you’ll need a solvent-based makeup removal. Foaming cleansers can emulsify most foundations and lipstick. Be sure to use a gentle cleanser around the eyes however, as they are more sensitive.
Do Winter-Proof Your Skin
Winter is perhaps the most challenging season for your skin. It’s recommended that people resolve to use additional skin-care products in the winter as cold weather, low humidity, and wind take a toll on the skin’s outer layer. Look for products that contain moisturizing humectants, like glycerin and ammonium lactate, because these ingredients can actually pull moisture to your skin.
Don’t Pick Your Skin When You’re Stressed
Skin picking can cause infection and scarring, and it is one habit that people must quit. Many people pick their skin for stress relief, so it’s better people resolve to find other stress-relieving alternatives to skin picking, such as popping bubble wrap, aerobic exercise, and getting facials.
That said, in some cases, skin picking is a clinical impulse control disorder, according to the International OCD Foundation. If this is the case for you, guidance from a mental health practitioner may be helpful. Cognitive behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy and medicines may help treat skin-picking disorders. Trichotillomania the plucking of hair follicles is another more common behavior seen in many individuals.
Do Keep Your Routine Simple and Consistent
Better you opt for simpler skin-care routines rather than following multistep regimens. More is not better and can just lead to irritation. Overscrubbing, overexfoliating, and over-applying products is not necessarily any better than sticking to a simple, effective skin-care routine. A good rule of thumb is to stick to three simple products that will make a difference: a sunscreen, a cleanser, and a moisturizer.
Don’t Smoke
Whether you’re lighting up a tobacco cigarette or a cannabis joint, smoking does affect your skin, making it appear dry, dull, or ruddy. We suggest you to avoid smoke in all possible ways.
Do Ramp Up Your Routine With Retinol and Vitamin C
If you’re happy with your current skin-care routine, you can always resolve to step it up by adding more targeted products. Skin can benefit from vitamin C serum and sunscreen in the morning and retinol at night. (Retinol is a milder form of topical vitamin A–derived retinoid).
Vitamin C is an antioxidant, so it’s a product that helps with environmental stress, aging, and oxidizing processes. It’s beneficial to put on under your sunscreen as it does double duty, both protecting from the sun’s rays and reducing the appearance of some of your sun spots or pigmentation.
Retinoids have the best evidence for minimizing visible signs of aging. To start, apply a product twice a week as part of a bedtime routine — retinoids make you more sun sensitive, so apply at night and at least two to three days apart. Then, later, you can apply it nightly if tolerated, but some will only be able to use it two to three times a week. To put this ramped-up routine simply: Protect your skin and prevent damage in the morning, and repair your skin in the evening.
Don’t Over-Exfoliate
Adding new active ingredients is an effective way to ramp up your existing routine — just incorporate them slowly, making note of how your skin reacts. Exfoliants like retinol can be especially beneficial, but in their case, less is usually more.
Over-exfoliating is a concern, and it can cause some discomfort, especially in those with sensitive skin, leading to inflammation, dryness, bumps, rashes, or even scarring. You can gradually increase your tolerance for chemical exfoliants over time, so there’s no need to jump into the deep end straight away.
Do Be More Mindful of Sugar Intake
High sugar levels have been associated with increased perceived age and may contribute to skin aging and acne. Glucose can cause a chemical reaction with collagen that negatively impacts its structure and function, which causes collagen to become stiff and impairs collagen turnover. Collagen gives skin its support, so impaired collagen could result in a loss of firmness and elasticity.
There may also be a link between a high-sugar diet and acne, according to a review published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. Researchers found that foods with a high glycemic load, such as sweets, can significantly affect the occurrence of acne. As a result, the AAD recommends a low-glycemic diet for reducing acne breakouts.
Don’t Take Scalding Hot Showers
Scalding hot showers may be comforting, but overdoing it can strip moisture from your skin and cause dryness, scaling, and itching. Generally, long showers aren’t recommended for the sake of skin, and the temperature of water when bathing or showering shouldn’t be too hot. The continuous exposure to water damages skin barrier function, with hot water causing even more harm, according to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine. Researchers found that exposure to hot water increased transepidermal water loss (TEWL), the evaporation of water through the epidermis, and erythema, a type of skin redness. To reduce the dryness and itchiness associated with scalding hot showers, immediately apply a moisturizer afterwards will help keep skin hydrated.
Do Be Diligent About Your Annual Skin Check
Similar to how your regular doctor recommends an annual checkup, dermatologists want you to get in the habit of scheduling an annual skin check. With soaring rates of skin cancer, a dermatologist can check your skin for any new moles, rashes, or other signs of cancerous skin damage.
You can also use it as an opportunity to bring up concerns about skin conditions you may have. Skin checks are often also a useful tool in identifying other underlying health problems early, including hormonal or autoimmune complications.
Caring for your skin is important, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. Follow these skin care routine, and your skin will be healthy and glowing for not only this year, but years to come.
