by: Ric Wiley
Why it is we cannot we keep the skin we were born with? Having said that, if we did, it would have to stretch a bit, especially in my case. When we start to get older the most obvious thing to happen to skin is the wrinkle. I’ve got them and I wish I didn’t but then again being a man perhaps I can have wrinkles and people do not notice. I don’t really bother about skin care too much, I don’t have to, I’m a man and I can get away without bothering about my skin too much as long as I keep it clean. The trouble is men tend to notice wrinkles on women. We shouldn’t, but hey ladies sorry we do. It isn’t our fault; we must be designed to be like that, insensitive and uncaring, and because we do notice these things, you worry a great deal about caring for your skin.
So men can get away with it but women cannot. What can you do about it? Well a proper skin care program can help you to work with the changes in your skin which not only affects how you look but also affects how you feel. The skin is the largest organ in the body so a proper skin care program is a good thing to adopt.
A good way to combat drying of the skin is to apply a moisturizer immediately after a shower. If your skin is still damp, not wet, when you apply a moisturizer, this will help to seal the moisture in. It doesn’t add moisture but it does help to retain it. You can also help by drinking water which helps to keep your skin healthy and moist. If your skin is constantly dry though, especially if it is a little flaky as well have it checked by your physician. If you notice a major change such as a new growth, changes in dark patches or to moles visit your physician for a check up, just to be safe.
A major factor in skin care is the effects of the sun so try not to have too much exposure especially during the midday period when the sun is at its fiercest. Use a good sunscreen. Exposure to sunlight also causes a substance called elastin to break down and this can cause the skin to sag. This is a pity, as most of us feel much better when we are out in the sun.
There are many products you can buy which can help you to develop your own skin care program and most of these are reputed to work but there is a lot you can do to develop your own natural skin care program.
Diet
A healthy diet will help to keep your skin healthy. Eating a balanced diet especially one which contains fresh fruits and vegetables is good for you and these have now been found to contain high levels of antioxidants. These can help to protect your skin from damage by environmental causes such as day-to-day living which causes a build up of free radicals in the skin. These can be particularly damaging and fruit and veg help in a skin care program. Eating them fresh or only very lightly cooked though is thought to be best though.
Water
Skin hydration and drinking water are two phrases which go together, so think and drink but not too much. I have seen suggestions of between 4 and 8 cups a day. Don’t be tempted to think that 8 cups of coffee contain plenty of water, they do, but they also contain plenty of caffeine as well, which helps the body to get rid of water. When I read that, as I drink a lot of coffee, I thought I’d just have to try beer instead as that’s is mainly water. Sorry but wine, beer and other alcoholic drinks don’t class as water either. Water, is water. Spring water, tap water, bottled water, filtered water; it does not matter as long as it is clean and pure. Don’t drink too much before going to bed though as you can retain this water which can cause the skin to stretch and this is not something you want to happen.
Counting the Calories
Stretching the skin can, and does, happen though if you take in too many calories. When we get a little overweight our skin stretches to accommodate this and then we diet to loose weight. This is very bad for skin care as your skin can and does sag. If you are younger this is not as much as a problem than if you are older, as younger skin is much more flexible. The easy answer is to watch what you eat and try not to get to the stage where you skin stretches in the first place. In other words try to avoid weight gain as should not be on your list for a good skin care program.
Whatever you choose to do in your skin care program, do your research. Find out what works and what doesn’t, talk to specialists such as store advisors and see if your friends have any special tips.