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Keep Your Skin Looking
Younger
It's best to start protecting your skin
during childhood, however, anyone at any age can begin to take the
necessary precautions to help protect the skin, keep it looking young and
healthy, and hopefully slow down the affects of aging. Following are some
tips on how to achieve younger looking skin.
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Minimize Sun Exposure
- Minimizing sun exposure is the most important thing you can do to
protect your skin and keep it looking young. Wear sunscreen of at least
SPF 15 when outdoors, and protect the face with a brimmed hat. Try to
avoid sun exposure from approximately 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, which is the
most hazardous time for UV exposure.
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Protect Skin From Dryness
- Aging skin can be dry, flaking and itchy. Use a moisturizer containing
petrolatum or lanolin immediately after bathing. Also, use milder soaps
and consider bathing less often and using less drying warm water to
bathe rather than hot water.
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Drink Plenty of Water
- Drinking water throughout the day ensures proper hydration of the body
and helps to reduce skin dryness. Doctors and nuitritionists recommend
drinking at least 6-8 glasses of water every day.
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Eat a Healthy Diet
- Eating a healthy, balanced diet will benefit your body as well as your
skin. Fruits and vegetables are particularly important for preventing
premature skin aging since they contain many antioxidants.
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Exercise -
Exercise promotes capillary functioning which can decrease premature
aging. It also increases oxygen to the tissues which keeps skin looking
young and healthy.
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Stop Smoking
- Quitting smoking at any age reduces further damage to skin.
Product Helpers
Following are some common active ingredients in
over-the-counter products that can help keep your skin looking young and
healthy:
- Alpha-Hydroxy Acids (AHAs)
- These acids produce a mild sloughing (peeling) action, taking off the
top layer of skin and exposing the fresher skin underneath. AHAs are
usually derived from fruit or from dairy products, and many moisturizers
now contain them. They are safe to use on the face. These are sometimes
called "lactic acid" if they're derived from dairy products.
- Retinol - Related to
Vitamin A, retinol is contained in many skin creams, and may temporarily
cause tissues of the face to swell very slightly, reducing the
appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
- Antioxidants - Topical
antioxidant vitamins such as Vitamins C and E can help cells repair the
damage caused by the sun's ultraviolet radiation and smoking. This can
help skin appear smoother and more glowing.
- Ammonium Lactate - The
combination of lactic acid mixed with ammonium hydroxide, ammonium
lactate is used to clear up dry, scaly patches on the skin.
- Ceramide - This
substance is beginning to play a large part in creams intended to make
skin look younger. Ceramide helps the skin hang on to its natural
moisturizing lipids and helps reduce damage to skin cells.
- Gingko Biloba - This
natural herbal concentrate is not scientifically proven but claims to
increase circulation, making skin appear more rosy and clear.
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