Uppermill pharmacist IAN STRACHAN offers some tips for top looking after your skin.
OUR SKIN works hard to keep us healthy so it deserves to be taken care of. The skin is one of the biggest and most complex organs of the body and contains hair follicles, oil glands, sweat glands, nerves and blood vessels. I’m going to give you some tips as to how to keep the skin feeling and looking good.
Sun care – Sun light contains ultraviolet (UV) rays which are the main causes of skin ageing and can cause skin cancer. Special care needs to be taken with babies, children and young people. Blistering sunburn before 20 years old can double the risk of malignant melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer.
To protect yourself spend some time in the shade between 11am and 3pm, cover with clothing, hat, and sunglasses and apply sun protection factor of at least 15. Sunlight should not be avoided as our bodies need the vitamin D.
Smoking – There’s strong evidence to link smoking to premature skin ageing. It causes wrinkles and a leathery complexion, making the skin look old before it should.
It is thought smoking reduces the skin’s natural elasticity by causing the breakdown of collagen, which supports skin strength, and reducing collagen production. As we get older collagen naturally degrades, leading to the formation of wrinkles.
Alcohol – When we drink alcohol our body and skin become dehydrated which leaves the skin looking older and more tired. Drink plenty of water to avoid drying the skin.
When drinking alcohol try and adhere to recommended limits and have a non alcoholic drink such as soda water or fruit juice between alcoholic drinks.
Keeping skin clean – Washing the skin can help prevent smells and infections but too much washing or using harsh soaps can wash away the natural oils we need to keep our skin healthy. Moisturising protects your skin from the elements in addition to preventing drying. In my view expensive moisturisers are not necessarily more effective than a cheaper one.
For people with dry skin can I suggest you avoid alcohol-based products as these can irritate the skin and dry it out. For people with oily skin, select water-based products instead.
Sleep – There would appear to be evidence to support sleep deprivation being a factor in our skin looking older and tired. It may also lead to anxiety, irrational or depression leading to more sleeplessness.
Make sure you get enough sleep to keep your skin looking healthy. If you wear make-up always wash it off before going to bed to reduce the risk of bacteria building up.
Feeling stressed – This can disrupt sleeping patterns which may leave skin looking tired and you feeling run down and irritable. Sufferers should consider taking up an activity such as running, swimming or yoga.
One final reminder to all our male readers: these points are all as applicable to both sexes so good skin care should be encouraged for everyone.
Next month: sleep disturbance
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