Did you know that your skin is actually an organ? It’s the largest one your body has, so keeping it healthy should always be a top priority. When you have healthy skin, it helps to support the rest of your body, and promotes better overall health.
At Medics USA, we want you to have the healthiest skin that you can. Our experienced and friendly physicians would be glad to meet with you to discuss your ongoing healthcare, so that you can keep performing at your peak for years to come. Contact any of our offices in Virginia and Washington DC today to set up your next appointment.
1. Protect Yourself From the Sun
The sun facilitates all life on earth, but it can also be one of the most harmful things for your skin. Without proper protection, sunburns can permanently damage your skin cells and cause issues down the road. Each sunburn causes lasting damage to your skin, and the more time the same area of skin receives a burn, the greater the risk becomes for diseases such as cancer to form. To avoid the harmful rays from the sun, always make sure to apply sunscreen, wear long sleeves and protective clothing, and seek out shady areas. If you are in the sun for several hours, be sure to reapply sunscreen so that your skin continues to be protected. It’s good to wear sunglasses when you are outside because the ultraviolet rays from the sun can cause serious damage to the eyes and the sensitive tissues around them. Remember, even on cloudy days UV rays can still penetrate and cause sunburn and skin damage. Even if it looks like you may not need it, apply sunscreen as a precaution against harm. As one final note, it is important to avoid tanning beds. A bronzed complexion can be desirable, but fake tans can cause harm to your skin that is even more serious than the sun.
2. Stay Hydrated
When you consume more water, your skin retains higher levels of hydration. When your skin maintains more moisture, it increases its elasticity. This helps your skin look younger and reduces wrinkles and fine lines. Hydrated skin is less likely to suffer from issues like psoriasis and eczema. When these common maladies do still pop up, they are usually less severe when you have been drinking more water. Your body’s natural healing process is also sped up when you drink enough water on a daily basis! Sunburns and small abrasions heal more quickly when your skin is fully hydrated. In our daily routines, our pores can become clogged with dirt and dust. When you are drinking more water, the balance of oil and water on the surface of your skin becomes normalized, which leads to a reduction in pore size. This will help to decrease acne breakouts.
3. Regularly Exercise
Maintaining a regular routine of physical activity that causes you to sweat will help clean out your pores. By raising your heart rate for 40-50 minutes several times a week, you can gently purify your skin and keep it healthy. Exercise also promotes better circulation to all of your extremities. With this increased blood flow, your skin will experience greater detoxification, cellular renewal, and elasticity, thereby improving its overall appearance.
4. Refrain From Smoking
Everyone knows that smoking is terrible for your lungs, but smoking can seriously harm your skin’s health as well. Smoking decreases the elasticity and blood flow of your skin over time, which increases the brittleness of your skin. It also leads to excess wrinkles, slower healing times, and loss of skin tone. Simply quitting smoking can restore some of the damage caused by smoking. Wrinkles may never fully go away, but when increased blood flow is restored to your body, it will lead to better, healthier skin.
5. Treat Your Skin Gently
Your skin may be the protective shield for your body, but even the best shields get worn when they aren’t treated properly. When partaking in your regular skincare routine, avoid being too rough. When you bathe, do not use hot water, instead opt for warm temperatures. Prolonged bathing in hot water removes helpful oils from your skin. After you’re done bathing, pat your skin dry instead of scrubbing. When you are shaving, always be sure to apply shaving cream or lotion, and shave with the grain of your hair instead of against it. Moisturize regularly with lotions and soothing creams to promote skin elasticity and softness. There are a myriad of different options for creams and salves, so choose one that best suits your skin type and needs.
6. Healthy Eating
Just as with many aspects of health, maintaining a balanced diet will help your skin. Diets that are rich in fruits, vegetables, grains, and proteins can promote healthy skin. If your diet is low in unhealthy fats and refined carbohydrates, it can help your skin to look younger as you age. If you are not consuming the recommended seven servings of fruits and veggies each day, you can consider taking whole-food supplements to aid your body in processing the right amount of nutrients and minerals regularly.
7. Destress Your Life
Stressed-out brains lead to unhealthy skin. Stress makes your skin more sensitive which easily leads to breakouts of acne and other skin conditions. If you are often in stressful situations, work toward finding times to slow down and sort yourself out. Taking time for yourself to have a massage, take a walk outside, or simply sit peacefully for a few minutes helps your mind to relax and lower stress levels. We know it’s very easy to say “reduce stress in your life,” and much harder to actually do it. You know yourself, so take any steps you can to remove stress from your daily life. The less stressed you are, the more healthy your skin can become.
Schedule a Checkup Today!
The team at Medics USA would love to work with you to help you along the path of healthy living. Get in touch with our teams now to continue your health journey. Our offices are conveniently located throughout Virginia and Washington DC. We’re excited to see you soon!