Cultivating Radiance: Essential Practices for Healthy Skin, Anti-Aging, and Avoiding Common Pitfalls in Skincare Choices

October 18, 2022

Skincare and a healthy lifestyle play an important role in aging and maintaining radiant skin. There are various ways to maintain healthy-looking and glowing skin.

1. Protection from the Sun – Exposure to the sun for a longer duration contributes to wrinkles and several skin-related problems, including skin cancer. Protection from the sun requires broad-spectrum sunscreen with a recommended SPF15.

2. Keep your face moisturized – Moisturizers play an essential role in preventing the evaporation of water from the skin. It is recommended to apply moisturizers within 3 minutes after cleansing at night and rinsing the face in the morning. The face should not be dehydrated when putting moisturizer.

For those with extra dry skin, petroleum jelly is the most effective in trapping moisture and keeping the skin supple and moist. Mineral oil, lanolin, petroleum, and dimethicone form a protective layer on the skin’s surface, which traps water to keep the skin moist.

3. Exfoliate – Exfoliation is necessary for removing dead cells from your face. However, exfoliating the face with harsh scrubs should be avoided. Dermatologists often recommend scrubs with papain or rice enzymes. Fruits scrubs should be avoided as they can damage your skin.

4. Use face cleanser – Those with dry skin should use a cleanser with moisturizers like ceramides or glycerin. Ceramides are essential for the health of the skin. They hold skin cells tightly together and maintain moisture in the skin to provide a defense mechanism against allergens. Cleansers, however, often make the face skin too dry or tight. It is advisable to use cleansers without glycolic acid, especially for those who have dry skin.

5. Wash your face before going to bed – It is essential to wash your face before going to bed. During the day, your face accumulates bacteria, dead skin cells, and oil. Therefore, it is vital to protect the skin’s pores from such build-up and prevent them from penetrating the pores.

6. Watch the ingredients of the face cleanser – Make sure that the cleansers are free from chemicals and alcohol and preferably have no fragrance. Consult a dermatologist for the correct type of cleanser that may suit your skin.

7. Dry your face by patting – After rinsing the face, pat it with a cotton towel and let the face be moist when applying moisturizer. DO NOT RUB YOUR SKIN TO MAKE IT COMPLETELY DRY.

8. Eat healthy food – A healthy diet with a lot of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains; keep your skin hydrated by consuming plenty of water.

9. Refrain from smoking – Smoking results in decreased blood flow due to the narrowing down the tiny blood vessels of the lower layer of the skin. This causes reduced oxygen levels in the skin.

10. Manage stress – stress causes skin problems, such as acne and increased skin sensitivity. There are various ways to manage stress, such as getting adequate sleep, exercises, yoga, meditation, pursuing leisure activities, and socializing.

11. Watch for mercury contents in creams and soaps – World Health Organization (WHO) warns about the contents of mercury used in skin-lightening creams and soaps. In many countries, particularly in South Asia and Africa, there is a fallacy that lighter skins are more beautiful than darker skins. Mercury salts hinder the formation of melanin, giving skin a softer tone. Although Minamata Convention has laid down a limit of 1 mg/kg for skin-lightening products, these guidelines are flouted by manufacturers.

According to WHO, manufacturers of skin-lightening products constitute one of the most significant segments of the cosmetic industry and are estimated to grow worth US$31.2 billion by 2024.

There are severe adverse effects of skin-lightening creams and soaps, such as skin rashes, skin discoloration, fungal infection, anxiety, depression, and a greater probability of bacterial infection on the skin.

References:

Mayo Clinic. Skin care: 5 tips for healthy skin. (https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/skin-care/art-20048237). Accessed October 7, 2022

WebMD. How to Clean Dry Skin. Reviewed by Debra Jaliman, MD on May 24, 2021. (https://www.webmd.com/beauty/ss/slideshow-cleaning-dry-skin). Accessed October 11, 2022

World Health Organization. Mercury in skin lightening products. (file:///C:/Users/rahma/Downloads/WHO-CED-PHE-EPE-19.13-eng%20(1).pdf). Accessed October 13, 2022