‘Beauty is skin-deep’,
‘Don’t judge a person by the colour of his skin or appearance’
Haven’t we all heard of these?
Yet, in reality, whenever people meet, they do tend to notice each
others’ looks and appearance of the skin and frame some opinions! Our
skin speaks a lot about us. So watch out & read along.
Our skin is one of the largest organs of the body, with an average surface area of 2 square meters. It plays the vital role of protecting our internal organs from the harsh environment of the outside world. The uppermost layer of our skin, called as epidermis, is made up of dead cells, which are continuously replaced from the bottom layers of cells. Below the epidermis lies the dermis, which is made of strong elastic tissue like collagen and has blood vessels, the sweat and sebum producing glands, nerve endings and the base of hair follicles which grow into it from the epidermis. Our skin is a very dynamic organ with daily renewal of thousands and thousands of cells.
Taking care of the skin is as important as taking care of our teeth and eyes. Good skin care and healthy lifestyle choices can help delay the natural aging process and prevent various skin problems. However, many of us tend to neglect this! Just as we brush our teeth regularly, we also need to spare a few minutes towards skin care and enjoy the benefits of a glowing skin for years to come.
Skin care is far from difficult. You just need to follow a few simple tips.
1.Protect your skin from harsh sunlight by using sunscreens (minimum SPF
of 15), protective shades, using an umbrella or wearing long sleeved
clothes, etc.
2.Keep clean, but limit your bath time. Hot water and long showers or
baths remove oils from your skin. Limit your bath or shower time, and
use warm water, rather than hot water.
3.Avoid strong soaps and detergents which can strip oil from your skin. Instead, choose mild cleansers.
4.Shave carefully. To protect and lubricate your skin, apply shaving cream, lotion or gel before shaving.
5.Pat dry, after a bath and avoid rubbing yourself vigorously with a towel, so that some moisture remains on your skin.
6.Quit smoking, if you are a smoker, as smoking is well-known to cause
wrinkles and hasten aging of skin by breaking down the elastic collagen
fibres of the skin.
7.Have a balanced diet with plenty of fruits and salads and drink minimum 8 glasses of water daily.
8.Know your skin type and select your moisturiser and sunscreen accordingly.
Skin is generally classified into one of four categories: normal, oily, dry, and combination. However, your skin type can change as you age, and other factors like genetics and even illness can play a part.
Normal skin
Normal skin, has a good balance
of moisture and sebum. Such skin type has small pores and an even tone
and is the goal of most skin care regimens. Taking care of normal skin
is very easy. Just use a mild cleanser, moisturise after bath and
protect with sunscreen of minimum SPF of 15.
Oily skin
Oily skin is identified by an
excess of oil (or sebum) on the face and the skin begins to feel greasy
in just a few hours after washing. Oily skin can be an inherited trait,
but it can also be caused by puberty, which causes oil glands to become
overactive. People with oily skin generally don’t need a regular
moisturizer, but oil-free sunscreen is still necessary to reduce
exposure to UV rays.
Dry skin
Dry skin, on the other hand,
suffers from a lack of natural moisture. There is little oil to act as a
surface barrier and lock in the moisture. People with dry skin feel
their skin as taut or tight, particularly on their face and their skin
is often irritated. To care for dry skin, use a gentle cleanser and
moisturize adequately, atleast twice daily.
Combination skin
Combination skin is a blend of
both oily and dry skin. People with combination skin usually find that
their oily skin is concentrated in the T-zone, while their cheeks remain
dry. Care for such skin requires a balancing act, drawing from skin
care routines for both oily and dry skin, in the respective parts of the
face and body.
Thus you see, all that it takes to keep your skin healthy and radiant looking is to stay clean, moisturise & protect from the sun. Go for it and create a long-lasting impression with your glowing skin!
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