PREVENTIVE SKIN CARE
Your skin is a mirror image of your health. It's your body's most valuable asset. For good skin care, your daily habits mean everything.
Start by doing these things:
Begin with good Habits.
Do you have healthy habits? If you're a woman who wears make-up, be sure to remove all traces of make-up at the end of the day. Drink plenty of water, providing your skin with vital moisture. Always wear sunscreen.- Start Now. Integrate routine into your day. If you're a teenager or if you have a teenager at home, start now Lead by example for your teenagers. Nourish and pamper your skin to protect it for the future.
- See an Expert. If you have dry or oily skin consult either a skin aesthetician at your local salon or a dermatologist for more severe skin problems.
- Sunscreen. Over time, exposure to UV radiation causes wrinkles, discoloration, freckles or age spots, basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma. In fact, most skin cancers are related to sun exposure.
There are two main types of UV radiation: UVB and UVA. UVB rays cause sunburns and UVA rays cause tanning. UVB are bad rays causing sunburn UVA causing tanning. Both rays contribute to the risk of developing skin cancer.
Fewer sunscreen products have been successful in blocking UVA rays. Sun protection recommendations emphasize certain behaviors, as well as the use of sunscreens. The recommendations include:
- Avoiding sun between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
- Wearing wide-brimmed hats
- Apply sunscreen frequently (every 2-3 hours)
- Using sunscreens greater than 15
Read more about the damage the sun can cause skin.
Learn how to take care of your dry skin.
Reviewed by the doctors at The Cleveland Clinic Department of Dermatology.
Edited by by Michael W. Smith, MD, April 2003, WebMD.
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