November is National Healthy Skin Month

The skin is the largest organ in our body and it has many important functions, one of the most important roles it plays is providing a protective barrier between the environment and us. While it can be easy to forget how much our skin does for us on a daily basis and how much it is exposed to each day, it is important to remember to take care of it and keep it healthy.

To recognize National Healthy Skin Month we have some tips and helpful reminders for those daily skin care routines that help protect and keep that epidermis, dermis and all those other layers in tip-top shape.

Daily skin routines

Before you go out to the store and spend a lot of money on skincare products you might want to think about your own skincare regime. Ask yourself a couple questions: do you cleanse your skin each day? Do you apply sunscreen or a lotion that has SPF (sun protection factor) in it each day? Whether you are just starting out and creating a skin care routine or you have had one for many years, these two things are important keys to a daily skincare routine. Whether you are in your twenties or your sixties, using a daily gentle cleanser and applying a moisturizer with sunscreen can help prepare for a healthy aging process and will make a difference in the long run.

Wear sunscreen

Whether the sun is out and shining or it is overcast and cloudy, whether it is the heart of summer or the coldest winter months, wearing sunscreen everyday is really important. If you prefer having additional protection you can also use other sun protection measures include wearing a wide-brimmed hat, long sleeves, and long pants, avoiding going outside between the hours of 10 AM to 2 PM, re-applying a broad-spectrum sunscreen that has SPF 30 (or higher) every two hours or so. Don’t forget to moisturize the neck and upper chest area as well, these are important areas of our skin that can get exposure to the sun’s rays depending on what we are wearing.

Remember it is not just summer you have to think about wearing sunscreen, it is year round. If you are outside for a fall hike or maybe you are headed to the mountains for a day on the slopes- sun protection is an important consideration.

Get support to quit smoking

Smoking has been linked to premature aging of the skin. Smoking depletes the skin of oxygen and other important nutrients and it decreases its elasticity. If you are a smoker, even an occasional one, talk to your medical provider about what support program there are to help you quit.

Moisturize

Preventing dry skin is an important component to having healthy skin. This time of year it can be good to take extra precautions to moisturize the skin as the there is lower humidity (in most places during the Fall and Winter months). The use of forced air in people’s homes can also cause the skin to dry out. Keeping the skin hydrated is important especially during extreme weather. This is also a good way to keep the skin healthy and youthful. It helps prevent skin damage from the elements which is an effective way to prevent premature aging.

Read labels

It can be good to be cautious with skin care products and to read labels. When you have psoriasis there can be lots of ingredients that are added to products that could trigger a flare, this includes detergents, soaps, moisturizers, deodorants, and make-ups.

Stay hydrated

While keeping skin hydrated on the outside by moisturizing is important it is also important to stay hydrated on the inside! You may have heard the saying “drink 8 glasses of water a day,” while the amount may differ between people, the overall sentiment is important and getting a daily dosage of H2O is key in keeping skin healthy.

Visit the doctor annually

See a dermatologist annually, especially to take a look at hard to see and reach places on your body. The dermatologist can be helpful for keeping a watch on moles through body mapping. This annual check-up is an important part of keeping your skin healthy.

Clean that cell phone screen

You probably don’t think of your cell phone screen as a petri dish, but think about all the action that screen gets during any given day. All that swiping and typing can put our phone in to contact with surfaces that might not be the most sanitary and then we put the phone to our face! It can be important to clear the surface of your phone as the bacteria that our phone might pick up during the day could cause unwanted breakouts or blemishes on our faces.

Have any great skin tips to share? Maybe a DIY face mask or homemade exfoliating scrub? Share with our community!