Skin care tips to promote healthy skin

Practicing good skin care habits is important not only to keep your skin looking healthy, but to delay aging and to help prevent skin problems. I recommend the following tips to help promote healthy skin.

• Wear sunscreen year-round, as well as wear photo protective clothing to reduce the development of wrinkles, brown spots and skin cancer.

• Apply sunscreen during the winter months when the sun’s rays can be even more intense as they bounce off of snow and ice.

• Eat a well-balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables that are rich in antioxidants, which can help your skin repair itself.

• Apply topical antioxidants like vitamins C and A, and Retinol, whichcan help heal damaged skin and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

• Stay hydrated from the inside and out. Shoot for drinking six to eight glasses of water a day and apply a moisturizer immediately after showering to help lock in moisture.

• Avoid scented deodorant and antibacterial soaps, as well as hand sanitizers that include alcohol, which can be irritating to the skin and can remove natural oils.

• When possible, use moisturizers that are creams and ointments that come in jars rather than pumps.

• Add a few drops of essential oil to your lotion if you prefer a fragrance.

• Avoid hot showers, which can strip the moisture and natural oils from your skin.

• Limit your time in the shower and use warm water rather than hot.

• Smoking also damages the skin, by reducing its strength and elasticity.

• Consider running a humidifier in your home to replenish moisture in the air.

• Cover up when you go outside to keep cold temperatures and wind from drying and chaffing your skin.