As 2011 comes to an end, it’s a great time to start the new year with new skin. Below are five healthy skin habits to start today:
1. Resolve to Wear Sunscreen Every Day
Yes. Even though it is winter you need to wear your sunscreen. Ultraviolet rays (UV) know no season. They can blast through the clouds, windows and your skin. Many sunscreens today are weightless and even contain a moisturizer. Get in the habit of applying sunscreen as your last step in the morning before you put on your makeup. Be sure to use a sunscreen with anSPFof 30 or higher and reapply every two hours if you’re outside. Not only will you protect your skin from cancer, but also brown spots and wrinkles.
2. Resolve to Stop Tanning
It’s normal to feel pale during the winter months, but resolve this new year to not run to the tanning bed for a golden glow. The good news is pale skin is in! Look at celebrities like Nicole Kidman, Julianne Moore, Marcia Cross and Anne Hathaway for proof of this. Their skin all has a beautiful, healthy glow achieved with medical skin care and makeup and not a tan. “Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a proven human carcinogen, and is linked with a higher risk of all forms of skin cancer,” according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. Carcinogen = known to cause cancer. If the idea of cancer doesn’t keep you from tanning, maybe premature wrinkles, sagging skin and brown spots will? Recent studies have shown that making just four visits to a tanning bed increases your cancer risk by 11 percent.
3. Resolve to Stop Smoking
We all know smoking causes lung cancer, but recent studies now show that it also causes skin cancer. Dr. Jeffrey Dover, associate clinical professor of dermatology atYaleUniversityMedicalSchool, explains one cause for this is that smokers are blowing carcinogens such as ash and smoke around their face all day long. In addition to cancer, like tanning, smoking also causes lax skin, wrinkles and a dull complexion.
4. Resolve to Use Retinol
If you could only use one skin care product this new year, aside from your sunscreen, it should be a prescription retinol. Retinols fight so many battles on your skin including fine lines, wrinkles, skin tone, brown spots and pore size. It also helps exfoliate your skin and keeps you looking younger.
5. Resolve to Take Time For Yourself
This may be the hardest resolution of all for some. Take time for yourself to get more sleep, wash your face every night before bed and drink more water. By taking a few extra minutes each day to care for yourself, your skin will reap the benefits.
By changing some of these daily habits and talking to your medical skin care professional, you will be on your way to healthier skin in no time!
Jennifer Kauffman is a Board Certified Nurse Practitioner. She is a member of American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and Coalition of Advance Practice Nurses of Indiana. She received her Nursing and Nurse Practitioner degrees from Goshen College, and Indiana Wesleyan University. Jennifer is a Clinical Instructor nationally to physicians and nurses on medical cosmetic procedures.
Do you have a question for Jennifer, about this article or another cosmetic skin care issue? Please call Vein Institute & Medical Spa at 574-267-1900 to have your questions answered and considered for future columns. Questions can also be submitted online at www.veinmedicalspa.com.
Jennifer Kauffman is a Board Certified Nurse Practitioner. She is a member of American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and Coalition of Advance Practice Nurses of Indiana. She received her Nursing and Nurse Practitioner degrees from Goshen College, and Indiana Wesleyan University. Jennifer is a Clinical Instructor nationally to physicians and nurses on medical cosmetic procedures.
