Is Your Skin Aging You?

Having beautiful, flawless skin is something many women think about, especially when every magazine is plastered with the faces of youthful-looking women without a wrinkle in sight. While no product can guarantee you the effects of a fountain of youth, it’s important to care for your skin to help improve your health and decrease the signs of premature aging.

How to Wreck the Wrinkles

Premature aging is something we all dread. When the cashier at the grocery store stops asking for your ID, you know it’s time to take a look at your skin regime. Here are a few ways to reduce premature skin aging:

• Reduce your sun exposure: Sun plays a major role in the premature aging of your skin. Solar radiation accelerates the destruction of collagen fibers in our skin through an oxidation process. This increases the risk of rough, thin and wrinkled skin.
• Use a daily moisturizer: It doesn’t have to be the most expensive one on the market. Read the reviews online and find one that caters to your skin, whether it’s t-zone trouble, oily or extra dry. Most moisturizers have sunscreen included to help protect you. Look for SPF 30+ broad spectrum. However, don’t continue to use products that burn or sting your skin. This irritation can make your skin worse.
• Stop smoking: Smoking causes premature fine lines that typically appear on places where the skin is very thin, such as around the mouth and eyes. These wrinkles are due to the reduction of vitamin C in your blood.
• Wash your face daily: Actually, make that twice daily. Regardless of what you do throughout the day or night, dirt and perspiration builds up on your face and may prevent your usual skin regime from actually interacting with your skin. Washing it twice a day before applying your moisturizer will help clear any irritation or build up.

As you age, you face new skin-related challenges. BayCare offers a variety of services that can help you manage common and complex skin conditions, and also offers skin cancer screenings. For a referral to a dermatologist, call 1-800-BayCare (1-800-229-2273) or find a doctor near you.