Dr. Deena's Tips to Healthy Skin

Today's question comes from Nat:

Dear Dr. Deena,

I was wondering if you can provide me with some skin care advice to keep my skin healthy and clean.

Nat

Many people don't realize that skin is the largest living organ in our body. It functions as a barrier of protection against physical damage from our surrounding environments, disease-causing organisms that we come in contact with every day, and extreme cold and hot temperatures. It is for these reasons, and many more, that we need to protect and take care of our skin! 

Acne is the most common skin condition that is associated with development of pimples or "zits." Acne develops when hair follicles in the skin become clogged with oil, debris, and dead skin cells. 

Many readers and friends ask me which skin care products I recommend for acne and daily moisturizing, but my secret to healthy skin is cheap, easy, and only a requires a small amount of time and attention!

Here are my tips to healthy skin:

1.     Wash your face at least twice daily with soap and water (especially before bedtime)

          Washing your face with facial soap and water will remove dirt, oil, and excess sweat which can lead to acne, enlarged pores and increased blackheads.

2.     Protect yourself from the sun

          Sun exposure has been linked to early wrinkles and age spots, but most importantly skin cancer! Apply sunscreen (SPF of 30 is recommended) to all sun-exposed areas, re-apply sunscreen every two hours or immediately after swimming or excessive sweating (even if your sunscreen states “water resistant"), and wear clothing that protects you from the sun, including a broad brimmed hat. Below is an example of a broad brimmed hat:

3.     Drink plenty of water!

Water is essential to our body. Most professionals recommend drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day; however, no studies have shown what is truly the “right” amount. If you cannot drink that many glasses of water daily, I would recommend drinking at least enough water to not feel thirsty throughout the day. Water will help keep your skin and body hydrated.

4.     Remove all makeup before going to bed with makeup remover and/or water and soap

Makeup causes increased dirt and oil to build up on your skin which can lead to clogged pores and acne.

5.     Give yourself a steam facial twice weekly

Steam will unclog and clean out your pores. Steam your face with the following easy steps: 

--Wash your face with water and pat dry with towel

--Bring a pot of  boiling water to your table and sit down facing the pot of steaming water
-- Place a towel over your head so that you make a tent over you and the pot of water. If you feel that the steam is too hot on your face, move your face further away from the steam. See setup in the image below:

 Image taken from beauty.knolegs.com

--Breathe in the steam for 10 minutes or until the steam cools

--Wash your face once again with cool water and pat dry with towel

6.     Sleep!

Sleep is a very important aspect of health and one that we don’t place enough importance on. Sleep allows your body to rest and your skin to feel rejuvenated. The amount of sleep recommended is 7-8 hours daily, but really it varies with each person. The right amount of sleep for YOU, is as many hours that are necessary for you to feel refreshed and energized to take on the day!

7.     Follow a healthy diet with fruits and vegetables

Fruits and vegetables contain vitamins and minerals that are essential to proper skin health and living wellness. Certain fruits contain antioxidants (like blueberries, strawberries, cranberries, etc.) which are believed to protect skin and prevent wrinkles. Other foods rich in antioxidants include beans (red beans, kidney beans, black beans, pinto beans) and nuts (almonds, pecans).

8.     Moisturize

Apply lotion to your entire body daily after taking a bath. The goal of a good moisturizer is to prevent dry skin and improve skin texture and tone. If your skin is super dry 3-4 hours after initial application of any lotion, you may want to switch to a different moisturizer. I prefer moisturizers which are rich in ingredients like Vitamin E and are “non-comedogenic” meaning that they are less likely to clog pores and promote acne.

9.     Find ways to improve and rid yourself of stress

Stress can effect every organ of the body, including skin. Make sure to find ways to alleviate stress for your own well-being – whether it be music, yoga, exercise, etc. Life is too short to be consumed by stress and your skin will reflect it!

10. Treat oily skin

There are many different skin types: oily, dry, and sensitive. Oily skin is one that is predisposed to development of acne (since the bacteria that causes acne thrives in oily, clogged pores). For this skin type, I would recommend following Step 1 (washing the face twice daily) with a cleanser that contains Salicylic acid (less than 2% strength)  instead of just soap and water. Salicylic acid is a mild beta hydroxy acid which decreases inflammation and penetrates into pores to remove excess dirt, debris, and oil which allows for the formation of acne.

I hope these tips help, Nat...cheers to a life full of healthy, beautiful skin!

Please continue to email me your questions at DoctorDeenaMD@gmail.com.

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