AshleyMommyto2
05-19-2009, 09:58 AM
Skin Health
The importance of keeping your skin healthy can't be overemphasized. It's the body's first defense against disease and infection, and it protects your internal organs from injuries. It is, in fact, the largest organ in the body. The skin helps regulate body temperature and prevents excess fluid loss, and it also helps your body remove excess water and salt. Skin conditions can affect anyone—young and old, men and women. Acne, psoriasis and eczema are just a few examples of common skin disorders. The good news is that there are a number of simple ways to keep skin healthy, and there also are now many options available to treat skin conditions, if treatment is necessary.If you think you may have a skin problem or need to learn how to better care for your skin, consultation with a dermatologist—a physician who specializes in treating the skin and keeping it healthy—may be in order. Skin problems can be difficult to diagnose because many skin conditions share similar symptoms. An evaluation is key to effective treatment.
~Look Your Best—Limit Sun Exposure~
Facial skin typically looks its best during a woman's 20s. As you age, your skin becomes thinner and often drier. Thinning skin is a result of a breakdown of collagen and elastin fibers. As it ages, skin loses elasticity—especially if it has been exposed to excessive sunlight—and becomes more fragile and drier. However, there are a number of dietary and lifestyle changes that you can make to help keep your skin healthy and young-looking. Because exposure to the sun causes most of the skin changes associated with aging, protecting the skin from the sun is the single most important skin care practice you can adopt. Significant exposure to the sun will wrinkle and dry the skin. Uneven pigmentation—from freckles to small or large brown spots—is another side effect of frequent sunning. Melasma, commonly associated with pregnancy, is brought out by the sun and produces large brown patches on the forehead and cheeks.The most serious consequence of sun exposure is skin cancer. Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer, making up nearly half of all diagnosed cases of cancer, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). Most sun damage occurs prior to the age of 18, but skin cancer can take up to 20 or more years to develop; children who experience just a few serious sunburns are believed to have an increased risk of developing skin cancer later in life.
~Prevention~
Skin care starts with you. Many simple lifestyle changes—such as improving your diet and learning basic skin care techniques can improve your skin's appearance. Discuss prevention tips with your health care professional, and consider these steps:
good nutrition
drinking six to eight glasses of water per day
avoiding alcohol
stopping smoking
using sunscreen regularly
avoiding sun exposure during peak sun hours between 10am and 4pm
wearing protective clothing when outside
Most health care professionals recommend a simple cleansing regimen as the best approach to keep skin healthy: a gentle cleanser using warm (not hot) water, no abrasive scrubs and, when necessary, a moisturizer with sunscreen protection. In addition, you should gently pat your skin dry rather than rub it vigorously after a bath or shower to help avoid irritation and itching.
~Protect Your Skin from the Sun~
Reducing your exposure to the sun is the best way to keep your skin healthy. Here's why:
Sunlight consists of two main types of ultraviolet (UV) rays that damage skin—UVA and UVB rays.
UVB rays are the main cause of sunburn and skin cancer. This type of sunlight intensifies during the summer and can do more damage more quickly than UVA rays. The epidermis absorbs most of the intensity of UVB rays. UVB rays cannot pass through glass, although UVA rays can. UVC rays, another spectrum in sunlight, are also potentially harmful, but the ozone layer blocks them from reaching the earth. UVA and UVB rays are present all year and are hazardous whether they are direct or reflected.
When the sun's ultraviolet radiation reaches the surface of the skin, the skin reacts by producing melanin—otherwise known as a tan—to protect itself. UVA rays are milder than UVB rays, but because their wavelengths are longer, they penetrate deeper through the skin's layers. UVA rays contribute to wrinkling the skin, as well as to the development of skin cancer.
UVA rays also are used in tanning booths. UVA rays in tanning booths not only inflict damage similar to sunlight, they are also more intense in a tanning booth than the equivalent time spent in natural sunlight.
For the best protection from the sun's harmful rays:
Apply sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher 15 to 30 minutes before sun exposure, with careful attention to sun-exposed areas such as the face, hands and arms.
Apply lip balm with an SPF of 15 or higher to protect sun-sensitive lips.
Avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when its rays are strongest.
Wear a large (three-inch), brimmed hat and sunglasses to protect your scalp and eyes.
Reapply sunscreen at least every two hours, but you should apply it more frequently if you have been swimming or sweating. Use about 1 ounce of cream—about one shot glass—to cover your entire body with each application.
Stay in the shade whenever you can.
Limit the time you spend in the sun.
Be aware that the sun's ultraviolet rays can reflect off water, sand, concrete and snow, and can reach below the water's surface as well as burn on an overcast day.
If you are taking an antibiotic or other medication, ask your health care professional if it may increase your skin's sensitivity to the sun and what you should do about it.
Don't forsake the sun altogether. Learn how to protect your skin from the sun's harmful rays and practice "sun safety" whenever you can—cover up with sunscreen and wear light-colored, tightly woven protective clothing and be sensible about how much time you spend in the sun. These steps can help reduce your risk for developing skin cancer and keep your skin looking its best.
~Facts to Know~
1. When the skin becomes dry it needs water and oil to help rejuvenate it.
2. The skin is your body's first defense against disease and infection. It is the largest organ in the body. It helps regulate body temperature and prevent fluid loss; furthermore, it helps your body remove excess water and salt.
3. The process of producing healthy new skin cells and removing or shedding old cells takes about 28 days.
4. As you age, your skin becomes thinner and often drier. Thinning skin is largely a result of a breakdown of collagen fibers. As it ages, skin loses elasticity and becomes more fragile, especially if it has been exposed to excessive sunlight.
5. Because exposure to the sun influences how well your skin ages, protecting the skin from the sun is the single most important practice in skin care.
6. Continuous exposure to the sun will wrinkle, dry out and age the skin, leaving it coarse. Uneven pigmentation—from freckles to brown spots—is another side effect of frequent sunning.
7. The most serious consequence of sun exposure is skin cancer. Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer, making up nearly half of all diagnosed cases of cancer, according to the American Cancer Society.
8. Skin cancer can take up to 20 years or more to develop; it's important to remember that a person's average lifetime sun exposure risk is determined by age 18.
9. Anyone can develop skin cancer, although people with fair complexions tend to be more susceptible to specific types of skin cancer and precancerous conditions than people with darker skin tones.
10. The earliest warning sign of severe skin damage is the development of actinic keratoses. Lesions appear as scaly red/brown bumps on the face, ears, neck, lips and forearms or on the backs of the hands.
Information taken from:
http://www.healthywomen.org/healthtopics/skinhealth
The importance of keeping your skin healthy can't be overemphasized. It's the body's first defense against disease and infection, and it protects your internal organs from injuries. It is, in fact, the largest organ in the body. The skin helps regulate body temperature and prevents excess fluid loss, and it also helps your body remove excess water and salt. Skin conditions can affect anyone—young and old, men and women. Acne, psoriasis and eczema are just a few examples of common skin disorders. The good news is that there are a number of simple ways to keep skin healthy, and there also are now many options available to treat skin conditions, if treatment is necessary.If you think you may have a skin problem or need to learn how to better care for your skin, consultation with a dermatologist—a physician who specializes in treating the skin and keeping it healthy—may be in order. Skin problems can be difficult to diagnose because many skin conditions share similar symptoms. An evaluation is key to effective treatment.
~Look Your Best—Limit Sun Exposure~
Facial skin typically looks its best during a woman's 20s. As you age, your skin becomes thinner and often drier. Thinning skin is a result of a breakdown of collagen and elastin fibers. As it ages, skin loses elasticity—especially if it has been exposed to excessive sunlight—and becomes more fragile and drier. However, there are a number of dietary and lifestyle changes that you can make to help keep your skin healthy and young-looking. Because exposure to the sun causes most of the skin changes associated with aging, protecting the skin from the sun is the single most important skin care practice you can adopt. Significant exposure to the sun will wrinkle and dry the skin. Uneven pigmentation—from freckles to small or large brown spots—is another side effect of frequent sunning. Melasma, commonly associated with pregnancy, is brought out by the sun and produces large brown patches on the forehead and cheeks.The most serious consequence of sun exposure is skin cancer. Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer, making up nearly half of all diagnosed cases of cancer, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). Most sun damage occurs prior to the age of 18, but skin cancer can take up to 20 or more years to develop; children who experience just a few serious sunburns are believed to have an increased risk of developing skin cancer later in life.
~Prevention~
Skin care starts with you. Many simple lifestyle changes—such as improving your diet and learning basic skin care techniques can improve your skin's appearance. Discuss prevention tips with your health care professional, and consider these steps:
good nutrition
drinking six to eight glasses of water per day
avoiding alcohol
stopping smoking
using sunscreen regularly
avoiding sun exposure during peak sun hours between 10am and 4pm
wearing protective clothing when outside
Most health care professionals recommend a simple cleansing regimen as the best approach to keep skin healthy: a gentle cleanser using warm (not hot) water, no abrasive scrubs and, when necessary, a moisturizer with sunscreen protection. In addition, you should gently pat your skin dry rather than rub it vigorously after a bath or shower to help avoid irritation and itching.
~Protect Your Skin from the Sun~
Reducing your exposure to the sun is the best way to keep your skin healthy. Here's why:
Sunlight consists of two main types of ultraviolet (UV) rays that damage skin—UVA and UVB rays.
UVB rays are the main cause of sunburn and skin cancer. This type of sunlight intensifies during the summer and can do more damage more quickly than UVA rays. The epidermis absorbs most of the intensity of UVB rays. UVB rays cannot pass through glass, although UVA rays can. UVC rays, another spectrum in sunlight, are also potentially harmful, but the ozone layer blocks them from reaching the earth. UVA and UVB rays are present all year and are hazardous whether they are direct or reflected.
When the sun's ultraviolet radiation reaches the surface of the skin, the skin reacts by producing melanin—otherwise known as a tan—to protect itself. UVA rays are milder than UVB rays, but because their wavelengths are longer, they penetrate deeper through the skin's layers. UVA rays contribute to wrinkling the skin, as well as to the development of skin cancer.
UVA rays also are used in tanning booths. UVA rays in tanning booths not only inflict damage similar to sunlight, they are also more intense in a tanning booth than the equivalent time spent in natural sunlight.
For the best protection from the sun's harmful rays:
Apply sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher 15 to 30 minutes before sun exposure, with careful attention to sun-exposed areas such as the face, hands and arms.
Apply lip balm with an SPF of 15 or higher to protect sun-sensitive lips.
Avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when its rays are strongest.
Wear a large (three-inch), brimmed hat and sunglasses to protect your scalp and eyes.
Reapply sunscreen at least every two hours, but you should apply it more frequently if you have been swimming or sweating. Use about 1 ounce of cream—about one shot glass—to cover your entire body with each application.
Stay in the shade whenever you can.
Limit the time you spend in the sun.
Be aware that the sun's ultraviolet rays can reflect off water, sand, concrete and snow, and can reach below the water's surface as well as burn on an overcast day.
If you are taking an antibiotic or other medication, ask your health care professional if it may increase your skin's sensitivity to the sun and what you should do about it.
Don't forsake the sun altogether. Learn how to protect your skin from the sun's harmful rays and practice "sun safety" whenever you can—cover up with sunscreen and wear light-colored, tightly woven protective clothing and be sensible about how much time you spend in the sun. These steps can help reduce your risk for developing skin cancer and keep your skin looking its best.
~Facts to Know~
1. When the skin becomes dry it needs water and oil to help rejuvenate it.
2. The skin is your body's first defense against disease and infection. It is the largest organ in the body. It helps regulate body temperature and prevent fluid loss; furthermore, it helps your body remove excess water and salt.
3. The process of producing healthy new skin cells and removing or shedding old cells takes about 28 days.
4. As you age, your skin becomes thinner and often drier. Thinning skin is largely a result of a breakdown of collagen fibers. As it ages, skin loses elasticity and becomes more fragile, especially if it has been exposed to excessive sunlight.
5. Because exposure to the sun influences how well your skin ages, protecting the skin from the sun is the single most important practice in skin care.
6. Continuous exposure to the sun will wrinkle, dry out and age the skin, leaving it coarse. Uneven pigmentation—from freckles to brown spots—is another side effect of frequent sunning.
7. The most serious consequence of sun exposure is skin cancer. Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer, making up nearly half of all diagnosed cases of cancer, according to the American Cancer Society.
8. Skin cancer can take up to 20 years or more to develop; it's important to remember that a person's average lifetime sun exposure risk is determined by age 18.
9. Anyone can develop skin cancer, although people with fair complexions tend to be more susceptible to specific types of skin cancer and precancerous conditions than people with darker skin tones.
10. The earliest warning sign of severe skin damage is the development of actinic keratoses. Lesions appear as scaly red/brown bumps on the face, ears, neck, lips and forearms or on the backs of the hands.
Information taken from:
http://www.healthywomen.org/healthtopics/skinhealth