By: Dr. Craig Crippen
Happy new year everyone! Here’s hoping that 2012 is your happiest and healthiest year yet. And I’m not just saying that either. I really mean it! In fact, I’ve been quite excited over the past several months to be learning so much about skin care and skin care treatments, that I already feel healthier than ever before.
Well, at least I’m more health-conscious than I’ve ever been. And my friends are all very well aware of it. It’s not like I bombard them with skin care tips now that I’ve been blogging about them so often – well, maybe I do – but I just know that taking care of your body’s largest organ is a great way to stay young and healthy.
Many of my friends insist that they are not in any rush to undergo any skin care treatments, and considering their young ages, I don’t necessarily blame them. However, one can surmise that most people with skin problems have them because years of neglect. Try going out in the sun everyday without sunscreen and see if you don’t look weathered before your time!
It happens all too often. Unfortunately, most of us take our skin for granted. We don’t seem to realize that what we consider normal everyday activities can actually be damaging to our skin over time. According to WholeFitness.com, the two most damaging things that one can do to his or her skin are very common practices.
The first is getting direct sunlight to it. If you really don’t want to consider any skin care treatments for skin cancer in your future, you may want to start using sunscreen on a regular basis. According to GoSunSmart.org, using one with an SPF of no lower than 15 is most highly recommended. The second common practice is breathing in tobacco smoke.
By now, I don’t think anyone really needs a “smoking is bad for you” speech, but it should be known that smoking doesn’t stop at your lungs when it comes to doing damage to your body. As WholeFitness.com points out, “smoking causes vasoconstriction, which means you starve your skin of nutrient-bearing blood.”
This, by the way, means that you should do your best to stay away from cigarette smoke at all costs. That, of course, goes for non-smokers too! Another common cause for aged skin is dehydration. We all have heard that drinking a lot of water is a healthy practice. And good skin care is one of the reasons for that.
In next week’s blog, I’ll discuss a little bit further how drinking habits can either give you a lovely and luscious look or cause you to look “dreary and crusty”! Haha – that was one for my friends. But then again, we’re all friends now aren’t we? So, to you all, a happy and healthy 2012!
