Top Ideas to Make Your National Skin Care Awareness Month Even Better
National Skin Care Awareness Month is a great reminder of how important it is to take care of your skin, not only this month but every month! Your skin is your first impression to those you speak to face to face, and we want your skin to look healthy, ageless, and glowing. The dermatologists at the Dermatology & Mohs Surgery Institute have three ideas on how to make that happen for you and how to make this National Skin Care Awareness Month even better.
How to Treat Your Skin
Wear Sunscreen
Sunscreen is the most important aspect of taking care of your skin. It helps to add moisture and keep your skin hydrated, but it also protects against skin cancer. Sunscreen should be applied to your face each morning regardless of whether or not you think you will be directly in the sun for a long period of time. Even when the sun is hiding behind the clouds, its harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays can cause sun damage to the skin. They cause sunburn and in worst case scenarios can result in skin cancer.
If you plan to be out in the sun or at a beach or pool, sunscreen should be reapplied often to ensure you are protecting your skin. Although it protects from sun damage, it also helps to keep the skin hydrated and from looking dull and dry. Hydration is just as important as blocking UV rays.
Hydrate
Our skin often lacks moisture, and if it lacks too much, it can really begin to show. Without staying hydrated from drinking enough water and without giving our skin moisture from a good skincare routine, the skin begins to look dry and dull. It is recommended to drink 11.5 cups of water per day for women and 15.5 cups of water per day for men. Although it sounds like a lot, 20 percent of that will often come from the food you eat too.
In addition to drinking water, you need to apply moisturizing products to your skin to help the hydration process as well as give your skin its healthy glow back. It is important to find skincare products that add hydration rather than strip hydration from your skin. Therefore, you should reevaluate your skin care routine yearly.
Re-evaluate Your Skin Care Routine
What has worked for your skin in the past may not work for you now. Reevaluate the products you use in your skin care routine to see if you need to add something new to your routine or remove a product, and check your products to see if they have expired. Every good skin care routine includes a cleanser, toner, moisturizer, and sunscreen.
A proper cleanser doesn’t strip your skin of its hydration and is gentle on your skin to ensure that irritation doesn’t occur. Toner should also have gentle, hydrating ingredients as it preps your skin for the rest of your skin care routine and makeup (if you choose to apply any). A good moisturizer adds hydration to the skin and should have glycolic acid in it as one of the main ingredients. Lastly, use a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher to ensure your skin is always protected from the sun.
Sunscreen, hydration, and a good skin care routine are important reminders as we enter National Skin Care Awareness Month. If you have questions or need recommendations on your skin care routine and are in Bloomington, Illinois or the surrounding areas, complete this form. A dermatologist at the Dermatology & Mohs Surgery Institute will be in touch soon.