Five Things to Know About Your Skin

Your skin is your largest organ, and must be protected.

As a fair-skinned person, I was warned from an early age to take care of, and protect my skin. This isn’t something we are taught as a general rule however, and I know most people don’t even realize they should be moisturizing until their late 20s, and by the then most of the damage is already done.

Whether you realize it or not though, the condition of our skin has a lot to do with our health in general, like acting as a shield for dangerous pathogens, and protecting our inner organs from abuse. So here are five things you should know about your skin to stay happy and healthy.

1. Moles and skin spots should not be ignored. Any time you notice a new spot or mole on your body you should keep an eye on it. If it grows, or forms an irregular shape, you should have it checked. If you are worried about it at all, you should have it checked. If it doesn’t go away after three weeks, you should have it checked. I can’t stress it enough that if you are concerned about your skin, its better to be safe than sorry.

READ MORE: Five Food Rules to Keep Your Skin Glowing

2. Wrinkles can give us clues about our overall health. Since skin and bone are made of the same type of collagen, deep wrinkles can give us an indication that we may suffer from low bone density later in life. Wrinkles in general are a sign that your body isn’t making enough elastin, which keeps blood vessels healthy. They can also indicate that we aren’t getting enough sleep, as a 2013 study found that women who received less than five hours of sleep per night had more fine lines.

3.Sunspots, freckles, and patches of gray skin can be treated in one of three ways:

-Tri-luma cream contains skin-bleach, a retinoid to exfoliate, and a steroid to combat irritation, for about $150.

-Glycolic acid peels contain 30 percent glycolic acid, and basically peel off outer layers of your skin to expose fresh skin underneath. They cost $200+ per peel, and require 3-5 peels for results.

-Lasers are great for freckles and sunspots. They require several treatments at $500 per session, but the results are effective.

4.Acne isn’t just for teenagers, in fact it can worsen as we age. For some women it happens as early as their 30s, when estrogen levels drop. This can cause oil glands to work overtime, and adult acne to surface. The best way to handle this is with a retinol cream, which will increase the rate of cell turnover and open your pores.

5.What you consume affects your skin. If you are having skin issues as an adult, try simple things first, like swapping out your caramel macchiato for plain iced coffee, or grilled red meat for salmon. If you are eating a lot of citrus, try watermelon instead, since citrus has a substance in it that makes us more sensitive to harmful UV rays.

Its never too early to be more aware of your skin, so teaching your kids good skincare habits overall is a surefire way to make sure they don’t repeat the same mistakes you did.

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