Summer is finally here! Lazy days at the beach, pool parties, and
ball games. Summer is so much fun.

So, go ahead and enjoy the outdoors ‘til your heart is content. Just remember to take care of your skin by giving it the nutrients and protection it needs.

Sun Exposure: The Good News and Bad News

The sun isn’t as evil as some
make it out to be. Here’s the good news about sun exposure. It:

• Boosts vitamin D

• Reduces blood
  pressure

• Improves heart health

• Improves mood by
  releasing endorphins and serotonin, aka “The Happy
  Hormone”

• Reduces chronic pain

As you can see, these benefits aren’t just skin deep because they affect the health of your bones, heart functioning, and inflammation.

But, now for the bad news, too much sun can:

• Lead to harmless patches of dark skin called solar lentigines

• Cause carcinoma and
  melanoma (skin cancer)

• Damage our skin cells

UV radiation bombards our planet. The skin is affected by UVA and UVB radiation. UVA radiation penetrates the skin, while UVB radiation damages the DNA indirectly. But one of the most noticeable consequences of unhealthy sun exposure is rapidly aging skin.

The 5 Best Ways to Protect Your Skin from Unhealthy Sun Exposure

We don’t have to avoid the sun. We may still enjoy summer fun as long as we protect our skin. Here are the five best ways to nourish and protect your skin this summer.

1. Use SPF lotion or cream. Make sure to use a broad spectrum sunscreen with at least SPF 30, and apply it at least 15 to 30 minutes BEFORE going out into the sun to adequately protect your skin from UVA and UVB rays; use it every single day and not just when going swimming.

2. Try to avoid or limit exposure from 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM when the sun’s rays are most intense. And check the news for the UV index to know how much skin-damaging UV radiation is reaching the earth.

3.  Enjoy the shade. Avoid too much time in direct sunlight. If you don’t have a choice and there’s no shade, wear long sleeves, pants, a hat, and sunglasses. Remember to protect your neck, too.

4.  Drink water because it helps to moisturize the skin in hot weather. Moisturize your skin after being out in the sun to help reduce dry patches.

5.  Visit a dermatologist regularly. A dermatologist is essential for keeping your skin healthy and avoiding damage, and for detecting skin cancer early. In fact, according to skincancer.org, more people are diagnosed with skin cancer in the United States each year than all other cancers combined.

The sun can be a friend or foe, but you can have fun in the sun as long as you remember to nourish and protect your skin by following these five best practices.

The post The Five Best Ways To Protect Your Skin From The Sun appeared first on Lifestyle.

In ancient times, people used herbal formulas to maintain their youthful skin and appearance, but the modern era ushered in easier, not necessarily healthier, ways to satisfy those desires.

Today, we rely on chemical laboratories and cosmetic surgeons to look years younger than our biological age. Who doesn’t want skin that looks 28 when you’re 53?

But many of the commercial creams that promise glowing complexions, contain antibiotics, hormones, and other irritants that can cause drying, swelling, itchiness, and rashes.

Fortunately, there are safer alternatives. Here are some helpful tips in your quest to slow the signs of aging and to have a more youthful appearance.

Stay out the sun – it’s that simple

Sunshine yields a multitude of wellness benefits…but youthful looking skin isn’t necessarily one of them if you spend more than 15 – 20 minutes in the sun daily.

The sun can drain natural oils from the skin and moisture from the body, hastening the skin-aging process. Overexposure to the sun is one of the causes of leathery-looking skin and dark spots, not to mention increased risk of skin melanoma, with over 200,000 new cases each year.

Between the hours of 11am – 3pm, the sun produces burning infrared rays, which cause a breakdown in the body’s tissues. Try to schedule your outdoor activities to occur before or after these hours.

Also, use sunscreen with a powerful SPF to protect your skin against UV radiation; reapply every one to two hours, especially if sweating or in the water.

Consider these skin saving tips, too:

• Wear a hat if you’ll be in the sun for an extended period of time. Avoid hats with wide weaves or holes because the sun’s rays can still get through and burn you. If it’s wintertime, a season that can dry out your skin, causing wrinkles, a light scarf worn across your face can protect your skin from the wind and sun.

• Wear quality sunglasses. Choose glasses that offer 100% UV protection from the sun’s harmful rays. Wrap-around, and oversized sunglasses, offer extra protection. Also, look for polarized lenses as they will reduce glare and eye strain, which can have an aging effect on your eyes.

• Physical activity increases circulation, which removes toxic waste from your system while increasing the nutrients that give your skin a healthy glow.

• Stop smoking. Nicotine and cigarette smoke speed the natural aging process, causing premature skin damage, disease and accelerated aging.

• Botox and laser treatments: Botox treatments relax the facial wrinkles, preventing them from getting deeper. There are less-invasive skin treatments like IPL (intense pulsed light treatment). Some people also seem to have success with infrared saunas, not just for their aches and pains but for their skin complexion too.

Before you pursue any clinical options, you’ll need to decide whether these treatments are right for you, so proceed with caution. And before you do anything, always check with your physician first.

Taking care of your skin is probably the easiest thing you can do to keep it healthy and looking young. Moisturize your skin daily, exfoliate it once a week, apply anti-aging creams, drink plenty of water and eat skin-friendly foods (think salads instead of French fries) that keep your skin hydrated and elastic. You might also consider taking a supplement that is packed with antioxidants.

Lastly, the best thing you can do for younger looking skin is to get your sleep. Beauty sleep is a thing; you know the drill, we need seven to eight hours of sleep each night for the body to repair, restore and rejuvenate itself. One of the fastest ways to accelerate aging and look years older than your biological age is to miss out on the sleep your body requires for optimal health.

Having that youthful glow and younger-looking skin begins with deciding to tweak your lifestyle. Getting enough rest is a great place to start because it reduces stress AND decreases wrinkles. Think of it this way: your lifestyle can give you age compliant skin, where you look your age (or much older), OR, it can give you age-defiant skin, where you have the vitality and complexion of a person half your age!

The post How To Look Younger By Protecting Your Skin From Sun Damage appeared first on Lifestyle.

If you have acne, you probably get your share of unsolicited advice about how to take care of your troubled skin. You’ve heard it all from “don’t eat fatty foods” to “exfoliate daily with a homemade oatmeal face scrub.” And you’ve probably tried everything, too hoping to find that one magic cure.

There’s No Miracle Cure for Acne

Sadly, there’s no miracle cure for acne. What works for one person might not work for another, which is why much of the advice you receive doesn’t help your skin. The reason why is because there are many different causes for acne including hormones, excess oil production, clogged hair follicles, bacteria, even medication & stress.

Diet & Acne

The jury is still out on whether diet affects acne. Some studies have found a connection between acne and a high glycemic diet. Sugar and processed carbohydrates spike blood sugar. Over time, this causes insulin resistance, which then affects sebum production.

One diet that has gotten a lot of attention in recent years because of its effects on longevity is the calorie restriction diet. But despite its many benefits, studies have yet to demonstrate that caloric restriction helps with the treatment of acne.

However, most experts seem to agree that the standard American diet isn’t great for your skin. If you have troubled skin, its best to play it safe and eat healthy. This means avoiding sugary and fatty junk food as much as possible.

Skin Care Tips for Acne Prone Skin

The American Academy of Dermatology suggests that you wash your face twice daily. This is especially important if you have oily skin with hair follicles that tend to get clogged. Regular cleaning removes excess oil and prevents clogged pores and hair follicles.

When you wash your face, do it gently, don’t scrub. Scrubbing your skin only irritates it and makes your acne worse. Use a good oil-free moisturizer with SPF protection after washing. Don’t forget to wash anything that touches your face regularly like pillowcases and hats.

Some dermatologists recommend using retinol-based products which are made from vitamin A. These products get rid of dead skin cells and work to prevent clogged pores. There are many over-the-counter, retinol-based skin care products from which to choose.

If you have tried several over-the-counter products and nothing seems to be working, it’s time to see a dermatologist. He or she will diagnose the cause of your acne and prescribe treatment accordingly. The treatment could be topical antibiotics and/or oral antibiotics for acne that is caused by bacteria, or maybe even a stronger, more effective prescription version of a Retinol-based product to treat excess oil production.

Having acne prone skin is a common problem that affects millions of people; it’s particularly distressing for teens. And all of the unsolicited advice from well-intentioned people can make the emotional impact even worse. However, acne is a medical condition and, like any other ailment, is totally treatable. Ongoing treatment coupled with proper skin care can reduce the physical and emotional toll of living with acne prone skin.

The post Caring for Acne Prone Skin appeared first on Lifestyle.