Healthy Habits for Healthy Skin: Part 5 of 5

Smoking makes your skin look older and contributes to wrinkles. Smoking narrows the tiny blood vessels in the outermost layers of skin, which decreases blood flow. This depletes the skin of oxygen and nutrients, such as vitamin A, that are important to skin health. Smoking also damages collagen and elastin — fibers that give your skin its strength and elasticity. In addition, the repetitive facial expressions you make when smoking — such as pursing your lips when inhaling and squinting your eyes to keep out smoke — may contribute to wrinkles.

If you smoke, the best way to protect your skin is to quit. Ask your doctor for tips or treatments to help you stop smoking.

-Mayo Clinic

Tip: Debunking a myth - - splashing cold water on skin after cleansing does not make pores smaller. What does work? Exfoliating cleansers with salicylic acid, lotions containing retinoids and peptides to help increase collagen production, and microdermabrasion all can help.

- Write Your Skin a Prescription for Change by Rodan and Fields

Your Skin is a Reflection of Your Inner Health

What do you feed your skin?

Did you know that what you eat may be reflected in your face? To maximize your skin's appearance start with eating properly or adding supplements to your daily regimen. Dermatologists Dr. Katie Rodan and Dr. Kathy Fields recommend the following if taking a daily supplement:

Vitamin D3 (1,000 IU)
Folic Acid (400 mcg)
Magnesium (400 mcg)
Iron (10 - 15 mg) unless you are post-menopausal
Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids
Calcium citrate (1,000-1,500 mg)

It is always best to get your nutrition requirements through food, if possible. Of course, always consult your doctor with any questions or concerns.

Tip: Avoid long hot showers. They draw moisture away from your skin and can cause itchy skin, as well.

-Write Your Skin a Prescription for Change
Dr. Katie Rodan and Dr. Kathy Fields

Healthy Habits for Healthy Skin: Part 4 of 5

Manage stress

Uncontrolled stress can make your skin more sensitive and trigger acne breakouts and other skin problems. To encourage healthy skin — and a healthy state of mind — takes steps to manage your stress. Set reasonable limits, scale back your to-do list and make time to do the things you enjoy. The results may be more dramatic than you expect.

Tip: Cut and paste this Dr. Andrew Weil, MD video on stress reduction. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_HMt8eRiNQ

Healthy Habits for Healthy Skin: Part 3 of 5

Eat a healthy diet

A healthy diet can help you look and feel your best. Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins. The association between diet and acne isn't clear — but research suggests that a diet rich in vitamin C and low in fats and carbohydrates may promote younger looking skin.

Tip: If you want the golden glow of a tan without exposure to damaging UV radiation, consider using a sunless tanning product. Avoid tanning beds, and use a broad-spectrum sunscreen whenever you're outdoors.

Healthy Habits for Healthy Skin: Part 2 of 5

Treat your skin gently

Daily cleansing and shaving can take a toll on your skin, so keep it gentle:

• Limit bath time. Hot water and long showers or baths remove oils from your skin. Limit your bath or shower time, and use warm — rather than hot — water.
• Avoid strong soaps. Strong soaps can strip oil from your skin. Instead, choose mild cleansers.
• Shave carefully. To protect and lubricate your skin, apply shaving cream, lotion or gel before shaving. For the closest shave, use a clean, sharp razor. Shave in the direction the hair grows, not against it.
• Pat dry. After washing or bathing, gently pat or blot your skin dry with a towel so that some moisture remains on your skin.
• Moisturize dry skin. Find a moisturizer that fits your skin type and makes your skin look and feel soft.

Tip: Good effective skin care is incomplete without exfoliation. Exfoliation is very effective in making your skin look younger and also gives blemishes free skin. More on exfoliation in a future blog.

That Pesky Sun Is at It Again

Skin is an excellent record keeper. Every moment of exposure to daylight adds up like money in the bank – the problem is the payoff known as sun damage (also known as photodamage). As the top cause of premature signs of skin aging, sun damage shows on skin in the form of wrinkles and hyperpigmentation, and can lead to a repressed immune system and the potential for skin cancer.

Even if exposure is limited to brief outdoor lunches or a 20-minute walk, cumulative exposure is enough to cause the signs of skin aging. The first line of daily defense against sun damage is daily use of SPF. Even on cloudy or overcast days, UV light can strike skin and cause damage, so simply wearing sunscreen on sunny days isn’t enough.

Tip: Protect your skin from the sun. It may seem like a tan masks acne, but it's only temporary. A tan can cause the body to produce extra sebum, which may worsen your acne, not improve it. Tanning also causes damage to skin that will eventually lead to wrinkles and increase your risk of skin cancer.

Cracked Heels (Udderly Ridiculous?)

Cracked heels are a common foot problem that are often referred to as heel fissures. Cracked heels are commonly caused by dry skin (xerosis), and made more complicated if the skin around the rim of the heel is thick (callus). For most people this is a nuisance and a cosmetic problem but when the fissures or cracks are deep, they are painful to stand on and the skin can bleed - in severe cases this can become infected.


Heel fissures (Cracked Heels)

There are many different possible remedies that one can find online or at their podiatrist. One that I happen to like, which is simple and inexpensive is to apply udder cream. Yes, Udderly Smooth Udder Cream and a pair of socks will do the trick. Rub some on and pull on the socks. Within a few days you will see a marked improvement. Hey, if you have a dairy cow you can take care of her as well. Good luck to you!!

Tip: I cannot stress this enough, even if it is overcast as it has been a lot lately - - wear sunscreen on your face. Sun damaged skin is what make us look old not the wrinkles.