By Dr. Farid Mostamand

Developing Good Skin Care Habits

It is amazing how as we grow older we are so much wiser - about what we should or should not eat or what we should do about our skin and should have done years earlier when we were in our teens. The reality is that if we had started sooner to take care of our skin correctly, we would not be dealing with skin that looks older than we are.

Because we didn't take care of it properly all those years ago, we are fighting the battle of trying to remedy a situation that is out of control and in some cases cannot be won. All it takes is a little discipline and we all can still have skin that looks younger than our age if we just take care of it properly. But the important lesson here is that we should teach our children to develop good skin care habits when they are young.

Start Habits Early

Good hygiene is one of the most important things a child or teenager can learn about keeping their skin healthier and younger looking. Cleansing the skin starts when a child learns to wash their hands and face and continues as they age so that it becomes a major part of their daily routine. Clean skin is essential particularly in keeping acne and blemishes and other skin conditions like Rosacea under control. Here are a few tips that should become a daily routine as you age:

Washing the face twice daily in the morning and evening and ensuring that a good yet gentle cleanser is used without scrubbing the skin but softly massaging it to remove dirt and grime that builds up. There are special cleansers for those with sensitive skin or for those with acne or oily skin so you should look for the product that does not irritate your skin.

Use of sunscreen is an essential that should continue throughout your life. As a child is often in the sun, sunscreen should be used not only on the face but on the exposed body as well to ensure that the child does not get sunburn. This should continue throughout your life especially for those with fair skin or skin that is very sensitive as it can cause other problems with too much exposure to the sun.

Avoid too much makeup as teenagers can easily clog up their pores that often lead to acne or an outbreak of blemishes. Makeup and other cosmetics can contain harsh chemicals that can irritate the skin especially if it is sensitive so care should be taken with the type of makeup that is used and also ensure that a minimal amount is applied so that it is not caked on. Use makeup that is labeled as noncomedogenic although if their skin is prone to acne it might not help.

Do not use sun tanning booths as they can be a health hazard that will deeply affect their skin later in life as it can cause skin cancer especially if used often. It is worse than sitting out in the sun without any sunscreen.

Shampoo the hair at least two to three times per week as hair follicles can also get clogged and cause blemishes to occur especially if it is constantly falling in your face so try to keep it away as much as possible.

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Posted in: good skin care, habits, older