NATIONAL HEALTHY SKIN MONTH
Your skin is your body's largest organ, so it's important to take good care of it. November is National Healthy Skin Month and this year we are helping you achieve #YourHealthiestSkin from head to toe. Follow these tips to keep all of your skin looking and feeling its best. If you have questions or concerns about caring for your skin, Petra is always happy to discuss and support your skin care needs.
How you wash your face can make a difference in your appearance. Follow these tips from dermatologists to help you keep your face looking healthy.
Use a gentle, non-abrasive cleanser that does not contain alcohol.
Wet your face with lukewarm water and use your fingertips to apply cleanser. Using a washcloth, or anything other than your fingertips can irritate your skin.
Resist the temptation to scrub your skin because scrubbing irritates the skin.
Rinse with lukewarm water and pat dry with a soft towel.
Apply moisturizer. Be gentle when applying any cream around your eyes so you do not pull too hard on this delicate skin.
Limit washing to twice a day and after sweating. Wash your face once in the morning and once at night, as well as after sweating heavily. Perspiration, especially when wearing a hat or helmet, irritates the skin. Wash your skin as soon as possible after sweating.
Follow these tips to protect your skin from the sun's damaging ultraviolet rays and reduce your risk of skin cancer:
Seek shade when appropriate, remembering that the sun’s rays are strongest between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. If your shadow is shorter than you are, seek shade.
Wear sun-protective clothing, such as a lightweight and long-sleeved shirt, pants, a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses with UV protection, when possible. For more effective sun protection, select clothing with an ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) label.
Apply a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher. Broad-spectrum sunscreen provides protection from both UVA and UVB rays.
Use sunscreen whenever you are going to be outside, even on cloudy days.
Apply enough sunscreen to cover all skin not covered by clothing. Most adults need about 1 ounce — or enough to fill a shot glass — to fully cover their body.
Don’t forget to apply to the tops of your feet, your neck, your ears and the top of your head.
When outdoors, reapply sunscreen every two hours, or after swimming or sweating.
Use extra caution near water, snow, and sand, as they reflect the damaging rays of the sun, which can increase your chance of sunburn.
Avoid tanning beds. Ultraviolet light from tanning beds can cause skin cancer and premature skin aging.
Consider using a self-tanning product if you want to look tan, but continue to use sunscreen with it.
Perform regular skin self-exams to detect skin cancer early, when it’s most treatable, and see a dermatologist if you notice new or suspicious spots on your skin, or anything changing, itching or bleeding.
A tan is a sign that your skin has been injured
Whether you’re exposed to the sun’s UV rays or visit an indoor tanning salon, every time you tan, your skin is damaged. As this damage builds, you speed up the aging of your skin and increase your risk for all types of skin cancer, including melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.
How to perform a skin self-exam
Examine your body in a full-length mirror
Examine your body front and back in the mirror, then look at the right and left sides with your arms raised.
Look at your underarms, forearms, and palms
Bend elbows and look carefully at forearms, underarms, and palms.
Look at your legs, between toes, and soles of your feet
Look at the backs of your legs and feet, the spaces between your toes, and the soles of your feet.
Use a hand mirror to examine your neck and scalp
Examine the back of your neck and scalp with a hand mirror. Part hair for a closer look.
Use a hand mirror to check your back and buttocks
Finally, check your back and buttocks with a hand mirror.