Our skin is the largest organ of the body and is subject to daily abuse by us, well at least I do that to my skin. It is constantly exposed to environmental factors, that affects all of its layers over time, sometimes with visible results. If you are concerned about your skin here’s what not to do anymore, starting today….My 8 bad habits that you should kick:

Too much tanning

There was a time when people thought that it was safe to spend hours in the sun catching that beautiful bronzed tan but dermatologists are loud and clear on this: overexposing your skin to direct sun light contributes to premature skin aging and even skin cancer.

Sun can damage your skins cells and tissues, causing irreversible skin aging. So make sure to minimize the time you are spending on the beach and use protective sunscreen lotions all the time, even in winter. Make sure your face cream has a factor in it even in winter. Most top brands do nowadays do have a spf of some factor.

Smoking

Obviously smoking is bad as it increases the risk of developing lung cancer, emphysema and cardiovascular diseases or can cause strokes. If you add the fact the smoking can cause skin wrinkles you have one really bad habit.

Did you know that smoking has the same negative effects on the skin as the sun, the only difference is that it acts within the body, not outside it. Smoking will just make your skin look bad overtime by decreasing the blood flow and slowing down the wound healing process.

Luckily I don’t smoke but my husband does and I’ve been trying to get him to quit forever. 

Using the wrong products to cleanse your skin

Many people make the mistake of using harsh soaps for cleaning body skin. A better solution would be to use mild cleansers especially for your face, if you have sensitive skin.

If your skin is prone to acne, use oil free cleanser. People with dry skin should use a thin layer of moisturizer after every washing in order to achieve proper skin moisture and to help nourish the skin

Squeezing pimples

Don’t squeeze that pimple, control yourself woman! This usually leads to aggravated acne and can even leave permanent ugly scars.

Instead of squeezing pimples, you could try products containing benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid or even go see a dermatologist or spa therapist for a specialised facial.

Stress

Stress can trigger a lot of health problems including certain skin conditions. I know that I have started breaking out on my chin and cheeks when I get stressed which is a new thing for me.

Other stressed induced skin conditions include psoriasis or rosacea. Stress can also reduce your ability to fight skin irritants and infection. Not to mention that people who are stressed, usually have less time to care for their skin or for their health in general. So, try to find ways to avoid stress as much as you can and take time to have ME time and relax.

Over Exfoliation

Everyone wants to have a young and beautiful glowing skin but this may come with a price. For long lasting healthy skin you should seek the advice of an experienced professional, especially if you are considering advanced procedures such as chemical skin peeling or laser.

Sometimes this process can be irritating, especially if you have a skin condition or you just have sensitive skin. If done wrong, chemical peels and laser can have severe consequences such as skin infections or permanent scars.

You should not do too much skin exfoliation or microdermabrasion at home on your own as these could harm your skin if not done properly. The best thing would be to seek the help of a dermatologist, whenever you want to try various home exfoliation procedures.

Insufficient sleep

More than a quarter of the people sleep less than 7 hours a day including myself.  I tend to catch up on sleep over the weekend and get about 6 hours during the work week. Exhaustion will be visible as dark circles and bags under your eyes in a couple of days if you are not getting enough rest and as you all know it is quite unsightly. Your skin rejuvenates during sleep so make sure you are getting plenty of it and try aim for 7-8 hours per night.

Ignoring warning signs

Your skin is sending you signs all the times so start paying attention to it. A change in the appearance of your moles can be one of the clearest signs of skin cancer and early detection offers a chance to treat the disease before it spreads so pay attention

Once a month, you should evaluate your skin using a mirror. This must be done especially if you have a personal or family history of skin cancer. A full dermatological examination is equally important.

So love your skin and look after it and you and your body will feel all the better for it!

Article by Hayley Vann-Herbert