Antibacterial soap
If you are using soap on your skin rather than a skin cleanser you will need to be very careful that you select one that is suitable for your skin type.
Opinions on the use of soap on face skin are divided with most beauticians recommending that a skin cleanser is more suitable for the face.
It is true that many types of soap can be too harsh for face skin and in particular for those people who have dry complexions. Soap does have a tendency to dry the skin out and if it is used on someone who already has dry skin it will only intensify the condition.
For oily skin soap doesn’t present as much of a problem and it can be a suitable product to use as well as being very cost effective.
For people who are prone to acne and other skin blemishments, provided once again that this is not the result of very sensitive skin, an antibacterial soap can do wonders.
A more suitable product in most instances will be a skin cleanser. Skin cleansers are available in various formulations and there should be one that will be suitable for almost any skin type.
They are milder than soap and more suitable for the face.
Other options that are well worth looking at are the complexion bars. These bars look like a bar of soap but they are mild cleansers in the form of a soap bar making them both convenient and excellent for cleaning the skin.
As with liquid cleaners the complexion bars come in many different formulations targeting the various skin types. Manufacturers all have there own slight variations so once again there will need to be a little bit of trial and sampling to find the one that is best for your skin.
Rates of skin cancer
Have you ever noticed when they have those programs on television where they try to make ordinary people off the street look years younger that they always seem to choose people who have been smokers for a long period of time?
There is a very good reason for this and that is because cigarette smoking is one of the biggest causes of skin deterioration along with sun exposure.
Not only does smoking affect your skin condition but being around smokers and having to breathe their secondhand smoke will also affect your own skin condition.
Cigarette smoke contains a high concentration of a compound that destroys the DNA of skin cells and in doing so reduces the ability for those skin cells to renew themselves.
The problems for the smoker are considerable. It is quite easy to spot a smoker from the fine lines that have formed prematurely around the mouth as a result of the action of sucking on cigarettes.
There are generally lines around the eyes from trying to look through the smoke haze.
The nicotine in the cigarettes slows blood circulation and this in turn causes other skin problems including higher rates of skin cancer and an inability to heal if there is ever any damage caused to the skin.
Smokers will usually have thinner dryer skin and an inability to utilize antioxidants that are required for maintaining a healthy skin.
The skin will rapidly begin to look lifeless and will lose its tone with increased smoking.
Only excessive exposure to the sun will cause more damage faster than smoking and a combination of the two will ensure that you look old well beyond your years.
Smokers have skin that is considerably thinner than non-smokers due to the deterioration of collagen and elastin and this is also responsible for the skin sagging.
Satin pillow
We are all well aware of the benefits of getting a good night’s sleep but many people don’t understand the importance of sleep for keeping our skin in the best condition possible.
Sleep is the time when the cells of the body are repaired and this includes skin cells.
Studies have shown that sleep deprivation reduces a person’s levels of growth hormone and it is these growth hormones that are required for the repair process.
The less growth hormone that we have the less opportunity the body has to repair the damage that has occurred to the skin throughout the normal course of the day.
The rate of new skin cells that are produced by the body doubles during periods of sleep so the more sleep you get the faster your skin cells will be produced and the younger you are likely to look.
Without this cell regeneration or with cell product reduced below certain levels the skin will tend to become more wrinkled and lose its tone.
While all this might lead you to think that you should be spending more hours in bed you need to consider the effects that too many hours in bed might have on your skin too.
Yes there is always something else to think about and this time it is the way that you sleep. Most people tend to sleep on their side or face down and in doing so their face gets crease marks from the extended time that the face is pushed against the pillow. When we are younger this is not a problem, however as we age and there is less elastin in our skin the crease marks take longer to disappear and if we continue to sleep in the same position every night these marks can remain permanent.
The alternative it to sleep on your back or to get softer pillows and satin pillow slips to reduce the marks.
Broken capillaries
There are several different classifications for skin types and these are all determined according to the amount of oil that your skin produces.
Your skin type will also affect the types of problems you might have to endure throughout various stages of your life.
Normal skin will have medium sized pores and an even texture. This is obviously the ideal skin and will appear smooth and healthy looking. This skin will have good circulation and color and the only area where there might be a problem is a tendency to become a little dry around the cheeks.
Oily skin on the other hand will show in a more shiny skin tone and the larger pores that are associated with oily skin will also make blackheads and blemishes more prevalent.
Dry skin will feel tight and more so after cleansing. It will be more prone to fine wrinkles, red patches and flaking. It can also appear dull, and to some extent this is due to the buildup of dead skin.
Sensitive skin is delicate, thin and has fine pores. People with thin skin will appear to blush more easily and can be susceptible to rashes and other skin irritations. Broken capillaries are also another problem that faces people with sensitive skin.
These are the main skin types but there are other factors that can affect the condition of ones skin.
Naturally your genes will determine what type of skin you are likely to have but our lifestyle can also have a bearing on the condition of our skin. Stress, nutrition, medication and many more factors can change the condition of skin.
No matter what type of skin you have, addressing these issues will ensure that you will make the most of the skin that you have inherited and reduce the problems that are associated with your skin type.
Skin complexion
As you move from your teenage years to your early 20s most people notice some changes in the skin. Generally the skin will tend to improve, with less of the spots that can cause so much suffering through the teenage years.
The skin is generally a lot more normal than it will be at many of the times in your life. During this time there is less necessity for face care products although using good products at this time will ensure that your skin stays good as you age.
For those who have had a bit too much exposure to the sun in the teenage years the first signs of damage might start to appear in the form of broken capillaries, freckles and lines around the eyes.
Hopefully for those who have been exposed to the sun they will take this as a warning sign to be a more careful in the future as sun damage is cumulative.
As you move into your 30s, once again provided you haven’t been over exposed to the sun, your skin complexion should still look firm and youthful.
The fine lines that you saw starting to appear in your 20s will become more pronounced as will other signs of sun damage such as freckles and other pigmentation changes.
The skin won’t be producing the same levels of oil as in younger years, and this can sometimes lead to dryness.
Later on in your 30s you might start to notice sensitivities to various different products that you have used without problems for years.
It can be seen that the earlier you begin to look after your skin the better condition that it will be later in life.
The biggest factor that will determine the condition of your skin in your 20s and 30s will be how often and how much you expose your skin to the sun.