Healthy, clear skin can make you look years younger than you actually are. It is a sign of pride in your appearance to care for your skin and keep it looking young, supple and fresh. Additionally, healthy skin is an important health consideration. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 1 million people are diagnosed with skin cancer in the United States each year, and proper skin care can help prevent this disease.
Step 1
Use sunscreen. There is no easier way to care for your skin than using sunscreen every day. The Mayo Clinic recommends applying broad-spectrum sunscreen 30 minutes before heading outside. Make sure to apply cream to your chest, ears and tops of your feet---areas that are often overlooked.
Step 2
Avoid exposure to the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. whenever possible. During those hours, the sun's rays are especially strong and likely to cause skin damage, according to the Mayo Clinic. If you must be outdoors, minimize exposure with wide-brimmed hats, long pants and long sleeves.
Step 3
Treat pimples with cream medication instead of popping them. KidsHealth, part of the Nemours Foundation for Children's Health Media, observes that "popping pimples can push infected material further into the skin, leading to more swelling, redness and even scarring." For serious, bothersome acne, visit a dermatologist for cortizone shots.
Step 4
Drink lots of water. According to Healthy-Skincare.com, water consumption helps flush the toxins out of your system and carry nutrients to your cells. Both functions prevent acne and help improve skin tone.
Step 5
Stub out your smoking habit. Can Stop Smoking reminds readers that smoking "reduces the amount of blood flowing to the skin and dries it out." Eventually, this contributes to wrinkles. Also, when you smoke, your skin is exposed to the chemicals in cigarettes, adding to the problem of a dull, flaky dermis.
Step 6
Avoid touching your face too frequently, and wash things that often come into contact with your skin, such as sheets, cell phones, sun glasses and makeup applicators.
Step 7
Visit a dermatologist for a skin check. He will record any moles that you have and will be able to monitor them and remove them if they change in size or color over the years.
Step 8
Know how to recognize a dangerous mole. Use the ABCD approach to moles: Look for asymmetry, examine the border, notice the color and measure the diameter. Asymmetry, growing borders, multiple colors and large diameters are bad signs. Visit a dermatologist immediately for removal and biopsy.
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