7 habits that harm your skin

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

Sometimes it is enough to change your attitude towards sunburn and nutrition to delay aging.

Cosmetologist Angelica Uzhva will tell you about how we can protect our skin and what seemingly harmless habits harm it.

1. "Paleness does not suit me"

As you know, the sun is the source of life for all living things. Sunlight cheers up and is an anti-stress factor. Nevertheless, we must not forget that UV radiation has a destructive effect on the skin, causing the so-called photoaging. Excess UV rays dehydrate the skin, reduce its tone and turgor, cause hyperpigmentation, rosacea and increase the risk of cancer.

123RF / Konstantin Labunskiy

It is a great misconception to believe that tanning helps to eliminate facial rashes. After exposure to the active sun, the condition of the problem skin only aggravates: the skin thickens due to the active synthesis of keratin cells, the sebaceous ducts become clogged, and the outflow of sebum is disturbed, which leads to a greater appearance of inflammatory elements.

Excessive sun exposure on the skin can also lead to an exacerbation of demodicosis, an inflammatory disease that is caused by a tick (the iron mite normally lives on the skin of every person).

Recently, an allergic reaction to solar radiation is not uncommon. It can be accompanied by itching, rashes, and skin discomfort.

A good beauty habit is to apply sunscreen to exposed areas of your body before leaving the house in hot weather to protect your skin from dangerous UV rays.

2. "Healthy lifestyle is not for me"

Smokers, including passive smokers, put their skin to the test: tobacco smoke strongly dehydrates the skin and, due to tar, over time imparts an unhealthy yellow-brown tint. Smoking triggers the synthesis of an enzyme that breaks down collagen, as a result of which the skin loses its elasticity, firmness and becomes flabby. Dark circles under the eyes, deep wrinkles around the lips, crow's feet, signs of premature aging are just some of what cigarettes bring to the life of a typical smoker.

The same can be said about lovers of strong drinks - alcohol has a negative effect not only on the skin, but also on all body systems.

123RF / Joana Lopes

3. "I drink when I'm thirsty"

Thirst is a sign of moisture deficiency, so you need to consume liquid before this feeling appears.

With age, the water balance in the body is disturbed, and the skin becomes drier, dull and flabby. Lack of moisture slows down the elimination of toxins, which can lead to the appearance of inflammatory elements.

The first thing we can do to help our skin on our own is to drink more water. The daily intake of pure non-carbonated water is about 2 liters (at the rate of 30 ml per 1 kg of weight).

123RF / avemario

Coffee and tea are best kept to a minimum - due to their high caffeine content, they lead to dehydration.

4. "I eat what I want!"

In the modern rhythm of life, it is not so easy to normalize the diet and balance the diet: we often rush, forgetting about breakfast, snack on the run and abuse fast food, and during dinner we try to compensate for the lack of calories for the whole day and inevitably overeat.

Fatty, salty, sweet, spicy, as well as dairy, gluten-containing and refined foods do not give the skin a fresh and radiant look.

In particular, in case of problem skin with an infectious agent of staphylococcus or streptococcus, sweet provokes the appearance of inflammation on the skin of the face, neck, décolleté and back.

Even diets do not always have a positive effect on appearance. After a quick weight loss, many expect enthusiastic compliments from others, but instead of them they receive only comments about their exhausted and tired appearance.

123RF / katiafonti

The reason is simple: after losing weight, the subcutaneous fatty tissue that supports the tissues becomes thinner, which is fraught with dehydration, loss of skin tone and visible signs of early aging.

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In recent years, the topic "PP" (proper nutrition) has gained incredible popularity. Today, recipes for "healthy" dishes have become available to everyone - they can be easily found in cookbooks, on the Internet and in fashion magazines. If you eat 4-6 times a day in small portions and exclude junk food, then the result will be noticeable in a couple of months. The most effective nutrition program, taking into account the individual characteristics of the body, will help to draw up a dietitian or nutritionist.

5. "I am my own doctor"

Someone does not believe in medicine and prefers self-medication, someone avoids doctors since childhood, and someone is afraid to hear bad news from a doctor. Unfortunately, people often find dozens of excuses not to undergo regular examinations and tests.

Ignoring the problem, we do not solve it. Signals from the body such as feeling unwell, constant pain, mood changes, skin defects, etc. should be taken as a reason to seek help from a specialist.

123RF / akkamulator

Also, do not wait until imperfections on the face disappear by themselves - only an experienced cosmetologist can correct the imperfections of problematic and oily skin, choose the right care for sensitive and dry skin, eliminate wrinkles and form clearer facial contours.

6. "Laundry soap is the best means for washing"

Improper or insufficient care is one of the main factors in the deterioration of the skin condition, along with unfavorable environmental conditions and temperature changes. At night, the skin actively "absorbs" what is on its surface, which is why it is so important to wash off makeup before bed. Dirty brushes and sponges are a source of harmful bacteria. Overuse of decorative cosmetics leads to clogging of pores, active production of sebum and the appearance of inflammation. Alcohol-containing lotions that cleanse the face "to a squeak" dry the skin a lot. Frequent use of rough scrubs is too traumatic a way to cleanse dead cells, which is contraindicated in problem skin, since abrasive particles carry germs and pus into open wounds.

123RF / Julia Sudnitskaya

Cosmetologists often have to deal with the consequences of self-medication with "folk" recipes.

In order not to endanger beauty and health, you should give preference to professional cosmetic procedures and high-quality care products, which will help a qualified specialist to choose.

7. "I can't control myself when I'm nervous"

Touching your face with your hands, squinting, wrinkling your forehead, biting your lips, wiping your body with a towel until it turns red, getting rid of blackheads "by hand" are just some of the actions that are often performed unconsciously. In order not to cause mechanical damage to the skin and not to infect open wounds, you must carefully monitor yourself.

123RF / Roman Samborskyi

Sometimes there is a deep psychological problem behind bad habits. If the obsessive desire to inflict microdamage on oneself - biting nails, biting lips until it bleeds, combing damaged areas of the skin, pulling out hair - is characteristic of a person for a long time, then there is reason to talk about dermatomania, which, as a rule, is caused by stress, aggression, neurosis or psychopathology … In this case, the consultation of a psychotherapist is required.

Compliance with the daily regimen, eating healthy products, regular skin care, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, maintaining hygiene, protecting the skin from excessive sun exposure - these are simple but useful steps that will help you maintain a beautiful, young and well-groomed appearance of your skin for a long time.

Angelica V. Uzhva - cosmetologist, dermatovenerologist of the Clinic of German Medical Technologies GMTClinic.