Most of us desire youthful, vibrant, healthy-looking skin. It’s the largest organ and serves various functions, like regulating temperature and protecting your body from external contaminants. However, your skin is also a substantial part of your identity, appearance, and self-esteem. As your skin’s condition can impact your physical and emotional well-being, it’s natural to want to do what you can to keep it in tip-top shape.
While adopting a healthy lifestyle and a daily skincare routine is beneficial, it’s not always enough to get the desired results. That’s because there’s more to healthy skin than most people realize. Believe it or not, various factors can affect your skin. Understanding these aspects can help you make better decisions to achieve your health and beauty goals. Continue reading to learn more.
The Environment
From air pollution to climate, your external environment plays a substantial role in your skin’s health. For example, if you live in a city where air quality is often poor, your skin is exposed every time you walk out the door. Working in a building with an HVAC system provides comfort, but they rob moisture from the air leaving your skin dehydrated.
Skincare Tips: While you may not have much control over the environment, you can maintain youthful-looking skin by altering your daily habits or investing in the appropriate products. For example, drinking more water and using healthy skin lotion can help retain moisture in a hot and dry climate.
Technology
It may come as a surprise, but modern-day conveniences like televisions, computers, laptops, tablets, and smartphones can harm your skin. These devices emit blue light, which has the same effects as UV rays from the sun. Spending too much time in front of these screens can accelerate aging, increase dryness, boost sensitivity, and alter your sleep cycle (which is also bad for your skin).
Lastly, smartphones and touch screens are breeding grounds for germs and bacteria. When you use these devices and touch your face, it can cause breakouts and other skin problems.
Skincare Tips: Unplugging and taking a break from technology is the best method to maintain healthy skin. However, avoidance isn’t always possible. In that case, you should consider using blue light screen protectors to reduce the impact on your skin. Finally, remember to clean and sanitize your devices regularly.
Fabrics, Linens, And Clothing
Everyone loves the finest fashions and the best decor, but not all of them are suitable for your skin. Many of the products available today are made with synthetic fabrics, dyes, and other harmful ingredients. When exposed to your skin, it can cause rashes and irritation. The cleanliness of these products is also worth considering. Take your pillows and bath towels, for instance. When you don’t wash them regularly, the dirt, germs, and bacteria build up and sit on your skin for hours, causing problems.
Skincare Tips: While you don’t have to compromise your sense of fashion or style, you should be mindful of the types of fabrics, linens, and clothing you purchase. Opting for organic environmentally-friendly products reduces your exposure to harmful chemicals. Lastly, regularly washing your clothes and linens is highly recommended.
Underlying Health Problems And Medications
Sometimes, a skin issue is a sign that something more substantial is going on internally. Various conditions can affect your skin, from stress and hormonal imbalances to iron deficiency and lupus. Many of these conditions go undetected in their early stages, so you may not realize you have a problem. Another factor is prescription and over-the-counter medications. Some of these pharmaceuticals have side effects that could cause an adverse skin reaction.
Skincare Tips: If you’ve tried various ways to improve the health of your skin with little to no results, scheduling an appointment with a doctor or dermatologist is ideal for getting to the root of the problem. If you believe your medication is the culprit, contact the prescribing physician and report your concerns.
Achieving youthful flawless-looking skin goes beyond choosing the right skincare products and developing a healthy lifestyle. As you can see, several factors can impact your skin’s appearance. While you cannot control them all, you can use the above skincare tips to minimize issues and achieve your desired results.
