The skin, being the largest organ in the body, is what people first notice when they look at you. Its condition reflects your overall personality. For this reason, taking care of the skin to look clear and smooth is essential.
But hormonal changes, stress, pollution, and allergy to certain substances can cause skin rashes and blemishes. The most common skin conditions include acne, uneven skin tone, atopic dermatitis, and sunburn. They form unsightly skin blemishes, affecting a person's self-confidence. So, what should you do to avoid skin blemishes?
Check out the top secrets below if you want healthy and blemish-free skin:
1. In-Clinic Skin Treatments
Get facials at least once a month. No home treatments can replace professional facial treatments, including professional extraction and exfoliation. You might want to consider facial massage to tone your muscles, acting like a non-surgical facelift.
You can try proven-effective at-home treatments if you don't have time to visit your dermatologist. But make sure that your dermatologist approves it. For instance, light therapy is a non-invasive treatment that can further help get rid of acne by reducing inflammation and stimulating skin rejuvenation.
2. Regular Skin Checkup
When you notice skin blemishes on your face or elsewhere in the body, go to a licensed dermatologist. Clinic visits for a full-body skin examination must be at least once a year. The dermatologist can quickly diagnose skin problems and recommend medications and therapies to prevent breakouts.
Regular skin checkups can help maintain healthy, blemish-free skin. The American Cancer Society doesn't have guidelines for early skin cancer detection, but most doctors recommend self-skin inspection at least once a month.
3. Good Skin Care Routine
Develop a good skincare routine, which includes cleansing, exfoliating, hydrating, and protecting. Here's how:
- Cleansing
Use a mild cleanser to wash away dirt, oil, and impurities from your face. Wash your face at least twice daily to prevent clogged pores, acne breakouts, wrinkles, and other signs of premature aging.
- Exfoliating
Exfoliation isn't part of basic skincare. However, exfoliating your skin can help maintain blemish-free skin by removing dead skin cells. It allows the active ingredients of skin products to penetrate deeper into the skin to do their job. So, don't forget to exfoliate at least twice weekly to improve skin texture and minimize pores.
- Hydrating
Hydrate your skin by applying a moisturizer, preferably with hyaluronic acid. This active ingredient can make your facial skin smooth, plump, and firm, minimizing visible lines, acne scars, and other skin blemishes.
- Protecting
Apply sunscreen to protect your skin against harmful ultraviolet rays. An SPF of 30 or above protects the skin from the sun, harmful irritants, and premature aging.
4. Good Hydration
The skin cells need water to perform their functions, particularly combating free radicals due to pollution and defending the body against infection, thereby preventing acne. Drinking enough water promotes good blood flow in the skin and other vital organs in the body.
If you lack water, your skin becomes dull and dry, which triggers excess oil or sebum production, predisposing you from developing acne. Taking enough fluids can also help maintain good skin elasticity. You'll likely suffer from signs of skin aging such as wrinkles and scars.
5. Proper Nutrition
Eat lots of fruits, vegetables, and foods high in protein to replenish the lost nutrients in your skin. Stock up on broccoli, citrus fruits, sweet peppers, avocado, kiwi, oily fish, sunflower seeds, and dark chocolate. In addition, mangoes and tomatoes are rich in vitamin C and carotenoids, which are good for the skin.
6. Manage Stress
Stress can cause skin blemishes because of high cortisol levels. This stress hormone can lead to skin breakouts due to hormonal changes. You can reduce stress by improving your coping skills and preventing major sources of stressors. Music, arts, sports, reading, meditating, and exercising are some ways you can reduce or divert stress.
7. Get Enough Sleep
No matter how good your skincare routine is, if you're not getting enough sleep, then it's useless. During sleep, your body heals itself, carrying out natural defense mechanisms to prevent infection. Therefore, you're at risk of developing acne and other skin blemishes if you're not sleeping well enough.
Conclusion
Healthy, blemish-free skin is attainable by having a good skincare routine and trying proven-effective skin treatments. While there's no absolute skin product or formula to achieve this goal, applying the tips above with consistency, patience, and discipline can help. If you have severe skin problems, a licensed dermatologist can assess your skin and recommend appropriate treatment options. Consider the ideas mentioned here as you plan and prepare.
