	Register \| Sign-in
Home > Articles > Skin Care

Topics

morefocus Articles

	Anatomy of the Skin
	Skin Problems
	Skin Care
—	Sun Protection
—	Anti-Aging
—	Smoking and the Skin
—	Nutrition and the Skin
—	Dermatology
—	Acneic Skin
	Skin Care Products
	Cosmetic Procedures

RSS

Read Article Resources Comments

Skin Care: Tips and Products

Properly caring for your skin is essential to keeping it healthy, preventing damage and limiting the signs of aging, such as wrinkles. However, because everyone's skin is unique, what constitutes proper skin care is distinct to an individual's skin characteristics. For example, a teen with dry skin who wants to prevent acne will need a skin care routine that is far different from that of an elderly woman who wants to reduce the signs of sun damage and aging.

As a result, the first step in starting a skin care regimen lies in understanding the type of skin you have. Skin can be:

bumpy
dry
flaky
oily
red
sensitive.

In fact, most people's skin includes some combination of the above characteristics. For instance, while one person may have sensitive, oily skin, another may have dry, red and bumpy skin. Knowing the exact features of your skin will help you determine the type of skin care you need to maintain healthy skin.

If you are unsure of what type of skin you have, consult your doctor or a dermatologist. These specialists can not only inform you of your skin type but can also recommend various skin care products and techniques to help you get the healthiest skin possible.

In this section, we will highlight some of the various ways you can take care of your skin. Our articles will discuss the pros and cons associated with each method and product and will also include advice on which patients are best suited for each.

Sun Protection

Because the sun has been identified as the number one cause of aging skin and skin cancer, protecting your skin from the sun is important to reducing the signs of aging and preventing skin cancer. Some of the common ways you can protect your skin from sun damage include wearing:

hats
protective clothing
sunglasses
sunscreen.

Similarly, avoid being outside for extended period of time without protection when the sun is at its strongest, generally anywhere between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

One of the easiest ways to ensure that you will be protected from the sun throughout the day is to apply a layer of sunscreen to your body before spending significant time outside.

Fair-skinned people will generally start to sunburn after about 15 to 20 minutes outdoors. As a result, if you have fair skin and are planning on being outside for more than 20 minutes, take means to apply and wear sun protection.

Anti-Aging

While wrinkles and aging skin are inevitable overtime, protecting your skin from the sun and practicing other skin care techniques is key to reducing the signs of aging skin. Along with the sun, age itself causes the skin to loose its collagen and elasticity, resulting in drooping, sagging skin.

Today, many readily available procedures, as well as certain products on the market, claim to prevent wrinkles and reverse the effects of aging skin. For example, people can get creams, pills and cosmetic procedures, all of which claim to have anti-aging effects. Your age, medical history and lifestyle will help determine which anti-aging products and procedures are right for you.

Resources

Mayo Clinic (updated October 6, 2006). Skin Care: Top 5 Habits for Healthy Skin. Retrieved October 25, 2007 from the Mayo Clinic Web site: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/skin-care/SN00003.

Email Article

Print Article

Comment on this Article

This site is designed to provide information, not medical advice. Please consult your physician if you have any questions or concerns.