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Thu Jul 15, 2010 7:48 pm  |
10 Things that are ruining your skin
by Liz Brody, Shine Staff, on Tue Jul 6, 2010 4:14pm PDT
"As the crow flies" is usually welcome news. Except when those avian feet head straight for your face and leave their telltale tracks around the eyes. But if aging is inevitable, its pace definitely isn't. As for breakouts, dryness, and general epidermal malaise? Here's what's wrecking your skin—and how to turn it around:
1. The Kate Gosselin Effect. We're talking about overexposure—solar, in this case.(If we'd called this one "Sun," your eyes might have glazed.) From wrinkles to cancer, photoaging is "the single biggest cause of damage to the skin," declares Skin Care & Repair, a new report from Harvard Medical School.
Skin Fix: You know the drill—sunscreen that's least SPF 30 and protects against both UVA and UVB rays. (Men, don't forget behind the ears and neck). Consumer Reports' top-rated product this year is Up & Up Sport Continuous SPF 30 from Target. Most dermatologists aren't concerned about retinyl palmitate, which controversial research suggests may actually cause cancer, but if you are, Alba Botanica Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 doesn't contain the ingredient (see Environmental Working Group for others.) You can also wash your clothes with SunGuard for an extra SPF kicker.
2. Worrying About It: Stress wages chemical warfare: Pro-inflammatory neuropeptides make the skin more reactive (worsening acne and psoriasis, for example), while hormones like adrenaline constrict your blood vessels, depriving the tissue of nutrients, explains Rick Fried, MD, PhD, a dermatologist, psychologist, and clinical director of Yardley Dermatology Associates in Pennsylvania. "Long-term stress," he says, "can cause the production of cortisol, which potentially leads to thinning of the skin."
Skin Fix: Guided imagery, mindfulness meditation, hypnosis, biofeedback, exercise, yoga, and tai chi are all good ways to manage stress and help improve your complexion, says Fried.
http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/10-things-that-are-ruining-your-skin-1959395/
I definitely need to stop worrying about my skin. Although it's easier said than done!
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