The Good

Exercising & Staying Active

Physical activity keeps the skin healthy in different ways. Intense weight training triggers the release of Human Growth Hormone, which is the key hormone that governs all the anabolic processes (building up of muscle, tissue, cell regeneration and bone growth).

Mild cardio or any outdoor activities like hiking, trekking, or other sports help you stay fit and relieve stress, which in turn will help maintain a healthy personality and complexion.

Regular (right) Skincare Routine

Find out what skincare is right for your skin – talk to your Skin care consultant. Commit to a skincare regimen, every day. Keep that regimen consistent. Switching from product to product could cause skin to react even more as it tries to adjust to the change of a new regimen.

Using Sunscreen

90% of your skin damage is caused by the sun. Protect your skin from the sun all the time. Seek shade when you are outdoors, and use sunscreen whenever you are outside. Check out the Sun and the Skin section for more information.

Diet, Water

There are foods that help, and foods that hurt your skin. Foods rich in anti-oxidants, lean protein, and fiber are the best. Aim for low GI foods.

Keep hydrated all the time. Drink plenty of water during the day. Gradually reduce consumption as it’s time to go to bed. This way you don’t have to get up in the middle of the night for bathroom, allowing you to be in deep REM sleep longer.

The Bad

Not getting enough sleep

The body releases the most HGH (human growth hormone) during deep REM sleep. HGH is what controls how your body repairs itself. It controls new cell, tissue, and organ growth. If you are not getting enough sleep, you are not allowing your body to repair itself.

Stress

When we’re stressed, the body releases a special hormone called cortisol. While it is essential to combat stressful scenarios, it is very harmful when prolonged. Cortisol triggers inflammation, which, along with setting the stage for heart disease, also breaks down collagen – the protein the keeps the skin plump, firm, and youthful looking. This break down of collagen leads to fine lines, thin skin, and dryness.

The Ugly

Smoking

The sure fire way to speed up your aging real fast is smoking! It hurts you in several different ways. Every puff you smoke releases millions of free radicals that go to work on breaking down the collagen and elastin in your skin – the essential proteins that give the skin it’s strength and elasticity. The nicotine narrows the blood vessels in the outer layers of your skin, impairing the blood flow to the skin. This deprives your skin of oxygen and all the essential nutrients. The effects are not just limited to your face – smoking is also associated with saggy skin in other areas like under arms and fore arms. Smoking also dramatically increases the risk of heart disease, infertility, lung cancer, bronchitis, and a host of other health issues. So in short, quit smoking and don’t expose yourself to second hand smoke.

Tanning

Tanning beds emit 95% UVA radiation, and 5% UVB.

UVB causes sun burn on the upper layer of the skin. This could lead to melanoma (skin cancer). In the past, scientists didn’t consider UVA to be very harmful. But in the last 3 decades they’ve discovered that UVA penetrates deep into the skin, and is the primary cause of premature aging. If you are a regular user of tanning beds, you should add 17 years to your skin age!

Spray tans, or self tanning lotions are a safer alternative. If you are using spray tans, however, make sure you cover all the body holes really well, and do not inhale the mist! You can make a make-shift mask with layers of cloth or cotton and breathe through it for the few minutes.

Alcohol

Drinking alcohol leaves your body and skin dehydrated. This lack of moisture makes your skin easy to wrinkle, and makes your look dull and tired. Long term heavy drinking can lead to other problems like liver and kidney failure. If you need to get a glass of drink once in a while, go for red wine. It has the beneficial anti-oxidants which can actually help prevent aging. But only if you drink in moderation.

External Links:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanning_bed

http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm186687.htm

http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/is-a-tanning-bed-safer-than-sunlight

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/24/alcohol-skin_n_4146391.html

http://www.aol.com/article/2014/01/26/the-honest-truth-how-alcohol-affects-your-skin/20586707/