Here are six tips to protect your skin against prematureageing:
1. Use sunscreen liberally.
For daily wear, choose a sunscreen with at least an SPF of15, if you do not expect to be outdoors or it is not a sunny time of year. If itis a sunnier season, step up to at least a 30 SPF.
2. Avoid tanning, whether from the sun or tanning booths.
It is one of the biggest mistakes that younger women make, whetherit is tanning indoors or outdoors, on purpose or accidentally during sports.
Damaging your skin with ultraviolet radiation will make itlook worse, and too much sun can also cause skin discoloration and damage toelastin and collagen.
3. Wear sunglasses.
Not only will you protect your eyes from the sun, but alsothe delicate skin surrounding your eyes. Furthermore, you will not be creatingmore wrinkles by squinting all the time.
4. Wear hats, visors, and sun-protective clothing.
The importance of physical protection from the sun, insteadof relying only on sunscreen cannot be overemphasized. Hats with a broad brimare a good choice, while visors look good with sportier or more casual outfits.
5. Don’t smoke.
Smoking harms the skin in many ways. For instance, it speedsup collagen breakdown and constricts blood vessels that carry oxygen andnutrients to your skin.
Smokers are more likely to develop premature wrinkles, suchas tell-tale lines around the mouth and crow’s feet from “smoker’s squint. Intime, nails and fingertips will turn yellow, too.
6. Avoid too much alcohol.
Drinking too much alcohol dehydrates your skin. Furthermore,alcohol dilates your blood vessels. If you drink to excess, you could developunsightly broken blood vessels and rosacea, a skin disorder marked by redness andtiny pimples.
