It weighs almost four pounds and covers approximately 2 square meters. … With these dimensions, the skin is deserving called the largest organ of the human body – and because it has many important functions, they need daily care to maintain health and to be attractive.
The skin is the boundary between the external world and what it contains the body inside. It is also an essential part of regulating body temperature (let opsetai sweating for it), protecting us from dehydration, dust, bacteria, and sunlight, and allows us to understand what surrounds us.
It is also our image – and the more beautiful they are, makes us more attractive. What this means in practice? That systematic and thorough cleaning, adequate hydration and to adopt healthy habits needed to be bright and youthful. Mrs. Katerina Lambrinopoulos, PhD Dermatology at the Medical School of Athens University and a member of the European and American Dermatology Association, gives a series of tips for healthy skin to take care of properly now summer.
Washing the face
When you wash your face, you should use lukewarm water (hot or cold water to dry), soft soap without irritants (especially if you have sensitive skin) and … your fingers (and not a cloth can be tough for the skin). After washing, you must thoroughly rinse your skin and can be patted dry with a soft, cotton towel, without rubbing.
If you are a woman and vafeste shall daily, before washing, to remove the makeup using specialized formulations for the respective area, as a compound that can be ideal for removing makeup from the skin of the face can cause sensitivity in the eyes .
If you are on vacation and you forgot to take with the appropriate formulations, then after use a general cleaning you need to use water to remove makeup.
Those who have oily skin prone to acne should choose cleansers in the form of soap. Those with dry skin should choose emulsions and avoid using tap water because it can exacerbate dryness (especially prefer water to dry skin).
To remove makeup, use cotton and moisturizing cream to avoid damaged the delicate area around the eyes. If you use waterproof mascara, you will need a product with a fat basis (such as baby oil) to remove (do not worry about the skin around the eyes, it gets something from the baby oil).
Generally, we recommend washing the face once in the morning and 1:00 p.m., unless separated or laborious exercise activity that causes sweating.
If your skin is very dry and easily irritated, probably quite a good washing once a day. If, however, is oily or prone to blackheads or acne, you should wash it twice (preferably with products specifically for oily skin) – unless you are very hot and humid environment, so you may need washing more often .
For the hydration of the face, how often you use moisturizer depends on skin type, your age and whether you have specific problems such as acne. If you have oily skin, you may not need hydration, and even though you probably need a light enough product from oil and water. If you have sensitive skin, choose one that contains a good proportion of oil and water at all possible colors, fragrances or other additives.
Caution: during the day, you should use a moisturizing cream with high sun protection (SPF), even if it is cloudy.
Bathroom without dryness
The daily bath is not only essential for proper skin care, and for good hygiene. Especially in the summer, the average person take a bath once or twice a day (depending on the level of activity). However, since the bathroom is removed the natural fat from the skin _ which can lead to dryness and irritation _ follow these tips:
- Take a bath once a day. Generally it is enough for good hygiene _ unless one has very oily skin, regular exercise or live in hot and humid environment, so it takes bath twice a day. But if you have very dry skin, you might want to bath every other day – except, of course, you can swim, so you need not necessarily after a shower.
- Use slightly warm water and quickly complete your bathroom. Hot water and long swim remove even more fat under the skin. If you want to bath, make sure its duration should not exceed 15 minutes.
- Use soap suitable for your skin type. Do you prefer mild soaps, with additional fat and oil (added after the manufacturing process of soap). If you bath, add oil to water.
- Do thoroughly rinse and wipe gently and “blanket” – ie touching the towel on your skin, without rubbing, to retain some moisture.
- Is preferable to dry wearing a bathrobe and do not use a towel to rub nullified and maintain moisture in skin.
- Immediately after drying, to coat your skin with a moisturizing cream or oil. These products help maintain the natural moisture of the skin, which often deplete the environment and lifestyle. The active moisturizing creams or “sealing” the surface of the skin to prevent moisture escape, either by slowly releasing water into the skin. Make sure only to choose one that suits your skin type.
If you have dermatitis …
Although the daily bath is necessary, several times a problem. This is primarily for people who either suffer from a skin disease or make long bath while using hot water and unsuitable for the type of their skin cosmetics.
The most common skin disease that can not stand the frequent, prolonged warm bath is atopic dermatitis. Although it usually occurs in infants and disappears by school age, can continue to adults. Atopic dermatitis is characterized by intense dryness and skin irritation and itching.
Sufferers have to do soon, lukewarm shower than once a day and then use moisturizer anyway. Suitable products for these patients are those containing oats, which is reconstructive, moisturizing, soothing and antipruritic effect.
If you have hypertension or thyroid …
Those with thyroid problems or hypertension for which they receive daily diuretic drugs, also have very dry skin, so you must take care as those suffering from atopic dermatitis.
If you are aged over 50 years …
The same advice applies to those who have spent 50 years of age because after this age, the sebaceous glands (produce sebum, which is the “fat” of the skin) below capacity, so have increased dryness of the skin, which is exacerbated by frequent, warm baths.
Other precautions
- Keep soaps and creams that you use do not contain perfumes and do not make much foam, because these products may increase dryness. In addition, products with fragrances can cause allergic contact dermatitis type, and if the scents are like raw materials citrus, there is a possibility in the sun to cause dark skin patches.
- Those suffering from dry skin and have spent 50 years of age, it is to buy soaps and creams from the pharmacy or specifically for their age, because these products are more friendly to the skin.
- Remember that shower gels and creams containing urea, oats and oil are the ones that offer more moisturizing the skin.
- For better hygiene, avoid using loofah when you bathe, and to prefer a “glove” or any other product in the towel. This is because the sponge is almost always wet, so a good ground for fungi and microorganisms.
- To disinfect your tub often, especially if you do not bath and shower. The best method of disinfection is to fill with water once a week, add bleach and leave it for 3-4 hours.
- If using a deodorant, to prefer those that do not contain fragrances. Most deodorants have afidrotiki action, and if they contain fragrance and can cause irritation or dark tint to the skin.
Hair
Bathing depends on the type of hair:
- Oily hair. To bathe every other day and put emollient cream only on the edges. The shampoo should include factors that reduce the secretion of sebum, such as salicylic acid.
- Hair with dandruff. Bathed in anti-dandruff shampoo and conditioner to put cream on the edges. The shampoo should contain antifungal agents (such as azoles) and keratolytic agents (such as salicylic acid).
- Hair normally. Bathed twice a week, adding emollient cream in the middle of the hair to the tips.
- Hair dry. Bathed once or twice a week with shampoo that contain moisturizing agents (such as olive oil, urea, etc.) and then putting emollient cream.
- Hair dyed. Bathed as needed, depending on their type (fat, dandruff, etc.). These shampoos, however, should be moisturizing, but it is necessary to use emollient cream.
As for the haircut, the frequency depends on the condition of hair and personal preferences of each. However, a greater need for frequent mowing are dried and dyed hair.
Shaving
Shaving is the most common and inexpensive way of removing unwanted hair. However, it can cause skin irritation, especially when it is thin, dry or very sensitive.
- If you shave with a razor, make sure you are always sharp. If you are a man, always to soften your beard before shaving, touching your face for a few seconds a cloth soaked in warm water. Then use plenty of shaving cream to soften even more.
- To shave once passing the razor on your skin, in this same time in which the hairs grow. Avoid shaving “against” because it can cause skin irritation.
- If you are a woman, use a cream or an aqueous gel when you shave your legs, and you are sure to shave in the direction that the hairs grow.
- If you use an electric shaver, make sure to move smoothly over your skin, because the pressure can also cause irritation. These machines are more efficient when used in dry and taut, without sweat or skin fat.
- If irritated your skin, use a lotion with no alcohol (ethyl or isopropyl alcohol) because the products with alcohol may cause feelings of coolness due to evaporation of alcohol from the skin, but no help really irritated skin.
- If, finally, cut yourself while shaving, use a mild antiseptic to stop the bleeding and relieved the irritation.
Lifestyle
To be healthy your skin should not care only externally but also internally. Because lifestyle plays an important role in health and appearance of the skin, Ms. Lambrinopoulos:
- Eat healthy. The body needs sufficient amounts of protein, vitamins and minerals to maintain healthy skin. Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and fish – and drink plenty of water.
- Exercise. Exercise improves blood circulation, thereby improving the tone and complexion of the skin.
- Do you sleep well. If you do not get enough sleep or quality of your sleep is poor, it will look on your face. Lack of sleep makes a person showing “swollen, dull and gray.
- Do not smoke. Smoking not only increases the risk of developing serious disease, but causes premature aging and wrinkling of the skin on the face.
- Protect yourself from the sun. Excessive sun exposure creates patches, hardening and wrinkling and increases the risk of developing skin cancer. So always wear plenty of sunscreen, to repeat the coating every 1-2 hours and not go out in the sun from 12 noon to 4 pm.
