Have you been neglecting your skin health lately? There are several good reasons why you shouldn’t let your skin health take a back seat.
As the body’s largest organ, the skin plays many vital roles, including protecting us from disease, regulating temperature and acting as a shield for our internal organs. Not to mention that healthy skin is attractive skin and gives guys a nice confidence boost.
So, how do you start taking better care of your skin? Here are several things guys need to know to achieve healthy, radiant skin:
- To reduce the risk of skin cancer and visible signs of sun damage, protecting your skin from the sun’s UV rays should be a priority.
- The best skin care routine is one that you can stick to.
- Eating healthy and getting proper amounts of sleep each night are keys to improving the appearance of your skin.
1. Protect Skin from Sun Damage
Many of us associate tanned skin with health and vitality when this couldn’t be further from the truth. Even a slight tan is a sign that your skin has been damaged by the sun.
Over time, sun damage can add up and lead to sun spots, wrinkles and skin cancer. It doesn’t take much time in the sun to notice these problems, either. According to a 2014 study published in Experimental Dermatology, researchers found that the average time a person could spend in the sun each day without compromising their skin health was only 2.54 minutes without sunscreen (see claim: “The mean daily sun exposure time to maintain healthy skin until 80 years of age in the summer was calculated to be 2.54 min…”)
With sunscreen, however, subjects could spend 127 minutes in the sun and maintain healthy skin into their 80s. To protect your skin from the sun, remember to use a daily moisturizer with SPF and try to avoid the sun during peak hours (between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.).
2. Treat Skin Gently
Your skin doesn’t need to be cleansed and scrubbed excessively. Healthy skin thrives off a consistent skin care routine consisting of gentle, natural and nourishing skin care products.
Unfortunately, there are a significant number of harsh ingredients that can make their way into common skin care products. To make things easier for yourself, seek out a skin care system formulated for sensitive skin.
Also, be sure to avoid over-treating your skin with excessive scrubbing and spot treatments. Most guys only need to use a gentle face scrub once or twice a week at the most.
3. Watch What You Eat
If you break out each time you eat a carb-heavy meal or sugary foods, it might not be a coincidence. The link between diet and skin health has been studied for decades and many dermatologists now recommend specific diets to improve acne and other common skin conditions.
So, what should you be eating to achieve healthy, glowing skin? While there is still plenty of debate on the subject, most experts agree that eating a clean diet full of fruits, vegetables and lean meats is helpful to maintaining radiant skin.
In addition to eating skin-healthy foods, be careful of foods which are known to trigger acne and inflame the skin. Dairy, alcohol and high-glycemic load foods are all common suspects that can potentially wreak havoc on your skin.
4. Adopt Good Sleeping Habits
Have you ever woken up after a bad night’s sleep to see dark circles under your eyes? When we don’t get good sleep, it often appears in the form of dull, uneven skin.
Most people could probably stand to improve their nighttime routine to achieve better sleep. For example, do you scroll on your phone or watch TV before bed? The blue light from digital devices can disrupt your circadian rhythm and lead to a poor night’s sleep.
Better sleep habits will do your skin a world of good. By getting a full eight hours of sleep, your skin can maximize its efficiency and get to work repairing and rejuvenating for the next day.
Take the skin care quiz5. Get Regular Facial Treatments
Guys, there is no shame in getting regular facials to improve your skin. Facial treatments provide a slew of benefits to your skin, such as evening out skin tone, reducing acne breakouts, decreasing the visibility of acne scars and smoothing fine lines and wrinkles.
Additionally, facial treatments can be super relaxing, which also benefits your skin. According to a 2007 study published in Acta Dermato-Venereologica, researchers found a strong link between stress and acne severity, especially in male subjects (see claim: “…a significant association between stress and severity of acne papulopustulosa, especially in males.”)
Boosting Skin Health with a Simple Routine
It doesn’t take much to achieve healthy skin. With a consistent skin care routine and a few healthy adjustments to your lifestyle, you can start seeing results in as little as a week.
If you’re searching for a simple, yet effective skin care system, check out Tiege Hanley’s Skin Care System and see what people are saying about us. If you give it a try, let us know what you think!
