When summer turns into fall, it’s a good time to assess your skin’s condition. An active summer has likely caused damage to your skin, which should be repaired now in preparation for winter. During the summer, skin is exposed to many harmful influences, like pool chemicals, saltwater, sunburns, heat, and air conditioning. The damage from these things can be healed, or at least offset, with proper skin care.
Summer Damage Control
First, assess your skin and check for sun damage. Sun damage is caused by overexposure to ultraviolet radiation. Some effects are immediate, like sunburn; while others accumulate over time, including uneven pigmentation, early wrinkles, age spots, spots on the lower lip, and sagging skin. Fortunately, most of these conditions are reversible with proper care.
Moisturizers and masks can be a good start to repair some of the summer’s skin damage. Vitamin C skin cream has been shown to help reduce fine lines in the skin. It works by boosting collagen synthesis which helps keep skin from sagging and looking worn. Since actual vitamin C isn’t very stable, some cosmetics use vitamin C derivatives, which keep their strength longer. Antioxidants in general are also good ingredients for skin cream and other skin-repair products. They help stop damage from free radicals, allowing the skin to heal itself more efficiently. Retinoids, available in prescription and non-prescription strengths, are another tool that can help repair the skin. They can reduce inflammation, help eliminate lesions, soften wrinkles, and firm the skin.
Even in the fall you should treat age spots and take precautions to help keep more from forming. Though it doesn’t seem as sunny, keep wearing a sunscreen, since there is still enough sun to cause skin damage (some skin-care professionals recommend wearing some sunscreen year-round). To help treat age spots, which are actually caused by UV exposure rather than age, there are a variety of methods available. These range from fade creams all the way to having them frozen off in a doctor’s office via cryotherapy. A doctor can also prescribe Retin-A or other high-strength prescription medicines, which are generally far more effective than over-the-counter creams.
Let the Moisturizing Begin…
In summer, controlling oil and helping the skin resist the effects of the sun and heat are priorities. Moving into fall, concentrate more on balancing the skin and repairing the previous season’s damage. Once winter begins, the humidity in the air drops, cold winds blow, and the furnace starts to run. These things can lead to dry, sensitive skin. Therefore, concentrate on moisturizing your skin during this time.
Keeping the skin moist and healing already-dry skin is also important for both skin health and good looks. Dry skin ointments, which are made with oil, tend to be the most effective. These preparations, however, have an oily feel that many people would prefer to avoid. Creams are usually less oily, but as a tradeoff, they don’t last quite as long. Lotions are water-based, which allows them to give fast relief, but the effects are short-lived. Also, some of them are heavily perfumed which makes them unsuitable for those allergic to the ingredients used to make the scents. Creams and ointments are the best choice for longer-lasting results.
Water, Water, Everywhere
Improving your food and water intake helps your entire body, and your skin is no exception. Drinking more water has the immediate benefit of increased hydration. Well-hydrated skin looks younger-you can practically see the water in the skin of teenagers, and it’s fairly easy to guess someone’s age by how naturally moist their skin is. Break the pattern by making sure your skin is moist, no matter what your age.
Don’t Forget Your Diet
Eating better food, of course, is also important for great looking skin. Look for healthy vegetables to add to your diet and cut down or eliminate fried foods. Unhealthy foods can clog pores as well as cause an overall sickly appearance in the skin. Choosing foods that are naturally ripe in the fall is a fun way to add more healthy choices to your diet. Carrots, sweet potatoes, and burdock are just some of the root vegetables that ripen around this time. Above-ground vegetables to consider include squashes, nuts, and of course, pumpkin. Try to incorporate the pumpkin into something other than pie, however, or its benefits may be outweighed by the sugar and vegetable shortening which are also parts of pumpkin pie.
A Plan for All Seasons
While each season offers its own challenges to your skin, your fall skin regimen should focus on repairing damage from your fun in the sun, and preparation for the dry, cold months ahead.
Editor’s Note: Also published here.
…
Mark and Janet Davis are a husband and wife team, health and nutrition entrepreneurs and founders of MarkAndJanet.com, a website with uncompromising, premium products for your health conscious family. Are you looking for more information on natural skin care? Visit us at http://www.MarkAndJanet.com/ or check out our blog at http://www.MarkandJanetBlog.com/
Read more articles written by Mark and Janet Davis
Related posts:
- Natural Skin Care: Beautiful Basics
Most of us try to look and feel our best with diet and exercise. Few consider the most important measure of our health should be given to our skin. The epidermis is the body’s largest organ and also the most telling when something is wrong. Unfortunately, the largest organ frequently... - Care For Some Body Detox Recipes?
Vegetarians, being fans of vegetables most probably do not have problems with body detoxification. But sometimes, vegetables are cooked and mixed with processed ingredients. In this case, the body cannot absorb all of the nutrients found on these vegetables completely. When a person wants to undergo a full body detox,... - What Are the Best Acne Treatments for Sensitive Skin?
Finding the best acne treatments for sensitive skin is a real challenge! Those of us with sensitive skin often break out into a rash in reaction to the ingredients in many acne skin care products. Some of the common ingredients that are in most acne treatments such a salicylic acid... - Acne Scar Healing Tips for Sensitive Skin
Acne scar healing can be a real challenge with sensitive skin. Learn which are the best acne scar treatments for acne prone sensitive skin, including six simple, non-irritating home remedies for acne scars. Do acne scar healing methods work for sensitive skin? There are many options for acne scar treatment... - Homemade Acne Treatments to Heal Your Sensitive Skin
If you suffer from sensitive skin, some homemade acne treatments might be too intense for your face and will cause inflammation, burning or even more pimples. There are many effective natural remedies for acne such as tea tree oil or natural acne medicines with herbs, but these may also cause... - How to Get Rid of Acne, Pimples, and Other Skin Problems
Many people believe that pimples are for kids. But this is not true. Millions of adults are experiencing acne for the first time. In fact, the average age of acne patients has now increased from 20 to 26 years old. (1) And acne rates are rising — contradicting the belief... - Salicylates and Your Sensitive Skin – Is There a Connection?
Although you may not have heard of salicylates, your sensitive skin may be very aware of them! If you’re having trouble finding solutions to your sensitive skin challenges, you may find it helpful to learn a little about how salicylates could be affecting your skin and your health. Salicylates are... - The Decline and Fall of the Retirement Empire
“I have a pension and it’ll have to be enough!” As a financial Advisor over the past 10 years I have often heard this statement. It was difficult 10 years ago to explain to future retirees why this was an impossible belief to hold. 10 years ago no one would... - Maximizing Profits by Lowering Health Care Costs in an Obamacare Society
Health care costs are a growing concern amongst small and large business owners throughout America. The cost of medicine in the United States is out of control, with the average CT Scan or MRI costing thousands of dollars. Simple and complex treatments, office visits, and procedures are costing employers millions... - The Benefits Of Tea Tree Oil For Your Skin
Tea tree oil is an essential oil which is yellow- or green-tinged with a fresh amphoraceous smell. It is produced by steam distillation of the leaves of the plant – Melaleuca alternifolia, more commonly known as the Australian tea tree. As the name suggests, the trees are native to Australia... - Taking Care of Your Car’s Braking System Can Prevent Accidents
A brake rotor is a vital part of the braking system on your vehicle. A brake rotor, in conjunction with brake pads, brings your car to come to a quick and complete stop. If you have a worn brake rotor, you should have it replaced as soon as possible for... - A Comparison of Tattoo Removal Methods: Tattoo Removal Skin Peels Vs Tattoo Removal Creams Vs Tattoo Removal Using DermaBrasion
A friend and I, along with 3 other buddies, decided to try an experiment to remove tattoos that we have all had for many years. Over time we just decided we no longer liked what we saw on our arms, shoulders and chest so we decided to test all the... - The 5 Steps To Clearing Up Razor Bumps
With summer quickly approaching, more people will be shedding their winter clothes in favor of clothes that expose more skin. What better time to start clearing up those skin problems than now. For black men and women, razor bumps is probably one the most unsightly skin problems that exist. Razor... - Home Body Detox
Do you have problems about not having ample time for a full body detoxification? Are you facing financial constraints but you also have the need to cleanse your body? Well, now, you can still have a whole body detox even when you are at home and maybe you can reserve... - Free Radicals: Your Skin’s Enemy
Achieving beautiful glowing skin is the dream of many people. Beauty begins with the skin. You need to be healthy-inside and out-for true beauty to shine through and enhance your appearance. For some, beauty is heaven’s gift; others need to take certain steps to improve their beauty with products. Whatever...