November is....National Healthy Skin Awareness Month!

This month, before you dive into your Thanksgiving dinner, or shop till you drop on Black Friday, take a good long look at your skin from head to toe. While November is traditionally known for the Thanksgiving holiday: the food, the leftovers, the shopping sales, and the time off from school and work, you probably didn't know that November is also National Healthy Skin Month.

In order to keep your skin healthy and looking young, here are some tips. Be proactive. The most crucial advice is to protect it from the sun. The sun damages skin the the UV rays, causing many different skin problems such as wrinkles, dry rough skin, liver spots, and cancers. There are three methods to avoid most exposure to the sun, wear protective clothing such as a long sleeve shirt, hat, and pants. Wear sunscreen no matter what, use an SPF higher that 15; apply 20 minutes before going outside, and then reapply every two hours.

Smoking also increased aging of the skin, smoking decreased blood flow depleting the skin of oxygen and nutrients. With decreased blood flow, this damages the elastic fibers and collagen in the skin. Repeated pursing of lips and squinting to keep smoke out, can also cause wrinkles. Being exposed to extreme heat on your face for a long period of time could also cause damage to the skin.

Take care of your skin by washing it and making sure to follow these tips. Use warm water when washing and cleansing your face. Do not take a shower or bath for longer that fifteen minutes, this washes the oil of your face. Strong soaps also remove the oil from the skin, use mild soaps. Avoid using perfumes and dyes, these could damage your skin by causing an allergic reaction. Remove eye makeup gently making sure not to damage your skin around the eyes.

Moisturizing your skin is very important to keep the skins natural moisture. They work by providing a seal, keep water from escaping, or by slowly releasing water into the skin. Shaving is also a common way skin gets damaged. Shaving causes irritation, razor burn, and cuts. In order to reduce shaving difficulties to increase the health of your skin, do the following:

• Press warm wash cloth on your skin before shaving, do not shave dry skin.
• Put lotion or shaving cream on skin - moisturizing hair conditioner can also be used.
• Use a clean razor.
• Shave in the direction of the hair.

Cancer also damages the skin. One in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime. Limiting the exposure to the sun and wearing sunscreen can help. Skin cancer can develop on anyone, regardless of skin tone, anywhere on the body.