7 Things Every Woman Needs to Get that Perfect Skin.
Consider this
your ultimate to-do list for healthier, more beautiful skin. The bad news:
These are non-negotiable. The good news: They're easy!
1.Double Up on Fruits and Vegetables
Think you're doing just fine in the, erm, produce department? Zied recommends 4.5 cups a day of fruit and vegetables and says that the average woman consumes only around two and a half cups.
2. Do This Only Twice a Day
Most women wash their face three to four times a day, says Emmy Graber, MD, a dermatologist
and assistant professor of dermatology at the Boston University School of
Medicine, but studies show that twice a day is optimal. The more you wash, the
more likely you are to strip your skin of natural oils. What's more, Graber
says that some of the exfoliating particles found in scrubs (like pieces of
fruit pits) can cause microscopic scratches on the skin. And microbeads that
are gentler on the face can be bad for us in other ways (they've recently been
found to pollute the ocean, and increasingly, the Great Lakes and may boost the
level of toxins in the fish we eat). Graber says that
a washcloth does a fine job at sloughing off dead skin cells, dirt and makeup.
3.Don't Worry So Much About Wearing Enough
Sunscreen...
...under your eyes. This sounds blasphemous, but the skin under the eye
tends to be very thin and sensitive, says Graber, so while it is prone to sun
damage, it's also susceptible to irritation from the product's ingredients.
You're better off getting a pair of large sunglasses—think Jackie O.—and
wearing them everywhere. Note: Graber says they must specify
99 to 100 percent UV protection (if they just say "UV protection,"
without a percentage, they probably don't screen much at all).
4.Totally Worry
About Sunscreen...
...even when you think
you're protected by clothing. A light-colored shirt has a very low UPF of about 5 or 7,
says Isaac Neuhaus, MD, a dermatologic surgeon and associate professor of
dermatology at the University of California, San Francisco. If it's stretched
out, wet or made of unbleached cotton (which has pigments thatabsorb UV
rays), it offers even less.
Show Your
Décolletage Some TLC
Every dermatologist we talked to said that the worst, most noticeable sun damage they see on women is on the chest. Any time you're outside in a top that exposes your chest (which is probably more often than you realize), bring your sunscreen down to the bra line, says Brooke Jackson, MD, a dermatologist and associate professor of Dermatology at UNC at Chapel Hill. And if you use moisturizer or other treatment for your face, consider using it on your neck and chest, as well.
5.Choose the
Least-Popular Sleep Position
Only 14 percent of Americans sleep on their back—even
though it's the best way to prevent sleep wrinkles. Sleeping on the side or on
the stomach (done by 63 percent and 16 percent of us, respectively) has been
shown to cause wrinkles on the parts of the face pressed into the pillow, says
Neuhaus. If you can't sleep on your back because you have a snoring problem,
sleep apnea, bad knees, a bad back or a too-snuggly partner, consider a silk
pillowcase or a special pillow with a cutout for your face.
6.Add Another
Yearly Reminder to Your Calendar
You've heard that you
should visit a dermatologist once a year for a skin cancer screening. Here's
why: "Dermatologists will likely pick up a skin cancer or abnormality at
an early stage because of training," Jackson says. And the earlier you
catch skin cancer, the easier it is to cure. The American Academy of
Dermatology suggests making an appointment on your birthday ("birthday
suit" — get it?), but any date you'll remember will do.
By Corrie Pikul
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