Cigarette smoking does not only cause harm to the body internally but external y as well.
This is most pronounced with the condition of the skin. Nicotine intake causes changes in
the body that speeds up the break down of skin cells, among other harmful effects.
It is a common finding that individuals who’ve been smokers for at least a decade look
comparably older than those who do not smoke. In addition to wrinkles, yellowish
discolouration of the skin has been observed in smokers. However, the good news is that
those who have given up smoking show improvements in their skin condition shortly after
quitting. The signs of skin ageing will inevitably show up on everyone at one point or the other. All sorts of products and treatments can be availed of but it is only meant to delay the outward symptoms.
Perhaps the best solution is to understand the ageing process and not view it as a
disease, but rather see it as another stage of development the body undergoes.
Chapter 2. Know Your Own Skin Type
As it is with everything else, knowing the condition of the different parts of your body is the first step in caring for it. Skin is no different. Knowing your skin type is the beginning of giving your skin the proper treatment to maintain good skin tone and condition.
Your skin type is a general description of how your skin feels and behaves. The most
common types used for commercial products are normal, oily, dry and combination skin.
Other categories include blemish-prone, sensitive and sun-damaged skin.
Convenient as these skin type categories are in choosing products, it is not exactly the
best way to know and understand your skin on a level that will really help it. This is
perhaps the reason why, even though the “right” products have been used for your
designated skin type, you stil experience either dryness, oiliness, acne and other
problems.
Why is this so? First of all, you have to remember, like any part of your body, you skin is never the same all throughout. It goes through all sorts of conditions depending on several factors, some of which include your genes, your lifestyle and habits. Add to this the fact
that the problems you are experiencing may not be simply the result of lack of care. There
are cases when skin diseases are the reasons.
So from here on end, it will be good for you to forget what beauty magazines, cosmetic
salespeople, and aestheticians tel you about the four skin types. It’s about time you go
beneath the surface and really know what your skin is about.
First off, know the factors that Influence your skin type. This can get tricky since almost everything can influence your skin and the condition it’s in. Just looking and feeling your face is not enough to determine your skin type. To get an effective evaluation of your skin, consider the following.
The first set of factors affecting your skin are those within your own body. Hormonal
changes brought on by your body’s development influence your skin to a huge extent. For
women, the menstrual cycle can cause drastic changes on the skin. The same goes for
periods of pregnancy and menopause. Men are also subject to these influences, especial y
in the puberty stage as hormones causes the body to develop.
Your genes also influence the propensity to acquire a certain skin condition that is
characteristic of your parents’ own skin types. However, as their skin is also influenced by different factors, your skin and theirs may not necessarily be the same.
Lifestyles and habits also affect your skin and while these may seem external to your body, the way you conduct daily activities such as diet, exercise, smoking and drinking habits
influence your body and therefore your skin as well.
Other influences affecting your skin lie outside your body such as weather and climate as
well as your skin-care regimen of choice. The climates of areas you spend prolonged
periods in influence how your body reacts. Cold climates tend to cause dry skin and flaking where as humid areas cause excessive sweating and oil production.
The skin care products you choose also affect your skin condition. Using creams or
moisturisers that have too much emol ients will cause your skin to be oily whereas strong
cleansers and exfoliates result in dry, sensitive skin.
Now that you know what influences your skin, it is time to know what condition it is in.
First of al , don’t evaluate your skin right after you’ve washed your face. This is because your skin is reacting to the water and cleansers you’ve put on it. Wait four to five hours
after you’ve washed. This will give your skin time to recover from the cleansing and al ow it to resume its “normal” activity. Also try to do this on a day you had not worn any make-up
or put on creams so a more accurate evaluation can be made.
Take a piece of facial tissue and press it on different areas of your face. Hold the tissue against the light and if blotches can be seen, then you have oily skin. This is the reason
why you should carry out this assessment when you are not wearing make-up or
moisturisers since the oil may be caused by these substances.
If the general area of your face appears dry, feels tight and can see patches of skin flakes, then you are dealing with dry skin. On the other hand, if you observe that some areas are
both dry and oily then you have combination skin.
Now that you know the degree of oiliness or dryness your skin has right now, you need to
know whether or not your skin is suffering from some form of skin disease.
Are there areas of redness around your nose and cheeks with red bumps and blemishes
but aren’t pimples? Do you see fine lines of capillaries on the surface that are sensitive to the touch? If yes, you may have rosacea. Patches of irritated, dry, red to white scaly and crusty skin around the hairline, nose, eyes and cheeks may be caused by a skin disorder
cal ed psoriasis. In both cases you will need to consult with a dermatologist. .
With these evaluations, you develop a more effective skin care routine that will help
maintain your skin’s health. But remember that your skin type won’t remain constant for
long even with the right choice and use of products. As your own body undergoes
development, your skin type will change as well. It is recommended that you perform this
simple assessment every 4 to 6 months.
With proper attention and care, you can give you skin the right treatment when and how it
needs it – something that is far more effective than any repair cream or fancy treatment at a clinic.