Having A Bad Skin Day?

Taking care of your body's largest organ will help you look
better for longer.

You may have heard of a bad hair day. In a similar vein, look
in the mirror to see whether you're having a bad skin day, how
appearance can affect every aspect of your life, including work
and relationships. Skin and one's state of mind are connected
and if your skin doesn't look good, it's hard to feel good.

"We know from science that there are neurotransmitters,
neuro-peptides, hormones, and blood vessels that communicate
between our brains and our other organs. Since the skin is the
largest organ, it is a good place to look for examples of the
mind-body connection," explains Dr Wechsler. "When you are under
stress, pro-inflammatory mediators make their way to the various
organs of the body and inevitably to the skin. These 'bad'
molecules trigger inflammation creating a range of results:
breakouts, dullness, flaky skin, rosacea, dark circles or
eczema."

For example, if you are suffering from lack of sleep or poor
nutrition it will show in your skin's appearance. Whether it is
simply dark circles under your eyes or more exacerbated issues
like eczema or acne, it all effects the way you look. For great
skin, the dermatologist based in New York City advises good
health. "If you get into a rut of poor health practices it can
snowball," she says. " For instance, you stop exercising and
eating responsibly and before you know it there is a general
decline in your overall wellness. Keeping simple daily habits,
including caring for your skin, is a great way to ensure that
you do not fall into this kind of malaise."

As for common mistakes that people make when they are stressed
that lead to further skin damage, she observes that people slack
off on their daily regimen, not using sufficient sun protection
and worst of all... picking at their skin!

Stress is the skin's worst enemy, especially for those who want
to look young as long as they can. Dr Wechsler says that if
someone has a really positive attitude, and they reduce stress
in their life they can minimize this and probably look better.

"But more important, if you are focused on looking young,
vibrant, and healthy, you tend to take precautions like wearing
sun block and eating healthily. The fact is that once you damage
your skin you create a much bigger problem than if you had
protected it in the first place," she says. "Getting the right
amount of sleep, protecting yourself from sun damage and
drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day will also go a long way to
maintain youthful looking skin. Finally, do not carry your
burdens alone - seek a doctor, friend or family member to share
your challenges with, it will take a load off!"

BE PREPARED

When faced with stressful times - like starting a new job, long
business trips or meeting your in-laws - you can prepare
yourself and your skin. Here are some tips from Dr Amy Wechsler.


- Be aware of what you can and cannot control.

- Do not keep everything inside. Find a trusted confidant with
whom to vent or seek help.

- Have another outlet - do not get too fixated on the one
event. As long as you do not pick up an unhealthy habit
(smoking, overeating, drinking, etc) then just about any hobby
will do.

- Look at the bigger picture, as a little perspective will
help. For example, if you are preparing for a happy occasion,
remind yourself of that!

- Sleep!!! Easy to say, hard to do.

- Do not let up on your simple daily care. A few minutes in the
morning and at night are all that you need to cleanse, exfoliate
and moisturise. If you do not have time to go to the gym for an
hour, take a mini break, as you deserve at least 15 minutes to
yourself and you should not feel guilty about taking the time to
restore yourself.

- Keep your hands off your face!!!

BEAUTY TEMPTATIONS

You've followed a healthy lifestyle - applying sunblock, taking
antioxidants, exercising, cutting stress and so on - in order to
stay young. Signs of ageing will, however, come one day with
crow's feet, age spots, sagging skin and more. Tackling multiple
signs of ageing may mean adding more treatments to your skincare
routine.

Many women find it a fuss to follow a complicated regimen,
layering over three to four products on their skin. Tackling one
problem at a time, many beauty experts say, may be a better
approach. And with so many enticing products at skincare
counters, take time to ask for information and test them to pick
the right one for a specific concern.

Consistent use will determine whether that hope in a jar will
make any difference, although some try-them-all consumers will
probably be tempted by amazing claims from the latest hi-tech
formulas.


About The Author: Jack Vallieres is the professional freelance
writer. He's also the webmaster of http://Daily2healthy.com