Now that we have spoken a little about some of the common risks to the largest organ of your body, the skin, it’s time to discuss a few of your options for promoting skin health and healing.

        First up is prevention. It’s no secret that the best option is just to avoid the problem in the first place. With good healthy practices you can easily avoid most common problems you may otherwise face concerning your skin health.

Number one is proper cleaning. This applies mainly to the face but a buildup of sweat, dirt, grim, or other debris anywhere can lead to break outs of acne, redness, sores, or other skin conditions. While these are not immediately dangerous they are considered unwanted and can possibly lead to more dangerous conditions if left unchecked.

        The most obvious solution to this is a proper cleaning routine involving the use of skin safe facial cleansers and then moisturizers to restore elasticity to the skin and prevent dryness and peeling. Then you will want to look at diet as the things you eat have a large impact of the quality of your health and tissues and even skin clarity.

Sugar is a big offender when it comes to damage to the skin avoiding sugary foods is a good start.

        Massage and acupuncture can be great for the skin as well. Both increase blood flow and help to move stagnant fluids. They can also help restore skin elasticity and heal scar tissue and damage.

        One thing that trips some people up is being TOO clean, or rather washing themselves with harsh chemicals in the shower every day, rinsing off natural protective oils and drying out the skin in an effort to be clean. Skipping a daily shower is really not a reasonable option for most so the question becomes what can you do to protect your skin while not being a nuisance to others. While there are a number of products available that claim to be skin safe or otherwise not impede the performance of your body’s natural processes the nature of these claims may be suspect, so caution is always best when assessing which products to place your trust in. Another thing to keep in mind is water temperatures. Overly hot showers can damage skin, remember to keep temperatures reasonable where the water isn’t turning your skin red. It’s also a good idea to take cold showers every now and again for the benefits it can provide to your health.

        Second, regular exercise is key to a healthy life and that includes the skin. It’s not just for looks.  Exercise is so important to every system and organ of the body that even just 15 minutes of exercise a day extends your life expectancy by years as well as quality of life both now and in your future.

        Last, staying out of direct sunlight is an important factor in skin health. While you might not be a vampire you are still very much at risk from the sun even if you don’t know it. Sunburns increase the risk of developing skin cancer, the most common form of cancer behind lung cancer, each and every time you get a burn. While direct sunlight does produce vitamin D going out for too long unprotected even when the sky is cloudy or overcast can lead to damage from UV rays that could have been prevented. Skin exposed to the sun also dries, ages and wrinkles faster. So, if you plan on going out remember to wear sun block and for every hour in the sun remember to take at least 15 minutes in the shade and to rehydrate and reapply sun block regularly.

        While prevention is all well and good you can’t exactly put life on hold for the sake of your skin and in life things happen, meaning that we will need some ways to repair damaged skin and tissues after the fact. Massage can help with this by manually manipulating the flow of blood and lymph. This can clear out stagnated old fluids that have pooled and should have moved on but haven’t as well as help move along the healing process moving cells to where they need to be and removing the clutter that may have been blocking the path to recovery. Massage can also help reduce stress which has been known to have a negative impact on skin health.

        A strong and healthy routine is your best tool for taking care of skin health. Knowing what can cause damage and how to avoid it are essential to prolonging skin health over time. While having options to recover and repair damaged skin can help minimize the inevitable damage life deals to you as you go about enjoying your day.

        With a good skin care routine, healthy eating habits, regular exercise, and moderated stress you will be well on the road to healthy smooth skin and making these good choices will mean that the benefits are more than just skin deep. Positive life and health choices effect all aspects of your body as no one system is truly separate from another. Health should be looked at as a whole, and not as separate pieces.