There are numerous reasons why your skin might look bad and worn out. From genetics to how well you treat it, the roots of your dermatological problem can lay pretty much everywhere. However, some causes are more common than others. These include unhealthy habits like smoking, skin irritation from constantly touching it, lack of sleep, wearing makeup while sleeping, etc. Therefore, in the following text, we’ll explain these common issues and hopefully help you overcome your skin problems.
Not Getting Enough Sleep
It’s no secret that our bodies need sleep to function properly. Therefore, it’s logical that a lack of sleep will affect us in all sorts of negative ways. When it comes to skin, the effects manifest in dry, dull appearance and a lack of collagen. In other words, if you don’t sleep enough, you’ll look much older, appearing like a senior in retirement before you reach your forties.
- Dry skin — While we sleep, our body rebalances hydration levels, producing an extra level of perspiration. This is a natural way of moisturizing our skin that smooths wrinkles and pores. Unfortunately, if you’re a night owl, this all goes away.
- Dull skin — Without sleep, the cortisol levels in our body rise, and it causes inflammation, which hurts proteins that keep our skin smooth and silky. It also helps produce acne and makes our skin more prone to allergies.
- Lack of collagen — Not sleeping enough raises stress levels in our organism, which affects the collagen in our skin. This means that our largest organ is left without a vital protein that gives it structure and elasticity.
Using the Wrong Skin Products
The reality of figuring out which skin product suits your skin best is that it’s a trial-and-error process. What might work for your friends and family members doesn’t mean that it will suit you too. However, there are certain rules to go by when choosing cosmetic products which will lower skin damage.
- For dry skin, you’ll need something oil-based;
- On the flip side, it’s best to use water-based cosmetics if you have oily skin.
“But how to know if a product doesn’t suit me?” Well, if you feel like your skin is tingling, irritated, itching, or dry, it’s safe to say you’re doing something wrong. The best way to solve any skin issues is to contact your dermatologists and allow them to assess what’s the best skincare tactic for you.
Smoking
As if you didn’t know, smoking is awful. It causes numerous illnesses, like throat and lung cancer, but is also a bad habit that damages the skin too. It’s behind premature skin aging, intensifies UV radiation damage, and makes precancerous conditions even worse.
Yet, that’s not all. It affects wrinkles, allows for yellow skin discoloration, and leads to skin cancers too. But quitting smoking is pretty hard for most people. So, if you’re having trouble doing so, we suggest contacting primary care for a smoking cessation plan.
Skin Picking and Scratching
There are a plethora of bad habits we somehow enjoy, including nail-biting, hair-pulling, etc. However, none of them harm your skin as much as picking and scratching it. This habit can come about due to various reasons, including stress, rashes, insect bites, and even medication.
The bad thing about it is that you irritate your skin while doing so, causing a never-ending itch-scratch cycle. Unfortunately, this cycle leads to skin nerves enlarging and transmitting sensations even though nothing is causing the itch.
Other reasons why you might have an urge to scratch and pick your skin include mental illnesses and neurological damage. In case you suspect any of the two, we suggest reaching out to your doctor to determine further course of action and treatment.
Forgetting to Remove Makeup
There’s nothing worse than coming home from a party or simply tired after work and just wanting to sleep, but realizing you have to remove your makeup. It’s quite common for most of us to just disregard it and go to bed immediately. But this is a bad decision. It leads to all sorts of problems.
Although some people are more prone to skin irritation, the reality is that after a while, a layer of dirt forms on your makeup. The more you go on like that, the bigger the pile of dirt and bacteria there will be on your face. Therefore, cleaning your skin is more than important if you want to retain your good looks.
The best way to go about this is to simply remove any makeup, no matter how tired you are. And if you can’t manage, just avoid using face powder, primers, and all other types of makeup. In fact, you might find your face even prettier when it’s natural, and you’ll surely see skin benefits in no time.
Not Putting Sunscreen
Skin protection is synonymous with hiding your skin from the sun. No matter how good of a tan you have, being out in the sun is more than dangerous. Moreover, UV radiation is one of the most common causes of skin cancer, including melanoma, which is the worst kind of this disease there is. Yet, many of us don’t take this seriously.
Disregarding sunscreen while outside, and being like that for a prolonged period, is the worst thing you can do, especially if you’re at the beach. Therefore, we suggest you make sure you use one with a sun protection factor (SPF) that’s higher than 30. Apply an SPF 30 product all over your body, and you’ll significantly decrease the risk of skin cancer and premature aging.
Over-Exfoliating
Nowadays, with so many cosmetics out there, it’s easy to fool yourself into thinking you need to exfoliate every chance you get. But the blame isn’t just on us, regular folks — it’s also on cosmetic brands and trendy skin care magazines. They keep suggesting we need to do it all the time, but is that really true? Well, short answer — no.
Exfoliation is the process of removing dead skin cells. Sure, it sounds good. But overdoing it isn’t. The more you do it, the more likely your skin will become irritated, dry, and even reddish. A better way to approach this is to regularly wash your face and keep it well-moisturized. And if you keep exfoliating, do it once a week for dry skin and twice for oily.