Cool-Down, Fuel Up, Cleanse: Your Post-Workout Skincare

There’s no denying the benefits exercise has to your overall wellbeing – but you still have to take special measures to look after your body following a workout. You cool-down, fuel up and massage those aching muscles, so why don’t you give your skin wellness the same care and attention? According to anti-ageing wellness expert Anvi Mehta, ‘Regular workouts regulate the body functioning and stimulate the body processes. There is a lot of sweating, and release of body toxins. This helps to open the skin pores and rejuvenate skin cells. Post workout care generally is done to cool down the body. The post workout care should contribute to skin care and nourishment as well.’ But how do you do it? Let’s look at a few tips to help you look after your skin following a workout.

 

1. Avoid the Sun: ‘Our skin pores are open after a gym workout,’ Mehta explains. ‘Avoid going directly in the sun after a workout session is over. The sun rays can cause harm to your skin. Your skin may get tanned by direct exposure to sunlight. For a post workout care, the first thing you do is cover your face with a scarf when you are out in the sun immediately after a workout. You can also use a sun block cream or lotion, but it does not protect the skin as much as covering your face would do.’

 

2. Cleanse, Cleanse, Cleanse: Mehta points out, ‘When working out you sweat a lot. You are sweaty and sticky from top to toe after working out. A post workout care you must diligently follow is have a shower after cooling or relaxing yourself. The sweat can make you uncomfortable and it becomes a dwelling place for bacteria, viruses, dust and dirt. Therefore, clean yourself after a workout. Do not be harsh on your skin, use mild shower gels and a soft loofah to clean yourself.’

 

3. Re-Hydrate: ‘Your body is drained out of water after a workout,’ warns Mehta. ‘You must re-hydrate your skin and body after a workout session. Drink a lot of water to hydrate your body. Also, use a lot of moisturiser on your skin after a shower. Your skin needs moisture to become supple and soft again. Use a moisturiser of a good company for this purpose. Do not use a moisturiser unless you have had a shower. Sweaty skin should not be layered with a cream. Use this tip for skin care after workout.’

 

4. Be Hygienic: Mehta warns, ‘If you opt for a gym washroom for a shower, be careful of the towels and cleansing products you use. Do not use towels already used by someone. The sweat of other people can cause acne on your skin. You must use clean and washed towels to clean your body off from the sweat. Cleaning your skin should be hygienic. This is a must-follow tip for skin care after workout. Also, avoid wearing gym clothes after washing yourself clean. Gym clothes will be sweaty and grimy, they may cause acne and other skin related problems.’

 

5. Avoid Contamination: ‘Everybody in the gym sweats because of the exercises they are doing,’ says Mehta. ‘After a workout, avoid touching anybody else who is still working out. Coming in contact with other people’s sweat may also cause skin acne, pimples and other related problems. After a workout, avoid coming in contact with other people, their sweat filled clothes, towels, etc. This is an important post workout tip for skin care after a workout. When you are in a gym you must be careful with your skin.’

Categories: cleanse cleanse, gym clothes, hydrate, Post-Workout, related problems, skin care, Sun Exposure, workout avoid, workout care, workout nbsp, workout session

What is Tanning Really Doing to Your Skin?

There’s no such thing as a healthy tan, whether you’ve done it naturally or with the use of a sun bed. Exposing yourself to too much ultraviolet radiation is extremely dangerous for your health, leading to sunburn, eye damage, and an increased risk of skin cancer. In order to really protect yourself from this damage, you should educate yourself on the risks of the sun and how you can protect your skin in the future. Ultraviolet, or UV, rays are a type of invisible light given off by the sun and certain kinds of lamps such as tanning beds. There are differences between UVA and UVB rays, such as how deep they penetrate the skin, but both are associated with health risks and sun lamps emit both kinds. Depending on the kind of sunbed you’re using will depend on how strong the lamp is, and as such how strong the exposure to these damaging rays is. Studies show that a tanning bed can emit up to 15 times the amount of UVA radiation that the sun produces. This goes some way to showing just how damaging these rays are.

 

Exposing your skin to UV rays produces a tanned effect, which has become increasingly desirable in recent years. You may think you’re achieving that healthy glow you’ve been craving, but the reality is that a tan is the sign of damaged skin. Many people also mistakenly believe that tanning on  sunbed provides a certain level of natural protection from sunburn on holidays to sunnier climes. This isn’t true, and actually provides very limited protection from solar UV. It’s not all bad news, of course – sunbeds do help to kill germs and treat some skin conditions, such as rickets, eczema and psoriasis, but the UV radiation you’re exposed to far outweighs the benefits. You shouldn’t attempt to treat these conditions with UV radiation without consulting your GP first, as it can be very dangerous. One of the common associations with UV radiation is that your body produces the much-sought after vitamin D after your skin is exposed to it. Your body can change how much this happens though, such as your skin pigmentation, age and how much sunscreen you use. In addition to this, there have been no studies as to whether UV-induced vitamin D synthesis can happen without increasing your risk of skin cancer. You can source vitamin D far more safely from your diet, by eating more eggs, fish and fortified products like bread and cereal. Supplements are also useful if you’re finding that you’re not getting enough vitamin D through your diet alone.

If you are exposing yourself to solar UV radiation, you should try to protect your skin as best you can. Try to find shade where possible, and always wear sunscreen to protect your skin. Wear protective clothing, such as sunglasses and a hat, and try to avoid sitting in the direct sunlight between 11am and 4pm as this is when it is at its strongest. If you have young children, they should be discouraged from spending too much time out in the sun. If you are going to use sunbeds, make sure that you follow safe practices outlined by the staff and check that the bed you’re using has been labelled for safety, so that you know it is as safe as it can be. Too much sun exposure can be very dangerous, as well as causing premature ageing, so it’s best to avoid it where possible to keep your skin healthy.

Categories: radiation, rays, skin, Skin Cancer, solar uv, Sun Exposure, Tanning, uv radiation, uv rays, vitamin

How to Sunbathe Your Way to a Reduced Risk of Arthritis

If you want to guard your wellbeing against rheumatoid arthritis, all you need to do is get some rays. This is according to a study from researchers at Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, who found that soaking up the sun may reduce a woman’s risk of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by more than a fifth.

The research, led by Dr Elizabeth Arkema, was based on data from the Nurses’ Health Study. This is a major US investigation which looks at lifestyle factors affecting women’s health, and the scientists examined the conditions where the women lived to work out their likely exposure to UV-B rays. You know that over-exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays can damage your skin and trigger skin cancer, but the results of the study of more than 200,000 women, which was published in the journal Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, suggests sunshine can also cut your RA risk by 21%.

A sensitive measurement method known as UV-B flux, which takes latitude, altitude and cloud cover into account, was used by the researchers. They expressed their results in terms of R-B units which relate to the impact of exposure over time. For example, 440 R-B units in 30 minutes would produce slight redness in untanned white skin. On average, the study’s volunteers had different R-B ratings, depending on the US state they were from. In the northern states of Alaska and Oregon, the annual average of exposure was 93 R-B units, which ranged right up to 196 R-B units in Hawaii and Arizona.

The study lasted up to three decades, and during that time 1,314 women developed RA, an auto-immune condition that attacks the joints. Those on the higher end of the R-B scale were 21% less likely to develop the disease than those with less sun exposure. However, the association was only seen in older women, which the researchers surmised may be because these women, who knew less about UV damage in their youth as we do know, were less likely to protect themselves from the sun.

According to the scientists, ‘Our study adds to the growing evidence that exposure to UV-B light is associated with decreased risk of rheumatoid arthritis. The mechanisms are not yet understood, but could be mediated by the cutaneous (skin) production of vitamin D and attenuated by use of sunscreen or sun-avoidant behaviour.’ They added that it is unclear whether RA risk is affected by sun exposure at birth, in adolescence or throughout adulthood.

How to Sunbathe Your Way to a Reduced Risk of Arthritis

Categories: exposure, ra risk, Research, Rheumatoid Arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), risk, skin, study, Sun Exposure, Women

Budget Wrinkle-Smoothers for Great Skin

There’s an enormous amount of pressure on women to maintain a youthful appearance, yet the hefty price tag attached to the so-called solutions means the majority of women are in a catch-22. For women to stay young, it seems they have to pay a fortune in order to rid themselves of wrinkles. It doesn’t need to be that way though – with some thoughtful preventative measures and low-cost alternatives, you can still retain your youthful glow. These include moisturising regularly, both on the surface and from the inside too.

 

In your 20s

Preventative measures now can save you a lot of time and money further down the line. The best way to achieve this is to use antioxidants to prevent and repair the damage caused by pollution, sun damage and stress. The best time for this repair phase is during your sleep, when the skin is already busy repairing any damage. Wearing a minimum of an SPF15 each day will protect your skin from the ageing effects of the sun, as well as studies showing that regular application of sun cream can help to repair the damage of previous sun exposure. So if you tanned excessively during your teens, there may be some hope of repairing the damage for the future.

In your 30s

Your skin may be looking a little dull by the time you reach your 30s, partly due to stress and partly due to pollution and sun exposure. This may manifest itself in the form of fine lines and brown spots, so you should look to retinol, peptides and alpha hydroxy acids to reverse the damage. Anti ageing ingredients can sometimes lead to flaky skin or redness, but that’s no reason to stop using them. Use these ingredients every other day so that your skin has chance to get used to them. You should also consider your diet – those which are rich in dark green leafy vegetables, olive oil, oily fish and low in milk, butter and sugar will notice an improvement in their skin. You are what you eat, and it’s well worth remembering this when it comes to your skin.

In your 40s

In your 40s, those fine lines you noticed before have become fully-fledged wrinkles, and hyper-pigmentation can start to appear. Hormonal issues can often lead to redness and blotchiness, too. A chemical peel can be a great option for reversing the signs of ageing, which removes the top layer of skin to reveal the smoother skin underneath. Depending on the strength of the peel, you may have some redness or sensitivity for a couple of days afterwards. However, it will help to improve not only the visibility of wrinkles and lines, but also the texture and brightness of your skin. Continuing on with your skincare regime throughout will also ensure that your skin stays moisturised, which is key in preventing further lines from developing

Your skin changes constantly, so it’s important to modify your skincare regime to accommodate these changes. The key aspect of any effective regime is to keep your skin hydrated and protected from the sun – this means wearing an SPF every day in order protect against ageing UV rays, and reapplying regularly if you’re going to be out in the sun for a long time. Your diet, as previously mentioned, is also important so you should try to cut back on the fatty and sugary foods in place of natural nuts, seeds, fruit, vegetables and non-fat dairy produce. This, coupled with plenty of water throughout the day, will help to keep your skin healthy from the inside too.

Categories: ageing, anti-ageing, Fine Lines, lines, preventative measures, Repair, skin, skincare regime, Sun Exposure, time, Tips, Wrinkles

The Fine Line Lies: Why You Just Can’t Get Rid of Wrinkles

No matter what anti-ageing beauty products promise, you can’t avoid wrinkles. I don’t care how many creams you slather over your face, or how many treatments you undergo, those fine lines will appear sooner or later, and you’ll probably be much happier if you just accept the fact and get on with it. However, the beauty and wellness industry is responsible for perpetrating five myths about wrinkles, which you may need to realise before you can move on with your life and just be happy.

 

1. More expensive wrinkle creams are more effective.

While some wrinkle creams are more effective than others, that is not to say that there’s a direct correlation in terms of price. Otherwise, you’d be able to tell how much money a person has just by the wrinkles on their face! Plus, no cream will ever completely rid your face of wrinkles, and any beauty company that promises otherwise is a big fat liar.

 

2. You only get wrinkles from sun exposure.

Yes, sunlight is a huge factor in how early you start to wrinkle up, but there are other causes too. Wrinkles are a natural part of growing older, which you can tell by the fact that we get wrinklier in the UK compared to people in sunnier countries. However, applying sun cream before leaving the house can ward of UVA and UVB rays, which increase your fine lines.

 

3. You can get rid of wrinkles by drinking plenty of water.

People tend to believe this one because water keeps your skin hydrated and is responsible for flushing toxins out of the body. While this can give your skin a more youthful glow – and is beneficial to your well-being – drinking eight to 10 glasses of water a day cannot prevent wrinkles.

 

4. Oily fish can ward of wrinkles.

This isn’t backed up by evidence, and even though oily fish is beneficial to heart health, that tuna sandwich is doing nothing for your skin. According to the World Health Organisation, it’s dangerous to eat more than 12 ounces of fish in a week.

 

5. Facial exercises can prevent premature wrinkling.

Actually, the opposite is true; moving your facial muscles more increases your chances of wrinkles appearing. Unfortunately, this is another reason why you just can’t avoid wrinkles.

Categories: anti-ageing, avoid wrinkles, Fine Lines, oily fish, Sun Exposure, Water, wrinkle creams, Wrinkles

Ways to Stay Ageless Through Your Lifestyle

The media has created a need for us to be ageless and ever-youthful, but how do you achieve that in everyday life? There are numerous surgical options available to us now, but for those seeking the natural route all is not lost. Make-up hides a number of ageing sins, but that’s not all – preventative measures can do wonders for your appearance as well. Here are some ways to stay looking young and feeling good as you age.

 

The sun is responsible for a large proportion of your ageing, so wherever you can prevent this damage you should. This doesn’t have to just mean wearing sunscreen though, although this is hugely important – your eyes bear the brunt of squinting which is one of the first areas of your face to age. Super-sizing your sunglasses can help with this, as it not only stops you from squinting in the sunshine, but also helps protect the skin from the damaging UV rays. And don’t forget to wear a hat and a scarf over the sensitive décolleté area, to protect against sun spots.

 

As moisturisers go, you should aim for natural, organic and nutritious ingredients. Olive oil is a surprising choice but one which can offer numerous benefits to your skin – it is loaded with essential fatty acids which can combat dry and sensitive skin. Opt for an unflavoured oil and rub in a small amount at night to keep your skin looking plump and youthful. This goes for the skin on your hands as well, as dry and wrinkled skin in this area can lead to an instant giveaway of your age. If you want to protect this area and reduce wrinkles, apply the same retinoid used on your face to the back of your hands and then add a layer of Vaseline. Cotton gloves can help to keep the treatment in place overnight and supercharge the process, so these could be useful for keeping your hands moisturised for longer.

 

When your eyes are strained, this leads to squinting to overcompensate, putting you at risk of developing eye bags and wrinkles, as well as frown lines. Ninety present of the time this is due to poor eyesight, because your prescription isn’t strong enough – an eye exam could correct this problem and save you a lot of time and worry in anti-ageing treatments down the line. But there are other unsuspecting factors contributing to your appearance – ever worry about how your commute is affecting your ageing? 80 percent of sun exposure occurs through windows, so if you want to ward off the sun spots, wrinkles and even skin cancer, you may want to invest in a window shield. You can purchase a clear window film which acts as a guard from the sunlight and UV rays. The average commuter gets around 200 hours of sun exposure from driving alone, so this measure could prevent 99 percent of these rays from affecting you. If you do happen to develop brown spots, lemon juice can be used to reverse the damage – a little lemon juice with water could help to fade the spots on all skin tones. Apply with a Q-tip before bedtime, and gradually increase to twice a day, however you should stop if your skin gets too tight.

 

Ageing is something which should be done naturally and gracefully where possible, but these are tricks which could make a huge difference in the rate at which you age. Drinking plenty of water, avoiding too much sunlight and protecting your skin with a moisturiser are the best basic rules to follow.

Categories: anti-ageing, lemon juice, lifestyle, moisturiser, skin, skincare, Sun Exposure, sun spots, uv rays