words Alexa Wang
The skin is the largest organ of the body, and by virtue of its size and surface exposure, there are many things that can damage it. These include well-known factors like UV rays and harsh chemicals, but there are many more things that you may not be aware of. There is also some confusion as to what things can cause skin problems, such as whether weed can give you acne.
Today, we’re going to cover 10 things you may not know that could damage your skin.
Coffee
Caffeine is a helpful “tool” to keep you awake in the morning and stay up to catch deadlines. However, caffeine can impact the skin. Try to avoid drinking coffee too often, as it can do a number on your skin. When you do, also make sure that you supplement your coffee intake with some water to help your skin out. If the water is a little too plain, consider adding lemon or cucumbers to give it a little more taste.
Popping pimples
If you have pimples, you already have some skin issues. However, if your first approach to pimples is to pop them, that will only make things worse. When you pop a pimple, what you’re doing is pushing any dirt and bacteria on your skin into your pores, only causing more outbreaks. You can find a handy guide to dealing with these pesky pimples here.
Dirty pillowcases
There are a number of good reasons why you should keep your pillow cases clean, and it turns out that the health of your skin is one of these reasons. As your skin cells die, they accumulate on your pillowcase, and that can cause bacteria and toxins to form on the pillowcase, which may contribute to acne accumulation. These can result in your skin becoming irritated, so be sure to wash your pillowcase at least once a week (as well as your sheets), which will do a lot better for your skin health while you sleep.
A lack of exercise
Exercise is a valuable tool for multiple aspects of your health, and your skin is no exception. Exercise not only has the ability to make you look healthier, but it also helps get rid of dead skin cells, which allows new skin cells to grow in their place. Regular exercise also helps you avoid age spots.
Sleeping with makeup
Makeup at its best has the potential to cause problems for your skin, particularly if you are wearing too much makeup for too long a period of time. However, when you’re wearing makeup, you should make a point of removing it before you go to sleep. This can result in two things happening: first, your pores may become clogged, and second, you could wind up developing a bacterial infection. Be sure to keep makeup remover near your bed so that you can easily clean it off before sleeping.
Too much air conditioning
Air conditioning may feel amazing during the hot summer months, but it has its fair share of drawbacks too. Climate change problems, sure, but it also strips the air of humidity. Try not to use the AC unit so liberally, otherwise you may find that your skin is deprived of your skin’s necessary moisture. Granted, especially now, it is not so easy to go without air conditioning, so use your best judgment to decide when it’s a good idea to use it.
Inadequate nutrients
All too often, people do not get enough nutrients in their diet, and failing to do so is not good for your skin. Be sure that you consume a healthy variety and amount of vitamins, including vitamin A, B3, C, and E, which can be found in leafy green vegetables, legumes, oranges, and almons, respectively. Other diet issues can exacerbate enhanced aging and drying of skin, such as yo-yo dieting or eating too much sodium, so be sure to regulate that kind of behavior as well.
A hot shower
Look, we’re not going to tell you that you can’t take hot showers anymore. Everyone needs to be able to enjoy one from time to time. However, taking a hot shower for too long, or taking one too frequently, can cause your skin to become dry and scaly. The best way to know when you’ve been in the shower is to see if your skin appears to be red or itchy. Try to treat it like a treat rather than your standard shower experience. This principle also applies to using a sauna, though a sauna does have its own benefits.
Allergic reactions to certain products
This isn’t exactly shocking, but many people have an allergic reaction to some kind of product, and that includes skincare products. If you use certain skincare products and feel it itching or swelling, this is a good sign that you should put these products out to pasture. When trying out a new skin product, especially on the lips, it’s important to test it on a small patch of skin first to prevent developing eczema on lips. In doing so, if you do have an allergic reaction, the actual impact will be lessened.
Excessive phone use
Phones aren’t exactly famed for being a healthy thing for people to use on the regular, although this has nothing to do with a lot of the common issues like social media addiction or whatever. Instead, it’s more to do with the phone being pressed against your face for too long.
There are two good tactics that you can employ: the first is to simply not chat on the phone too much! However, that’s not always practical. Alternatively, you can either use earbuds or put it on speaker mode if you have enough privacy. A good way to reduce this problem is to keep alcohol wipes on hand, such that you can give both your face and phone a wipe down.
Frowning
While it is not exactly polite to tell people to smile more, it’s also true that there are legitimate benefits to not frowning so much. This is especially true for pouting, as it can cause your face to scrunch up, which adds wrinkles and lines to your skin.
Take care of your skin
There are many things that can cause skin problems, and one of the best ways to reduce these problems is to adopt a skincare routine. That way, you can offset the effects that may be caused by any of the things above, particularly if you happen to love stuff like coffee or taking scalding hot showers at night. Your skin will thank you for it.
