by Lynette Alice

Created on: March 29, 2009

Healthy skin is the product of many factors, some we can control and other we can't. While there is no truly magic formula that will make skin healthy that works for everyone until well into their golden years, there are steps everyone can take to keep their skin as healthy as possible as long possible. With a little dedication and common sense, you can follow a little friendly advice and keep that glow as long as possible.

The first thing to understand is that as we age our skin loses elasticity and and produces fewer natural oils than it once did. On top of that our skin gets thinner, so there are some serious curve balls nature throws at us. These all contribute to skin that sags, wrinkles, looks dried out, and just plain old bad.

To combat this there are a few easy steps to hold mother nature at bay as long as possible without having to go under the plastic surgeons knife or turn to wonder drugs and and miracle creams seen on television.

1. Limit your sun exposure. Plastic surgeons are quick to point out that people going for that sun-kissed look are the bread and butter of many practices. The sun may make your skin look great with tan when you're in your twenties, but it sure doesn't do it any favors later. When you are going to be in the sun for a prolonged period of time, go for a daily sunscreen with an SF of 30 or higher.

2. Realize that what goes into your body makes a big difference on how your body looks on the outside. Drink plenty of water everyday as good hydration is essential to healthy looking skin. Coffee and sodas taste great but the dehydrate us and our skin pays for it. Quit smoking! Smoking robs the body of Vitamin A and gives skin a sallow hue, plus it will help you live longer. Eat plenty of fresh fruits an vegetables, the antioxidants will do wonders when it comes to keeping skin looking youthful. A daily multivitamin can help if your diet is less than optimal to increase your odds of having healthy skin.

3. Consider a supervised detox plan to rid your body of toxins. While this isn't necessary for most people it is an option some are willing to exercise and it certainly doesn't hurt.

4. Exercise and rest in proper amounts. Exercise is good for the body, mind, and skin! Exercise reduces stress which leads to wrinkles appearing long before they should. Actually any form of activity that reduces stress is going to help keep your skin healthy, even writing or doing a crossword puzzle. Get your 7-8 hours of sleep each night. When you skimp on sleep you rob your body of it's time to recharge which means that your body doesn't perform to it's best and doesn't repair daily "damage" as quickly as possible.

5. use some common sense. Keep yourself clean, for ladies (and some men) use quality cosmetics, exfolliate on a regular schedule, and monitor your diet!

Keeping your skin healthy and fighting off father time isn't really that difficult nor is it expensive or painful. The best thing is that if you are following these steps for keeping your skin healthy you'll keep your body and most likely mind healthier as well.

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