Orlando, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) — A good skin-care routine can help your skin look it’s best and a lot of Americans are trying to stick to one. A YouGov survey found about half say they have a somewhat or very consistent skin-care routine. But dermatologists say great skin isn’t just about the serums, cleansers, and creams you buy. Some of the most common habits in your daily routine, things you do without even thinking, could actually be causing dryness, irritation, and breakouts.
Cleanse it. Tone it, add some serum and moisturizer. Turn on the red-light therapy, followed up with some face yoga.
We’re doing a lot for our skin these days. But dermatologists say some of the biggest problems may not be in the products at all. First, start with your towel. If you’re using the same one over and over, that could be a problem.
“Towels can harbor bacteria, oils. So, if you are prone to acne or breakouts, probably should be changing your towels every day,” said Jesleen Ahluwalia, MD, Dermatologist.
Then there’s hand-washing. Of course, you should wash your hands but overdoing it, or skipping moisturizer afterward can leave hands dry, red, itchy, and in some cases, so irritated the skin starts to crack.
And what about all those cleansing products? A lot can be too much.
“You start producing more oil to combat that dryness, and then you start breaking out with acne more and rashes and irritation,” explained Ahluwalia.
And check your pillowcases. All those residues of sweat, bacteria, and dead skin cells create an environment for a reaction to your skin. Experts say the best way is to wash it twice a week.
Bottom line, you can keep your cleansers, the creams, and even the face yoga if you love them. Just don’t let an old towel, a dirty pillowcase, or too much of a good thing sabotage all that hard work.
Your phone is also a culprit. Our phone screens house over 25 thousand forms of bacteria per square inch. Wow! It has actually been proven that cell phones are the dirtiest object we come in contact with daily, more than even a toilet seat! If the screen isn’t cleaned regularly, it can cause excess bacteria, breakouts, and irritation to the skin. The best thing to do to reduce this issue, is to clean your phone screen regularly with a water and alcohol solution or phone case disinfectant.
Contributors to this news report include: Cliff Tumetel, Producer; Bob Walko, Editor.
