Issue Date: December 4, 2005
Keeping skin healthy
The cold makes it flaky, but the sun is worse for aging skin.
By Dr. Tedd Mitchell
We're better about pampering our skin in the winter.
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Winter brings with it dry, flaking skin. So we douse ourselves with lotions and creams that keep the skin feeling supple and looking better. After all, we want to prevent wrinkles, don't we? But what if I told you that you're paying attention to your skin during the wrong time of the year?
The fact is, when it comes to aging skin, old man winter can't hold a candle to summer's scorching sun. Here's the problem: In the winter, we pamper our skin, but once the temperature and humidity rise in the spring, so many of us neglect it because it's not dry and itchy anymore.
What can we do to promote healthy aging of our skin? There are risks we can reduce and others we can't. For example, aging itself changes the skin. The inner layer, or dermis, thins over time. The connective proteins, elastin and collagen, become disrupted, and the whole network of tissues becomes less pliable. The result: skin that's thinner, wrinkled and looser. As it loosens, skin droops more because of gravity.
The key to skin aging healthfully is to focus on risk factors you can modify. While you can't avoid aging and gravity, you can protect yourself from the sun and stop smoking. When spring arrives with brighter sunlight, remember to wear hats with brims and clothing that covers your skin. Avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight, particularly during the middle of the day, and use sunscreen containing SPF 30 or higher.
Tedd Mitchell, M.D., is medical director of the Wellness Program at Dallas' Cooper Clinic.
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