5 ways you can be harming your skin

As the Christmas period looms just a few weeks ahead, the chances are that many of us will be trying every trick in the book to beautify and perfect our appearance for highly anticipated Christmas parties and events. Whether you want to look your best at the office Christmas doo or want to wow your friends back home, it’s time to think carefully about your skincare regime now so that you’re not caught out.

Here’s a look at some of the potential things that you might be doing wrong in your quest for better looking skin but ultimately may be harming your skincare routine in the long run.

Waxing

For many men and women, waxing is the most obvious way to remove hair quickly and achieve a smooth silky looking skin. However, waxing can lead to a number of issues for your body that can affect your health and comfort. For example, a Brazilian wax to the bikini area could increase the risk of infection. Noted dermatologist – Dr. Krant – has stated that “pulling the hairs out of those areas increases the risk that tiny skin tears will get bacteria in them that was never meant to be inside the skin. It can cause surface infections and even deeper cellulitis in some cases.” It’s one of the reasons why we recommend Laser Hair Removal as a less painful option for getting rid of large areas of hair.

Shaving

For all of us shaving can quickly become a timely and annoying task. The Dermal Institute have estimated that the average man can spend 6 months of his life just shaving his beard such is the inconvenience, so we can’t imagine how much time is spent on everywhere else! Perhaps the cheapest and fastest way to remove unwanted hair, shaving carries with it a number of potential dangers to your skin. For the first part, many shaving products and the razor itself can remove the natural oils and barriers that protect your skin from harmful bacteria. Shaving with a blunt blade or incorrectly can lead to razor bumps or ingrown hairs, which can in turn, become inflamed and even infected, leaving you red-faced and uncomfortable.

Overuse of products

We’ve all been there – a breakout of bad acne and you desperately try to get rid of it by plastering your face with as many products as you can!

Likewise, just as you go out partying over Christmas, you may be wearing make-up more than usual and as such, need to remove it more regularly with make-up wipes. However, using these products can often strip the skin of valuable natural oils that help protect the skin and keep it looking firm, plush and healthy. In some cases, too much usage of a skin product can lead to irritation, block pores and even the odd horrible infection.

Whilst natural oils for your skin are much needed, simply using a “natural” product doesn’t necessarily make it good for you. Leading dermatologist, Dr. Allison Arthur, has commented that “another natural product I see being used a lot is coconut oil. Using that as a moisturizer in areas like the arms and the legs is typically fine, but I don’t recommend using it on the face because it can clog pores and make acne worse”. Mixing too much with other products could also lead to allergic reactions that could do more damage than good.

Scrubbing acne

Likewise, many people may take the obvious approach of constantly washing their face in the hope that it will clear up the acne. In fact, too much showering or scrubbing can remove those natural oils as well! This can leave you with dry and irritated skin that is lacking a protective barrier. Furthermore, if you’re washing too frequently, your body may respond by overproducing oil for the skin later on – which can lead to blocked pores and an overly oily skin.