One of the first things you probably do when you wake up each morning is care for your skin. You most likely do the same every evening before ending your day. Taking these moments for skin care is just one way to practice self-care.
However, your daily skin care rituals are not only opportunities to address the appearance of your skin, but also time to focus on your skin’s health, and in turn, your overall health.
Consider this—while caring for your skin, you likely:
- Scan your reflection in the mirror for changes in your skin, such as discoloration, growths, blemishes, dry patches or inflammation—some of which can signal underlying health problems—and make a mental note to talk to your dermatologist if you have any concerns.
- Use products you’ve researched, careful to avoid unnecessary or harmful ingredients, leading you to also carefully consider the ingredients in your food, supplements, medications and other products you may use.
- Apply sunscreen every morning, actively preventing damage due to the sun’s ultraviolet rays, which can cause sunburn, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation and even cancer.
Every step in your skin care regimen plays a key role in supporting your health. This is because your skin is the largest, and most exposed, organ in your body. Your skin is influenced by its environment and how you treat it—and the health of your skin can influence the internal systems it protects. Read more
