As you start to dream about the career moves you’ll make, the vacations you’ll take and everything else on your bucket list for 2020, add one more new year to-do to your list: Take great care of your skin.
“In general the end of the year/beginning of the new year is a time to reflect on yourself, your life and the past year and resolve to make positive changes,” explains dermatologist Dr. Sejal Shah, M.D. “Just as many people make resolutions to improve their general health (e.g. eat healthier, lose weight, exercise more), the new year is a good time to assess your skin health, set goals for the upcoming year and plan on how you will accomplish those goals.”
Here are some commandments to make for your skin over the next 12 months:
Wear sunscreen every day.
Yes, even in the winter. Even when it’s snowing. No matter what, no exceptions. No matter how young or old you are, sunscreen protects against harmful rays that are always present in the atmosphere, regardless of temperature or season.
“If there is a single commandment you pick up in the new year, it should be applying sunscreen daily. Sunscreen is the foundation of any good skin care regimen. Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is extremely damaging to the skin and contributes not only to skin aging (wrinkles, skin sagging, brown spots) but also the development of skin cancer,” Shah says. “Sunscreen, which protects the skin against harmful UVR, is crucial to protecting the skin.” Read more
