Dr. John Day, Cardiologist

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

5 Proven Secrets to Younger Looking Skin

Studies show that you can have 10 years younger looking skin.  While we all want healthy and younger looking skin, do you really have to use all of the lotions and potions promoted in advertisements?

In this article, I share the five proven secrets to younger looking skin.

1. Daily Skin Care

Studies show that proper skin care can make you look two years younger.  Proper skin care doesn’t mean scrubbing your face until it is squeaky clean.  It also doesn’t mean lots of expensive skin care products.

According to my dermatology colleagues, for most people, a gentle face clean before bed may be enough.  You don’t need to scrub hard or use harsh soaps.  This goal of this gentle face cleaning before bed is to remove dirt, bacteria, oil, pollutants, and makeup.

A daily moisturizer can also help your skin to look young.  Moisturizers protect your skin from weather and from drying up.

2. Get the Healthy Vegetable and Fruit Tan

Most of my patients have no idea they can get a healthy looking skin tan just from eating more vegetables and fruits.  This is because the carotenoids from vegetables and fruits are absorbed into the skin.  Indeed, medical studies show that the carotenoids from vegetables and fruits not only give you a nice looking skin tan but make your skin appear younger and more attractive as well.

How many servings of vegetables and fruits do you need to get this healthy skin tan?  According to studies, the more you eat the better your tan.  For best results, focus on the vegetables and fruits highest in the carotenoids like carrots, green leafy vegetables, sweet potatoes, or tomatoes.

Interestingly, this vegetable and fruit skin tan doesn’t give you any lines.  It is a nice tan even to those areas that never see the light of the sun.

3. Avoid Sunburns, Sunbathing, and Tanning Salons

The two fastest ways to age your skin, get wrinkles, and appear old are to get excessive UV light and smoke.  Indeed, studies show that people who get excessive UV light from the sun or tanning salons appear about three years older than their actual age.  Skin wrinkles the most in sun exposed areas, like your face.

Even just using a tanning bed once a year has been associated with looking two years older than you really are according to studies.  Likewise, if you ever sunbathe or let your skin turn pink or red from the sun you also appear two to three years older.

For those of you who follow my TV news segments, blog, or podcast, you know that I am a big fan of being active outside.  The key is to do it in a sun smart way.

For most people, 15 minutes of direct sun is all you need.  If it is not the summer, or if it is earlier or later in the day, you may need more than 15 minutes to get the vitamin D your body needs.  The most important thing to remember is to never let your skin turn red or pink from the sun.

4. Stop Smoking

Right up there with excessive UV light exposure, smoking is the fastest way to make yourself look old.  I’m sure everyone has seen that 60 year old smoker who really looks like they may be in their 80s.

Smoking is toxic to the skin.  It causes the skin to lose its elasticity.  It also starves the skin of oxygen and causes the loss of collagen.  All of these changes makes the skin look old.

The skin damage from smoking is dose dependent.  In other words, the more people smoke the older their skin looks.  The key is to stop smoking as soon as possible so that the skin can start to repair itself before these changes become permanent.

5. Get a Daily Workout

Not only do people who exercise have less wrinkles and younger looking skin, but exercise, according to medical studies, reverses skin aging.  Indeed, one study showed that regular exercise could make the skin of a 65 year old appear like that of someone in their 20s to 40s.

Based on studies, any exercise helps.  The best exercise is the one you will do.  To maximize your chances of developing a daily exercise habit, the best exercise should be fun, convenient, and with someone else.

Take Home Message

While skin naturally ages, you can reverse or at least dramatically slow down this process.  Studies show that if you can faithfully follow these five tips, you will likely have less wrinkles and appear about 10 years younger than your actual age.

What do you do to enjoy healthy and younger looking skin?  Please leave your comments and questions below.  I will do my best to respond to every question.

Also, if you like what you have read, please be sure to sign up for my free weekly newsletter.  If finding the time to read is a challenge for you, try subscribing to my podcast so that you can listen while working out or driving.