As we age, some of that perfectness of our skin begins to fade away. We tan. We burn. We’re out in the elements exposing it to sun and wind. We don’t use sunscreen. We forget to moisturize. We’re too tired to take our makeup off at night.
We could go on and on, but we’re pretty sure that you get the idea. Now, that’s not to say that there aren’t things we can do to restore that youthful glow but there are some pivotal points on the skin spectrum to help us gauge just how healthy our skin really is. Those “pivotal points” would be:
EVEN COLOR – Consistent, even color is a definite sign of healthy, youthful skin, which is why foundations, primers, and concealers will probably never go out of style. Sadly, as we age our skin tone becomes less and less even…especially as it accumulates sun damage and age spots. Unsure where your skin falls on this scale? Well, if you’ve got splotches, blotches, and/or dark under eye circles, there’s a chance your skin isn’t quite as healthy as it once was.
SMOOTH TEXTURE – Healthy skin not only looks smooth, but also feels smooth. If you get up close and personal with healthy skin you’ll notice that it fits the description of “regularly irregular”, meaning that it has tiny “peaks” around pores and hair follicles, and tiny “valleys” in between those peaks. However – with healthy skin those peaks and valleys are consistent, which give the skin a uniform look and feel. On the flip side, unhealthy skin does not have an even texture but, instead, may have wrinkles, scars, acne (including blackheads and whiteheads), bumps, etc.
HYDRATED – There’s no doubting the fact that healthy skin is hydrated skin. There’s also no doubting that we’re always sloughing and shedding dead skin cells, but that’s not something that we typically notice…unless our skin is dehydrated. That’s because, when skin is dehydrated it sheds way too many cells all at the same time, making it appear dull, dry, and flakey.
IT SHOULDN’T FEEL LIKE IT’S THERE – Wait, what?!? That’s right. Unless you’re looking at it, you shouldn’t be able to feel your skin. Think of it like this – have you ever used an astringent on your face, only to wind up feeling like your skin has suddenly gotten super “tight”? Well, that’s feeling your skin…you can tell it’s there because it feels uncomfortable and tight.Now, if you’re reading this and thinking, “yikes” because you’re missing one – or more – of the above healthy skin signs, don’t despair…many of these issues occur normally with hormone changes or due to the aging process. However, if is something that bothers you…we can help! The providers here at Prairie Orthopaedic and Plastic Surgery are here for you (and your skin). Give us a call and schedule a private consultation today!