Get to know your skin and take care of it

Slick tips on how to protect your skin when sunbathing and how to tell what type of skin you have and how to treat it.

One of the young, up & coming dermatologists in the UK scientific community, Dr Perera is a Clinical Research Fellow and member of the British Association of Dermatologists and Skin Health Alliance and a member of the Venus ProTeam.

How do you know which type of skin you have?

Skin type can be related to how quickly you tan or whether you have sensitive or more resilient skin that doesn’t react to products. In general, people who burn quickly in the sun are thought to have sensitive skin, however this is not a rule.

How do you treat the certain types of skin?

To manage sensitive skin and keep it under control it is important that women know their skin and what affects it. For example, women should choose the right regime with products that respond to their personal needs - the right cleanser, moisturiser and shaving routine, for example, are all very important. Since sensitive skin is often dry, it will help to keep skin moisturised. My advice to anyone with sensitive skin is to be extremely gentle with products that interact with the top layer of their skin as well as balancing the right skincare regime with the right products.

As well as sensitive skin, many women are bothered by dry skin – especially after shaving. Body skin is often drier than facial skin because the skin is thicker than on the face and there are less sebaceous glands, which are the glands in the skin responsible for producing the natural oils. To prevent and soothe dry skin, women should use a good quality moisturiser every day. Products that contain body butters are good as they melt at body temperature and are absorbed rapidly into the skin to keep it moisturised and healthy. Water and soap tend to strip the skin of its oils and so will tend to make skin dry, women who experience this should use a more gentle body wash instead of soap and water.

How should we be protecting our skin in the sun?

You may not want to hear it, but avoiding the sun is the best way to protect the skin, and reduce ageing and dryness. Otherwise, ideally you should be applying generous amounts of water resistant sun cream and reapplying every two hours. Be aware of cloud disguising the sun and reflection of sunlight in the water – these too can be damaging to the skin, as can the winter sun. It is best to wear sunscreen all year round.

However, it is important to get a good dose on sunshine to promote vitamin D! Just try to avoid sitting in the sun between 12pm – 3pm in the afternoon, when the sun is at it’s hottest.

Source:http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/lifestyle-fashion/stylebeauty/Beauty+Tips-237547.html