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The Three Benefits of Using Moisturizer
Moisturizers are among the most recommended products in dermatology today. Many skin conditions benefit from moisturizers, notably including the common, but debilitating, eczema and psoriasis. There are many benefits to using moisturizer, but the main three include: preventing dry skin, treating wrinkles (especially important for our aging population!), and preventing worsening of any skin conditions.
It is important to use moisturizers twice a day for maximum benefit, although if you have certain skin conditions such as eczema, you may need to apply more often. The skin is constantly sloughing off dead skin cells and regenerating, which means the moisturizer you use in the morning could be entirely off your face by mid-afternoon. In fact, the skin on your upper body (face, ears, chest, and neck) tends to be more sensitive to changes in the environment and are the most likely areas to develop skin cancer. Moisturizing these areas allows for younger, healthier skin cells to rise to the surface. Making sure you massage the moisturizer gently into your skin instead of just rubbing it on also helps stimulate cell generation, as well as blood circulation to the area. Also remember that moisturizing after a shower or shave is especially critical because hot water dries out your skin by stripping all the moisture and oils from it.
So, which type of moisturizer should you use? It all depends on your skin type. For example, using an ointment or thick, greasy products on oily skin will clog your pores and lead to even oilier skin and predispose you to acne. Oily skin requires a lightweight lotion or non-comedogenic gel. Non-comedogenic is a term that means the skin product will not clog the pores and cause acne. In contrast, if the skin is particularly dry or sensitive, a thicker cream will hydrate it better – but this is better used on other parts of the body besides the face.
Summary of Points:
- Moisturizers are highly recommended in dermatology, and can benefit a variety of skin conditions including eczema and psoriasis.
- The main benefits of using moisturizer are preventing dry skin, treating wrinkles, and preventing worsening of skin conditions.
- It is important to use moisturizer twice a day and to choose the right type for your skin type.
- Using a non-comedogenic product is important for oily skin, while thicker creams are better for dry or sensitive skin.
- Massaging moisturizer into the skin gently can stimulate cell generation and blood circulation.
- Moisturizing after a shower or shave is critical because hot water dries out the skin.
- Learn more about acne and diet in another one of our articleshttps://umedoc.com/uncovering-the-truth-the-surprising-link-between-your-diet-and-acne/
This article reviewed by Dr. Jim Liu, MD and Ms. Deb Dooley, APRN.
There’s nothing more important than our good health – that’s our principal capital asset.
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