Skin sin no. 7: Drinking your water instead of eating it
You've heard the eight glasses a day rule a trillion times, we know. But it turns out your body doesn't retain a lot of that water, since it goes right through you during your frequent bathroom breaks. The secret to retaining water is by eating it, says Dr. Howard Murad, M.D., founder of Murad, Inc. and author of "The Water Secret."
Murad suggests noshing on foods that have large quantities of H2O, such as watermelon (97 percent water) and zucchini (95 percent water). Cells can more easily absorb the water in food since it comes along with other nutrients that the body needs to absorb. As a general rule, start eating more fruits and vegetables, which have higher percentages of water than processed foods and meat.
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Skin sin no. 8: Getting refills of prescription pills without seeing your doctor
Your dermatologist can prescribe medication for various skin ailments like acne and rosacea, and the prescription can be good for several months at a time. However, Wu says it's a good idea to see your derm again before you refill an Rx. "Some medications need to be monitored closely, such as isotretinoin (formerly known as Accutane)," she says. "[Others] can be harmful to your liver, drop your blood pressure, or cause electrolyte imbalances. I usually see my patients at least every couple of months, or even more frequently [if they're on] isotretinoin."
We don't know about you, but if we hear the same-old skin care tips one more time (you know -- wear sunscreen, have a derm check your moles once a year, exfoliate twice a week), we're going to scream.
We all know about these often-repeated good skin care habits we need to follow for a perfect, glowing complexion. And as beauty veterans, we're even familiar with the more obscure tips, like patting your moisturizer into your skin instead of rubbing it, or applying urine on your face to fight acne (which is so false BTW).
And even we were surprised -- no, shocked -- by these skin sins everyone commits, including us.
These eight habits not only mess up your skin, but some can even wreck your health. So here they are, the bad skin care habits you -- yes, you -- are committing on a daily basis. See 'em, learn 'em, and fix 'em -- A.S.A.P.
