Getting a complete skin exam once a year is essential to your overall health because it can help prevent serious issues, like skin cancer. "There are so many spots that are hidden," says Kunin, explaining why getting your moles checked by a doctor is so important. "A large number of abnormal things can be picked up instantly," she says. If you do see a suspicious-looking spot or mole, don't wait until your yearly exam, see a doctor sooner to make sure you're in the clear.
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Thou shalt not: stress
"When your body is stressed, it pours out a stress hormone called cortisol," says Bank. This causes a multitude of things. "It robs the skin of its blood supply and can elevate blood sugar, which can cause cells to function abnormally," says Bank. It can also affect acne oil glands. So bottom line, when you stress out your skin may be more prone to breakouts and is likely to look dull and sallow. Bank recommends finding a stress-reducing activity that works for you. Whether you choose deep breathing, yoga, walking, "even 15 minutes can make a difference," says Bank.
"There is no way you can look great if you are sleep deprived," says Lorencin. And though Bank admits, "we don't fully understand sleep and the complex biochemical things that go on during it," he adds that whatever is going on is critical. When your body is fighting to say awake "muscle tone relaxes so you look saggy, blood pressure drops which robs skin of color and you're prone to puffiness due to poor circulation," he says. Yet more reasons to get the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep a night.
We hate to get preachy on you, but if you want your skin to look great well into your 80s, you'll follow this advice, courtesy of Audrey Kunin, M.D., founder of DERMADoctor; David Bank, M.D. author of "Beautiful Skin: Every Woman's Guide to Looking Her Best at Any Age" and Olga Lorencin, owner of Kinara Skin Care Clinic in Beverly Hills, Calif. When asked what the worst possible things for our skin are, these topped their lists. So now, repeat after us, "thou shalt not" ...