Life in your 20's can be a roller-coaster. You've got to pick a career of your choice, assume many responsibilities you thought you wouldn't have to, stay motivated and most importantly look ahead! While you juggle between all of this and more, you'll realise you've got no time to pay attention to your skin.What's going on with your skin?To start with, acne scars will become your biggest enemy. You may have outgrown the acne, but the scars those acne left behind are of bigger worry. You could also fall victim to excessive facial hair, especially girls suffering from Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) or thyroid issues. Extra facial hair on the cheeks is also something boys have in their 20's.
Black heads and white heads can be commonly found in both girls and boys of this age group, though lesser than they had in their teen years. A lot of people in their 20's also start to gym aggressively and take better care of their bodies. This usually leads to striae distensae or stretch marks, especially in boys. These marks start with itching which leads to red striations and over time turns white like a magnified, ugly stretch mark.Adding to this list of things to worry about in your 20's, wrinkles should feature somewhere on top. Though the age doesn't compliment wrinkles, they do start to appear because of a number of reasons. Intrinsic ageing and ultraviolet damage from sun exposure damages collagen and elastin fibers. For people in their 20's, lifestyle plays a big role. Regular consumption of alcohol, smoking and similar not-so-good habits pose a serious threat to healthy skin and cause unwanted skin damage. If you're a woman you might also want to be cautious about using hormone-based birth control pills, emergency contraceptive pills and excessive stress.To deal with all of this and other unexpected lifestyle changes, here are some timely and preventive measures that can give you healthy and glowing skin:What you can do for fabulous skin:1. Sun block is that one thing you must not skip. Sun damage is a serious threat and causes causes fine lines and wrinkles besides pigmentation, solar acne, etc. So don't forget to wear a good sunscreen before you step out of the house. In fact, you should apply a bit even while at home because you can also be at risk of sun damage while at home. 2. It takes nearly 10 to 15 years to see truly harsh sun exposure effects on our skin like skin carcinoma, actinic keratoses, etc. Hence, physical sun blocks such as titanium or zinc dioxide are preferable to protect the skin from the harsh rays though they are clear on the skin but in sports personalities and people working in sun a lot should use physical blocker.3. A regular clean up like an oxyfacial/hydrafacial is a good option, but preferably at a medical spa where a dermatologist monitors the regimen. Be sure you don't expose yourself to bleach, chemicals, facial massage or steam. This kind of clean-up should be done every 2-3 months months but the gap can be longer or shorter depending on skin quality and tendency for black heads, whiteheads, acne, etc. Chemical peels should not be an option for people in their 20's, unless the skin is extremely bad or has a lot of acne, especially of nodulo-cystic type that need to be peeled off. Stick to mild peels with not more than one peel in 4-6 weeks.4. Last but not the least, here are a few pointers for evergreen skin which you should follow regularly:
The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. NDTV is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information on this article. All information is provided on an as-is basis. The information, facts or opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of NDTV and NDTV does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.
Black heads and white heads can be commonly found in both girls and boys of this age group, though lesser than they had in their teen years. A lot of people in their 20's also start to gym aggressively and take better care of their bodies. This usually leads to striae distensae or stretch marks, especially in boys. These marks start with itching which leads to red striations and over time turns white like a magnified, ugly stretch mark.Adding to this list of things to worry about in your 20's, wrinkles should feature somewhere on top. Though the age doesn't compliment wrinkles, they do start to appear because of a number of reasons. Intrinsic ageing and ultraviolet damage from sun exposure damages collagen and elastin fibers. For people in their 20's, lifestyle plays a big role. Regular consumption of alcohol, smoking and similar not-so-good habits pose a serious threat to healthy skin and cause unwanted skin damage. If you're a woman you might also want to be cautious about using hormone-based birth control pills, emergency contraceptive pills and excessive stress.To deal with all of this and other unexpected lifestyle changes, here are some timely and preventive measures that can give you healthy and glowing skin:What you can do for fabulous skin:1. Sun block is that one thing you must not skip. Sun damage is a serious threat and causes causes fine lines and wrinkles besides pigmentation, solar acne, etc. So don't forget to wear a good sunscreen before you step out of the house. In fact, you should apply a bit even while at home because you can also be at risk of sun damage while at home. 2. It takes nearly 10 to 15 years to see truly harsh sun exposure effects on our skin like skin carcinoma, actinic keratoses, etc. Hence, physical sun blocks such as titanium or zinc dioxide are preferable to protect the skin from the harsh rays though they are clear on the skin but in sports personalities and people working in sun a lot should use physical blocker.3. A regular clean up like an oxyfacial/hydrafacial is a good option, but preferably at a medical spa where a dermatologist monitors the regimen. Be sure you don't expose yourself to bleach, chemicals, facial massage or steam. This kind of clean-up should be done every 2-3 months months but the gap can be longer or shorter depending on skin quality and tendency for black heads, whiteheads, acne, etc. Chemical peels should not be an option for people in their 20's, unless the skin is extremely bad or has a lot of acne, especially of nodulo-cystic type that need to be peeled off. Stick to mild peels with not more than one peel in 4-6 weeks.4. Last but not the least, here are a few pointers for evergreen skin which you should follow regularly:
- Drink 4-5 liters of water daily. Nothing cleans up skin quicker than water
- Use sunscreen that is of SPF 20 plus, at least 15 minutes before stepping out into the sun
- Find a sunscreen which isn't oily and if you're going to apply make-up do so after applying the sunscreen
- Splash water on your face few times during the day if possible and even in the evening
- Wash your face and apply a night cream (that suits your skin type) before going to sleep
- Work-out for at least 20 minutes a day. Any form of cardio - yoga, zumba, aerobics 2-3 times a week could drastically improve your health and skin
The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. NDTV is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information on this article. All information is provided on an as-is basis. The information, facts or opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of NDTV and NDTV does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.
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