Skin Care 101

The following comes from WebMD and was written by Lissa Poirot:

Like a snowflake, no two faces are identical, even on identical twins. The color of our skin, eyes, and hair varies, as does the shape of our eyebrows, cheekbones, lips, and noses.

How our skin ages also varies, based on factors from heredity and ethnicity to the kinds of foods we eat and the time we spend sleeping or in the sun. To choose the best skin care routine for your skin, understanding your skin and how lifestyle and environment affect it are the first steps.

Skin Care 101: What Is Your Skin Type?
Spending a day on the beach with a friend can be a good lesson in what gradations in skin shade mean for skin care. Let's say that you inherited fair skin from your Irish grandmother, while your friend's ancestors were Mediterranean. While her olive complexion tans within minutes, yours goes right to sunburn.

Dermatologists organize skin into six types, with type I being the lightest and type VI being very dark. "Anyone who is a four and above has more melanin in their skin, which protects them from the sun," says Monica Halem, MD, dermatologist and assistant clinical professor at Columbia University Medical Center Eastside.

"A black African with skin type VI, for example, doesn't feel the aging effects of the sun as much as a blond-haired, blue-eyed, light-skinned person of Scandinavian descent, at a level one," Halem says. Ethnic groups that tend to have more melanin -- blacks, Hispanics, and Asians -- often reap the benefit in skin that looks younger than that of their lighter skinned peers.

However, more melanin also puts skin at higher risk of scarring and pigmentation problems. And it doesn't mean people with darker skin are safe from sun damage, so it's important to wear sunscreen.

What Happens to Aging Skin?

As you age your body begins to slow production of two components of the skin: collagen and elastin. This leads to fine lines and wrinkles. The breakdown of these proteins is made worse by sun exposure and gravity, and results in the sagging appearance of aged skin.

Your skin continues to change as you age. It becomes thinner, drier, and more fragile as the inner layer of skin (the dermis) starts to thin. Fat beneath the skin, in the cheeks, chin, and nose, disappears, causing skin to sag. Facial hair increases, pores enlarge, and women going through hormonal changes may experience acne and breakouts similar to those in their teen years.

For people with oily skin, breakouts may never fade with age. The good news is that people with oily skin ward off wrinkles better than those with dry skin, as the oils keep their skin moister and smoother.

Women with dry skin should continue to moisturize, even before wrinkles begin to appear, to lessen their impact. Those with oily skin can keep skin clear and less wrinkled with hypoallergenic moisturizers.

The body's ability to fight free radicals that attack and damage cells and collagen also slows with age. Antioxidants work to protect skin of free radicals and improve its appearance, repairing damage and moisturizing the skin. Antioxidants are found in Vitamins C, E, and A, which should be a regular part of a healthy diet. Many skin care products now include these antioxidants in their formulas, as well...

To view more, visit http://www.webmd.com/skin-beauty/skin-care-advisor-9/age-lifestyle-tips