Causes of bad skin

Bad Diet
It doesn't take a genius to know what you put in you get out, so the healthier your diet the healthier your skin should be. The obvious pointers are to eat lots of fresh fruit and veg plus drink water. Excess alcohol can cause redness of the skin resulting in broken capillaries. Junk food creates free radicals causing damage to cells. Think of free radicals as nasty little cells that fly around your body like bumper cars and every time they bump into a healthy cell they damage it. See our previous post on acne or vitamin deficiency.

Sun
The number 1 cause of damage and yet people still don't wear high enough sun protection factor (SPF) all year round. UV rays can create a thickening of the skin leading to blackheads, white heads, dull tired skin and rough dry skin. The sun will dry out the skin and your bodies reponse it to release more sebum, the cause of breatouts.

Environmental Issues
This is where a good cleansing routine is essential. Pollution, dirt and cosmetics can cause problems if not properly cleansed leaving them to do damage in your pores. Environmental toxins can cause serious free radical issues which will not only lead to breatouts but also premature ageing.

Rest
Sleep is when our bodies do their repair work so it's a good idea to get what you need. Everyone differs in the amount of sleep they need so if you find you are tired during the day, go to bed a little earlier - after thoroughly cleansing your skin!

Stress, Hormones and other factors
Stress is a major factor in breakouts on your skin as it causes hormonal changes in your body that can play havoc on your skin. As a therapist I would notice if my client is under stress if she has breakouts along her jaw line. Another hormonal factor is around the time of your period when you may notice a breakout around your chin. If you've recently come off the contraceptive pill you may notice a breakout which could last a few months due to hormonal changes in your body.

Using the wrong products can be very damaging to your skin especially if they are hard soaps which will result in dry flaky skin. Some of the acne products have harsh ingredients which will upset your ph balance further.

Smoking - is there a need to point out the obvious! One cigarette will generate billions of free radicals the nasty little enemies that break down anti-oxidants in your body leading to not only bad skin but premature ageing.

If you find you are guilty of most of the causes, don't try to change everything in one go as it will be totally overwhelming. Change one thing at a time and you should have more success. Visit your therapist to make sure you are using the right product and the ball rolling towards good clear skin.