5 Habits That Wreck Your Skin

5 Habits That Wreck Your Skin

You have the best intentions for your skin. You probably have a bathroom drawer full of products to prove it, and you use them every day.

But maybe you've overlooked a few things. Do you have any of these five bad skin habits?

1. Making a Sad Face

They're called frown lines for a reason. "Being unhappy creates bad facial posture -- a frown, pursed lips, and tense facial muscles," says New York dermatologist Doris Day, MD.

While you work on getting happier, there's a shortcut you can take for your face. Try moving your ears back without touching them, Day suggests. Even if you can't do it, just trying helps.

"It's a very open expression. You can't frown and pull your ears back at the same time," she says. "You will feel happier, and people will respond to you more happily."

2. Skipping Sunscreen

"You can't emphasize enough how much sunscreen matters when it comes to skin aging," Day says. "Ninety percent of wrinkles are from sun exposure. Only about 10% are genetic. You have a lot of control."

Wear a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 every day. Slather it on, even on cloudy days. Errands, driving, walking your dog   … anything outside requires sunscreen.

Your sunscreen should say "broad-spectrum" on the label, which means it protects against both UVA and UVB rays. UVB rays burn. UVA rays tan, but cause wrinkles. Both rays can cause skin cancer.

Reapply it, too. Check the label to see how often.

3. Overindulging Your Sweet Tooth

Too much sugar can speed up skin aging in a process called glycation, says New Orleans dermatologist Patricia Farris, MD.

She explains that sugar attacks collagen and elastin, which your skin needs for fullness and elasticity. The result: Your skin can wrinkle and sag.

So change your eating habits. Go for lots of fruits and vegetables and good fats, like those found in salmon. That's your best diet plan for looking younger longer, Farris says.

4. Skimping on Sleep

While you sleep, your skin repairs itself. Too little sleep means too little time for skin repair.

People who get too little sleep, take a long time to fall asleep, or toss and turn have more fine lines and uneven coloring, and less skin elasticity, than people who sleep well, a recent study shows.

You need to get enough sleep. Adults need about 7 to 8 hours a night. Try to stick to a sleep schedule.

"If you go to bed a few hours later than normal, you can end up with jet lag in your skin, so you have more puffiness, hollowness, and sagging," Day says. "Be consistent, and you'll see the difference in your skin." 

Your sleep position matters, too. "Lying on your side pushes your face forward and creates lines," Farris says. She recommends trying a beauty pillow that reduces pressure on the face during sleep. "It's extremely difficult to sleep on your back, but the less you sleep on your side, the better."

5. Smoking

Smoking isn't just bad for your heart and lungs. It's bad for your skin, too.

"When smokers purse their lips to inhale, they get lip lines, and when smoke goes near their eyes, they squint and get crow's feet," Farris says.

Smoking also makes you more likely to get some skin cancers, leaves your skin sallow, and slows wound healing. It can make infection and scars, including acne scars, more likely, too. Do whatever it takes to quit.