Why Your Skin Is Looking Dull and How to Fix It!

Have you ever looked in the mirror only to see lifeless, almost gray, skin looking back at you? People often suffer from dull skin during the winter and in general when they don’t know how to probably care for it. if you’re one of these people and you’re looking for a way to get your skin glowing again, look no further! This article is going to tell you exactly what you need to do and how to do it to give your skin the glow it deserves!

1. You don’t exfoliate 

One of the main reasons for dull skin is the buildup of dead skin cells. Dead skin cells not only make skin look dingy, but they also prevent products from passing through the skin’s uppermost layer and really being effective. To remedy this, all you need to do is exfoliate 1-2 times a week. Just make sure to be gentle so that you don’t cause inflammation or irritation. 

 

A great scrub you can make at home is a sugar scrub: Combine 1 tbsp of brown and white sugar with some water to make a paste. Using a circular motion, gently sub the scrub on your face. Wash with lukewarm water and see immediate results. 

 

Check out five more facial scrubs you can make at home with ingredients you already have in your pantry! 

 

2. You don’t moisturize 

Dull skin is often the result of fissures on our skin’s surface. Moisturizing helps fill in those cracks by adding natural fat to the skin resulting in a smooth and shiny surface. Adding fat to the skin isn’t the only thing that’s important, it’s how you do it. the best way to apply moisturizer is with gentle upward strokes. This action boots circulation in the area and stimulates your face and neck cells. 

 

You can prepare your own moisturizing face pack with coconut oil: 

Mix 2 tbsp of coconut oil with 2 tbsp of honey. 

Apply the solution to your face and let sit for 15 minutes. Wash off with lukewarm water. Click here to discover 10 natural products that can help you moisturize your skin even more!

3. You aren’t drinking enough water  

When your body is dehydrated, blood flow decreases and therefore makes your skin look pale and dull. However, drinking just one glass of water isn’t going to be the solution, you need to make a lifestyle change and drink the recommended 8 cups of water a day. If you find it hard to drink that much water, a good tip would be to keep a bottle of water in eyesight, if you see it, you’ll probably drink more of it. Another tip would be to flavor your water. 

 

4. You are stressed 

 If you exfoliate, moisturize, and drink plenty of water, your dull skin problem may lie deeper. When stressed, our body produces more cortisol, the stress hormone, which in turn affects blood flow. As mentioned above, blood flow is what keeps our skin brilliant. The best way to treat this is to try to reduce your stress levels, whether by doing some breathing techniques, making use of pressure points, taking the advice of experts, listening to music, or just doing some yoga!

5. You don’t get enough sleep  

Everyone knows the benefits of getting a full night’s sleep, but what most people don’t know is that sleep is when your skin cells repair and regenerate. If you aren’t getting enough sleep your skin won’t do its job and therefore, you’ll be left with dark circles around your eyes and dry, dull and pale looking skin. The best way to remedy this is obviously to get to bed earlier, but if you’re having trouble falling asleep you should try this delicious shake made of apples, lettuce, cucumbers, and honey that’ll have you sleeping like a baby. If your problem is staying asleep at night, you might want to check out this guide to how our ancestors used to sleep. 

 

6.Your environment isn’t the kindest to your skin 

Whether your skin is being damaged by air pollutants and UV exposure, or harsh winds and low humidity, the environment can have quite the effect on your skin. The best way to counteract its effect is by getting more exercise, as exercise improves blood circulation which helps in removing toxins from our skin cells through sweat. If you don’t want to go to the gym there are plenty of exercises you can do at home! Another way to detox is this great bath that makes use of Epsom salt, apple cider vinegar, and essential oils.

7. You smoke 

We’re sure you’ve been told time and again that smoking is bad for you and you should stop, however, it really is advice you should heed, especially if you care about your skin. Smoking causes the collagen in your skin to break down which leads to wrinkling. It also happens to be very dehydrating, and we’ve already mentioned what a lack of moisture and hydration does to the skin. If you really want to quit, these 10 unconventional tips might help…

 

8. You aren’t eating healthy foods 

Food has a direct effect on every aspect of our body, especially our skin. For example, salty processed foods cause fluid retention and therefore, swelling. The typical western diet most of us eat contains foods that are high in sugar and fat and lacking in fiber, antioxidants, protein, and essential fatty acids. All this leads to dull and pale skin. The best way to use your diet to you skins advantage is by eating foods rich in vitamin C, such as citrus fruit, which is known to boost collagen, as well as good fats like walnuts and avocados. A good drink that can really promote healthy skin is this delicious cinnamon and cardamom chai / tea!

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement

The Do’s and Don’ts of Healing a Sunburn

You’ve forgotten to apply sunscreen before your daily walk? Or maybe, you underestimated how strong the sun is and got carried away with yard work? Whatever the case may be, the damage is now done, and you ended up with a sunburn. What you do next is very important, as any mistakes can make the itching, redness, pain, and peeling worse and prolong your recovery. These tips will aid you in treating a sunburn the right way and alleviating your symptoms in no time.

1. Itching 

Even if your sunburn is mild, you could experience some itching. This happens because the epidermis, the top layer of the skin, is damaged by the sun’s rays. The inner layers of the epidermis contain hundreds of nerve endings, which can be sensitized when the skin is inflamed, and this may result in itching.

DO Thoroughly Moisturize Your Skin 

One of the most important steps to healing irritated, sunburned, and itchy skin is to protect and soothe it with a moisturizer. A good moisturizer "brings down inflammation and helps skin repair," stated Gary Goldenberg, MD, a dermatologist to the Insider. When choosing a moisturizer or lotion, make sure to refrain from fragranced products because they can further irritate the skin.

In addition, avoid thick creams or balms, such as products that contain petroleum jelly or mineral oil, because they trap the heat in the skin and may clog the pores. Apply an unscented lightweight lotion, aloe vera gel, or a specialized sunburn cream with hydrocortisone on clean skin right after showering. Reapply several times a day, if needed. 

 

DON’T Treat the Sunburn With Vinegar 

Using an apple cider vinegar solution on a sunburn is a common natural remedy, but dermatologists say that it could do more harm than good. Vinegar, diluted or not, contains a high concentration of acetic acid, lactic acid, citric acid, and malic acid. Using it on a sunburn will seriously sting and compromise the already damaged skin even further. 

 

According to Carol Cheng, a dermatologist and assistant clinical professor at the Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, applying vinegar to a sunburn "may lead to a serious chemical burn." Needless to say, doing so can cause severe pain, will delay the healing process, and may leave scarring. 

 

2. Burning or Stinging 

A burning or stinging sensation is another common symptom of sunburn. The intensity will depend on the severity of the sunburn. People with mild sunburns may feel that their skin is hot to the touch whereas those with blistering sunburns may experience severe pain, stinging, and burning.

 

DO Take an Oatmeal Bath 

Colloidal oatmeal baths are an excellent remedy for any dry or inflammatory skin condition. Sunburns are no exception. The soothing and anti-inflammatory properties of oatmeal can reduce pain, burning, and swelling caused by a sunburn. 

 

Colloidal oatmeal, or Avena sativa, is a powder made from finely ground and boiled oats. Preparing a colloidal oatmeal bath is easy: simply pour an appropriate amount of the colloidal oatmeal in lukewarm water and soak for 10-15 minutes in the bath, making sure that all the affected areas are submerged in water. You can also make your own oatmeal powder by grinding up 1 cup of oats in a spice grinder until completely fine and smooth. 

 

DON’T Apply Ice Directly to the Sunburn  

A cold compress, a cool shower, or a lukewarm bath can feel wonderful when your entire body is aching, and all of these are certainly beneficial. However, applying ice directly onto the burn may compromise your skin, cause pain, and extend the healing time. So, wrap a cold pad or a bag in a cloth or towel and then apply it to the sunburn instead. 

 

3. Redness

Redness is one of the first symptoms of sunburn. We’ve all experienced this: you take a shower after a day at the beach, walk up to a mirror, and see that your nose is red, your cheeks are pink, and your shoulders have red blotches in places where your T-shirt or bathing suit didn’t cover them.

DO Continue Using a Sunscreen 

If you don’t see any blisters or pain when you touch the areas that are red, you may think that you finally got your “base tan” and can now walk sunscreen-free. This is a myth, as even when your skin becomes tan, it will continue being damaged and burned by the sun. So, even if your skin is pink, red, or tan, you must continue applying sunscreen, especially now that your skin is already damaged by the sun. 

 

You can moisturize first and apply sunscreen over your moisturizer if you feel like the sunscreen is drying out your skin.

DON’T Exfoliate or Scrub the Skin  

Using a nice loofah, body scrub, or chemical exfoliator may sound like a good idea when you’re recovering from a sunburn. After all, these products help buff out the burned skin faster, right? Not quite. Actually, all exfoliating treatments make your skin more vulnerable to the sun and can irritate and damage the already sensitive sunburnt skin. 

 

You can only return to your exfoliating treatments once your skin has recovered completely, or at least a week, before using any of these products.

4. Peeling  

You should know that skin peeling and flaking are a sign of severe sunburn, so be very gentle with your skin. Do not try to pick, peel, or scratch the affected area, as this increases the risk of scarring and infection. Let your skin recover and renew itself.

DO Take Anti-Inflammatory Drugs 

When Necessary A sunburn that peels is most likely accompanied by a lot of pain and a burning sensation on the skin, both of which are a sign that your skin is inflamed. In these cases, it’s legitimate to take any kind of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication (NSAID), such as ibuprofen or aspirin for a day or two. The medication will relieve the pain and soothe the skin.

Anti-inflammatory creams work well, too, just make sure to avoid petroleum and oil-based creams, just like a moisturizer. 

 

DON’T Wear Tight Clothes 

Let your skin breathe and avoid tight clothes if your skin is sunburned. According to Shereen Idriss, a dermatologist at Union Square Laser Dermatology in New York, “Your body is trying to respond to the trauma by increasing blood flow to the area to help with healing. This results in redness, warmth, and inflammation to the area.” Tight clothing can worsen the immune response and increases swelling and blisters.

 

5. Blisters 

It’s very unfortunate and extremely painful when your skin develops blisters after sun exposure. If this happens, it means that you have a second-degree burn, which is a really severe sunburn. This type of burn will take longer to heal and has a higher chance of developing an infection, so you should observe and protect it constantly.

DO Know When to Contact a Doctor  

Second-degree sunburns often require professional care. 

 

According to the Mayo Clinic, if you experience any of the following symptoms, seek professional help: 

 

-You have large blisters, or blisters on the face, hands, or genitals. 

 

-The blisters are painful or filled with pus. 

 

-Your experience severe swelling. 

 

-Your symptoms don’t improve over a few days. 

 

In some cases, you may even need to go to the hospital. 

 

These are the signs that a sunburn requires urgent medical care: 

-High fever - 39°C (103°F) and higher. 

 

-Fainting 

 

-Confusion 

 

-Dehydration. 

 

Do not ignore any of these symptoms and seek appropriate professional help as soon as possible. 

 

DON’T Pop the Blisters 

Similar to not peeling your skin after a sunburn, you should never pop sunburn blisters. If you have developed blisters as a result of sunburn, wear loose clothing to avoid applying pressure onto the blisters, too. The fluid in the blister actually serves a very important role - it is protecting the wound underneath the blister and helps the skin heal itself sooner. 

 

Tips for Preventing a Sunburn 

Mild, intermediate, or severe - all sunburns are no fun. Most importantly, though, they increase your risk of developing skin cancer, so when it comes to sunburns, the best treatment is prevention. 

 

Here are a few tips to help you prevent a sunburn:

1. Avoid the sun during peak hours - from 10 AM to 4 PM - whenever possible. If you must go outside during peak sun, try to spend most of the time in the shade.

2. Cover visible areas of your body with sunscreen every day. The sunscreen should be broad-spectrum and at least SPF 30. Don’t forget to cover your ears, the tops of the feet, lips, and the back of the neck with sunscreen. When you’re outside, reapply sunscreen every 2 hours because the creams get rubbed off or melt away with sweat, so you will get worse protection after a couple of hours.

 

3. Wear protective clothing - wide-brimmed sun hats, pants, long-sleeved shirts, sunglasses, and closed shoes - when you go outside or when you’re driving. A common type of sunburn occurs on the tops of the hands while driving, for example, so make sure to protect your hands. Stay out of the sun and be safe!

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement