4 Things You Didn’t Know Could Affect Your Skin

All of us want beautiful and glowingly blemish-free skin. Even if you take the utmost care in your skincare regimen, some surprising environmental factors could make your skin worse. You may not have realised that the following things can in fact affect your skin’s appearance, but keep reading and you can learn how to counteract them.

Your Cellphone

Bacteria get transferred from your fingers to your phone and when you bring your mobile to your face for a call with your bff, you get the bacteria all over your cheek and jawline. Yuck, right?! But it’s true… The warmth of your phone against your skin can cause the bacteria to multiply and may also contribute to increased oil production. You may notice this warmth causes your skin to sweat during long calls. Sweating can also trap the bacteria in your skin and worsen breakouts. So, clean your phone with an antibacterial wipe at least once a day. Then, when making calls, try to angle the phone screen so that it doesn’t touch your skin directly.

Forgetting to Use Lotion With SPF

Even on gloomy and cloudy days, UV rays can damage skin and contribute to a higher risk for cancer. Many people falsely believe sun exposure can give you clearer skin but it actually cause breakouts to blend into your complexion. What you are doing when you are exposing your skin to UV rays without fetching the sunscreen lotion is drying your skin out to such extent that your skin triggers increased oil production and worsens future breakouts. So use lotion with SPF on your face and hands every day, regardless of the weather or how long you plan on being outside. If you are spending a long time outside, reapply SPF lotion every two hours to protect your face.

Very Low Levels of Humidity

Dry air can cause or worsen a myriad of skin conditions, including rosacea, eczema, and psoriasis. During the fall and winter especially, indoor heating and dry air outside can dry out your skin. During the summer, air conditioning units pull moisture out of the air to cool it down, which can also contribute to dry skin. Most of us turn to lotions to remedy our dry skin, but lotions may contain mineral oil or other ingredients that clog pores and worsen breakouts. Instead, installing a humidifier in your home will keep the air from drying out your skin and alleviate the need for lotions. Adding more moisture to the air can help your skin heal. Look for a whole-home humidifier so that you don’t have to worry about installing a portable unit in each room of your house.

Eating the Wrong Foods

Your diet can cause blemishes; you may see whiteheads or blemishes around your chin if you have an aversion to certain foods. Spicy food typically contains tomatoes and peppers, which have lycopene, a common irritant that can trigger breakouts for some people. For others, dairy or bread may be irritants.

Give up different food types — such as spicy foods, dairy, or bread — for a month to see if your skin improves.

The above four factors can wreak havoc on your skin, causing dry, sun-damaged, and acne-prone skin. Follow the advice presented here to counteract the effects of these items and get the glowing skin you deserve.

Amy Smith

With a degree in English Literature from the University of Cambridge, Amy is a freelance writer and columnist. At YCB Magazine, she writes about all things lifestyle, travel & wellness.