THE JURY IS OUT ON CERTAIN WRINKLE-FIGHTING TECHNIQUES…

The jury is out regarding the value of facial exercises, such as holding and releasing a super-size smile several times in a row, or filling the cheeks with air and letting it escape slowly like a sputtering balloon.  While one skin care professional may tell you such exercises are beneficial because they do in fact increase blood circulation to your face, another will say that an expressive face implements a full range of movement each day simply by virtue of being itself.  Skin professionals across the board, however, agree that exercise generally can produce satisfying results—and so can nutrition.

Vigorous whole-body exercise brings blood to all of your organs, and the skin—the largest organ of your body—is no exception.  More blood means increased circulation and a flood of oxygen and nutrients to skin cells, all of which help to wash toxins away.  At the very least, this means that acne breakouts can be dramatically reduced.  (Not only is enhanced blood circulation good for your complexion, but it is also believed that sweat generated through exercise unclogs pores.)  At best, exercise can fight the signs of aging: How?  Working out on a regular basis makes your skin healthier—and healthy skin is primed to produce more collagen.  And as we all know, collagen brings strength and flexibility to skin.

If you are not exercising already, make up your mind to begin.  It doesn’t matter whether you join a gym or a yoga studio or get outside and start a jogging regimen or strenuous walking program.  Just make sure your routine is regular and dynamic.

Check with your doctor to ensure that your diet is providing you with enough vitamin A, B complex and fatty acids—all of which healthy skin requires.  If your diet is lacking, you can take vitamin supplements.  But keep in mind that supplements work best with a diet that includes lots of fruits and vegetables and other healthy foods to begin with.

Once you have exercise and nutrition requirements covered, you can rest assured that you are nourishing your skin as best you can from the inside out.  Then you may want to start thinking about what efforts can be made to address skin problems from the outside in.  One great non-invasive procedure is exfoliation.  Mechanical or chemical exfoliation removes dead skin cells, which is another way to prepare the skin for collagen production.  Because too much exfoliation can actually dry the skin and result in irritation, you will want to work with a skin professional to find the best method for you.

Changing your diet, starting an exercise program and seeing a skin care professional about exfoliation options may seem challenging and time consuming, but the results can be spectacular.  You’re likely to be so excited about the look of your skin after a few months that you may not even notice (at first) that your slimming down, adding muscle, and feeling more energetic than ever too.  Working for healthy skin is a win-win for the entire body.