For Sensitive Skin (NAPSA)—We’ve all seen how touchy Americans are about certain issues—money being just one example—butit turns out we’re literally sensitive, too. A recent consumer survey by MSW Research found 62 percent of the adult population claims to have sensitive skin on somepart of their bodies. Before your imagination goes into overdrive, know that all sorts of environmentalfactors can affect the way your skin looks and feels— and even howit repairsitself. Here are someof the pros’ simple ways to protect and nurture your skin without spendinga fortune on expensive products: Keep your home clean. Most people don’t realize it, but dust can actually clog your pores, leading to blemishes andirritations. A good weekly vacuuming should be high on yourto-do list. Respect the elements. We won't bore you with how the sun’s ultraviolet rays slip through the clouds even in winter andreflect off snow andice. But experts like Dr. Sandra I. Read, instructor of der- matology at Georgetown University School of Medicine, do agree that’s a compelling reason to wear sunscreen “with an SPF of at least 15” year-round. Another reason: avoiding windburn. Exposureto cold, harsh winds can removecells from the skin’s upper layer, leaving it cracked and dry. (Try somelip balm before heading outdoors.) Know yourskin type. You'd be surprised how manydollars are wasted just because people are confused over whether they have dry, delicate, oily or combination skin. So before you make the same costly error—and break one of the cardinal rules of proper skin care— determine which type you are by taking a quick and easy online quiz at CottonelleInstitute.com. Quit smoking. The skin-damaging and aging effects of ciga- Sixty-two percent of adults claimed to have sensitive skin on somepartof their bodies. rette smoke are second only to those of the sun, and yet increasing numbers of young people are lighting up to relieve stress. Keep it up, warns dermatologist Flor A. Mayoral, M.D., of the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine, and “deep-set wrinkles will appear around your mouth from puckering, your skin will be dehy- drated and dull, and you may experience premature aging.” Avoid overheating your home.It tends to dry skin out. If you don’t already own a humidifier, consider using at least part of the money you save on utilities to buy one to maintain air moisture. You are what you eat. In the eternal quest for a healthy, radiant glow, what you put in your body is just as important as what you put on it. “A balanced diet rich in vitamins and antioxidants can make real difference in the appearance of your skin,” says Susan C. Taylor, M.D., clinical assistant professor of dermatology at Columbia’s College of Physicians and Surgeons. As for that survey, by far the most respondents (36 percent) cited the skin on their faces as most sensitive.
