The biggest organ in your body: your skin

Chiropractors care deeply about your bones, of course, but they also care about the biggest organ in your body: your skin.

Skin is at the greatest risk during summer, when folks tend to spend more time outside than any other time of the year.

Skin changes as we age, and every body is different, but these tips can help anyone at any stage of their life.

• Don’t smoke! It accelerates the aging process, contributing to premature aging and wrinkles.
• Use gentle skin care products with natural ingredients.
• Use sunscreen daily with minimum sun protection factor of 15 to prevent sun damage to the delicate skin on the face.
• Use sunscreen for areas of the body exposed to the sun for more than 15-20 minutes.
• Drink six to eight 8-oz. glasses of water a day.
• Reduce refined carbohydrates and sugars, which can spike insulin levels and lead to pimples.
• Eat fresh fruits and vegetables to increase your intake of vitamins and minerals.
• Wear lip balms that are moisturized to your skin for the summer, with a minimum of 15 SPF. Lip balms without sun protection should be avoided because the “gloss” may attract the harmful UV rays.
• Make sure you exfoliate your skin two to three times a week to remove unwanted dead skin that may be clogging your pores.
• Use a toner right after cleansing your skin. Toners help restore the pH balance to your skin, which makes your skin surface less susceptible to unwanted bacteria growth.

The American Cancer Society has put together some great tips for staying safe in the sun for the remainder of the summer.