The enRich team have comprised a list of tips and tricks that they wish people would stop doing to their skin, the recommendations can be easily incorporated into any routine. Now that we are in the summer season in Australia I find that my skin definitely changes with the season which means I will be taking all of these tips on board throughout the warmer months.

1. Forgetting Your Sunscreen: 
The sun’s harsh rays not only cause premature ageing, but substantially increase your risk of skin cancer. Australians have the highest rate of skin cancer and melanoma worldwide, affecting both the young and old. Protect yourself from lines, wrinkles, or worse. Apply SPF 50+ sunscreen regularly, avoid sunbaking or prolonged sun exposure, and don’t forget protective clothing and eyewear. 

2. Picking and squeezing your acne:
As tempting as it sometimes is, the worst thing you can do to a pimple is pick and squeeze it. It will cause worsening of redness and swelling, and more than likely leave a scar. Find a gentler alternative. Apply an alcohol based solution, or Clearasil containing benzoyl peroxide, or an antibiotic lotion to treat the affected area gently. 

3. Rubbing and scratching your eczema:
Dry itchy skin will only be made worse by rubbing and scratching your eczema. Instead, apply a cold washer or water spray, or a non-irritating moisturiser, or even a topical steroid treatment as advised by your doctor. Be sensible. Rubbing and scratching will simply prolong the scratch-itch cycle causing more inflammation and increasing your discomfort. 

4. Wearing your makeup to gym:
Wearing your makeup to gym is simply a bad idea. Makeup will mix with sweat while you exercise to block skin follicles and cause congestion and acne. If you are feeling very self-conscious then consider a tinted moisturiser or sunblock as an alternative. 

5. Not wiping away your sweat while exercising:
Sweating in it’s own right, whether you are wearing makeup or not, can cause congestion and acne. Keep a towel on hand at the gym and wipe away your sweat as your exercise to keep your skin free of pimples. Shower immediately afterwards to freshen up and protect your skin. 

6. Not wearing thongs in the gym showers:
Unless you want warts and tinea on your feet, invest in a pair of rubber thongs to keep your skin free of viruses and fungus! 

7. Over-exfoliating your skin:
Too much exfoliation can leave your skin feeling a little raw. Be kind to your skin. If we inflame skin too much through repeated treatments that traumatise, we will do more damage than good. Excessive inflammation can cause worsening of pigmentation and blood vessel formation. 

8. Using too many acidic products:
Acidic products inherently dry out your skin. Too many will simply dry it out too much. The skin will not appear rejuvenated, but inflamed and scaley. Be sensible. Less is definitely more. 

9. Forgetting to remove your makeup: 
Sleeping in your makeup is a recipe for disaster for your skin. Congestion and acne are the likely outcomes, and so the vicious cycle begins, causing you to wear more makeup which you continue to sleep in and make the problem worse. Sleeping in your makeup will also promote milia, tiny hard balls of keratin that look like acne and need to be manually extracted. It takes less than 5 minutes to remove your makeup at night. Make this an essential part of your daily skin care routine. 

10. Choosing products not suitable to your skin type:
The products that are suitable for dry skin are very different to the products that are suitable for oily and acne prone skin. Don’t simply follow trends. Seek advice from your skin doctor about what is best for you.

For more information on enRich Dermatology Click Here.

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