National Healthy Skin Month takes place every November. It's a good time to address your mom's skincare routine and make sure she's doing all she can to keep her skin healthy.
Schedule Visits With a Dermatologist
Once a year, your mom should see her dermatologist for a skin cancer screening. During that visit, your mom will put on a hospital gown. Her dermatologist will look over her skin for moles with irregular borders or that don't look like other moles and sun spots on her body. They can be a sign of skin cancer.
Eat Well
Your mom wants to have a healthy diet to improve her skin health. Fruits and vegetables that are rich in antioxidants are essential. She wants to make sure her daily diet includes vitamin C, vitamin E, and selenium.
Fish are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which are also good for the skin. Your mom wants to aim for a couple of servings of seafood each week. Fatty fish like tuna and salmon are great choices.
Stay Hydrated
In addition to eating plenty of foods rich in healthy oils and antioxidants, your mom needs to stay hydrated. Ideally, she should aim for around two liters of water, tea, coffee, and milk each day. She should avoid alcoholic beverages as much as possible and focus on decaf teas, seltzer, and water.
Sugary drinks are also not great choices for hydration. Soda, sweet tea, and energy drinks sweetened with sugar should be consumed in limited amounts.
Avoid Hot Water During Showers and Baths
Extremely hot water dries the skin. Your mom wants to have a shower or bath in warm water but not overly hot water. Turn her water heater down to 120 F to avoid her getting burnt.
Apply Moisturizer While the Skin Is Damp
Your mom’s skin is already losing collagen simply due to aging. She needs to moisturize daily. Trapping in moisture after she bathes is best.
Right after she showers, she should apply moisturizer while her skin is still wet or damp. After applying moisturizer, allowing her skin to air dry ensures she doesn’t rub the moisturizer off.
Aim for a moisturizer that doesn't have perfumes, parabens, or sulfates. Look for a moisturizer that contains natural oils like shea butter, olive oil, coconut oil, or almond oil.
Hire Personal Care at Home Aides to Help Out
What if your mom is struggling with grooming and hygiene? Some chronic health issues can make it harder for your mom to take care of herself. She'll struggle with showering, drying off, and applying moisturizer. Personal care at home ensures her daily hygiene and grooming tasks are completed.
Caregivers can help your mom in the shower, after she's out, and when she gets dressed. Hire personal care at home to ensure your mom's skincare routines are well maintained.
If you or a loved one are looking for experienced Personal Care at home in Arlington, VA, contact SenCura at 703-880-2547. Providing in-home senior care in Northern Virginia.