Worst Habits for Your Skin

Bad habit 2: Smoking

Add this to the ever-growing list of reasons to give up cigarettes: A raft of research shows smoking accelerates premature aging of the skin. Over time, smokers are more likely to experience dry skin, uneven skin pigmentation, baggy eyes, a saggy jawline, and deep facial wrinkles and furrows. “It has been observed that the skin of smoking addicts at the age of 40 years resembles skin of nonsmoking 70-year-old adults,” wrote the authors of one published review.

Smoking also slows the body’s ability to heal itself and increases your chance of a skin infection, plus it boosts overall inflammation in your body, says Heather Holahan, M.D., a dermatologist at UNC Health and an assistant professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Meanwhile, the carcinogens in cigarette smoke significantly increase your risk of developing a variety of cancers, including skin cancer.

Bad habit 3: Over-exfoliating

A little exfoliation can be a good thing for skin. It sloughs off dry, dead skin cells to reveal glowing, youthful skin. But many people scrub too hard or exfoliate too often, dermatologists say, which can damage your body’s protective barrier.

Over-exfoliation causes inflammation, dryness, irritation and tiny breaks in the skin, Holahan says. It can also contribute to breakouts. And because skin thickens in response to trauma, if you continue to over-exfoliate, your skin can become dull and scaly over time.

If you exfoliate regularly and your skin isn’t improving, limit your scrub sessions to once a week and dial down the rubbing, Holahan advises. Or try a chemical exfoliant that uses ingredients such as alpha and beta hydroxy acids to gently dissolve dead skin cells.

Bad habit 4: Buying products with fragrances and dyes

Many people love strongly scented soaps and lotions, but the products you used when you were younger may start to cause rashes and irritation as you age because your skin thins and becomes more sensitive. Artificial fragrances, dyes and other chemicals also exacerbate dryness, Holahan says.

If you tend to have dry skin, choose fragrance-free soaps or cleansers designed for sensitive skin, as well as “free and clear” laundry detergents and dishwashing liquid. To seal in moisture, apply a fragrance-free lotion or moisturizer every time you wash your hands or face.

Bad habit 5: Drinking alcohol

Alcohol dehydrates your skin, which causes wrinkles to be more visible, and it has been linked to under-eye puffiness, midface volume loss and increased flushing or redness. Alcohol use also increases your risk of acne and rosacea, and research shows it may even make you more susceptible to skin cancer.

A study published in the British Journal of Dermatology, for example, found that drinking more than one drink a day increases your risk of malignant melanoma by about 20 percent, and the risk increases if you drink more that. Researchers believe that alcohol makes your body more sensitive to ultraviolet radiation and reduces its immune response after sun damage.

Bad habit 6: Picking and scratching

It’s human nature to scratch and pick at bug bites, scabs, pimples and other bumps on the skin, but you can cause an infection or create a permanent scar, dermatologists say.

The habit also makes it harder for doctors to diagnose problems. “If you pick at something and there’s a thick blood crust or a scab, I have to get a much deeper sample to send to the pathologist, and you end up with a larger scar,” Ploch says.

Whether you’re a chronic picker or you simply can’t resist scratching an itchy mosquito bite, Ploch says the solution is simple: Cover the area with a Band-Aid for a few days. “Our skin doesn’t actually breathe. It doesn’t need to air out or dry out, so cover anything that is being picked,” she says.

Bad habit 7: Ignoring a changing mole

Skin cancer is highly treatable if you catch it early, so it’s critical to check your skin regularly, Wolf says. If you have a mole or other spot that’s growing, itching, bleeding or changing in any way, immediately make an appointment to see a dermatologist, Wolf advises. A change to a mole or a new mole is often a sign of melanoma. 

The most concerning ones are very dark, an irregular color, an uneven shape or growing quickly. Remember that melanomas can appear even in places that don’t get a lot of sun exposure. Ploch has found them in the groin area, on the buttocks and in the crease behind the ear.

“I want people to come in whenever there is anything that they’re worried about,” she says. “Some people tell themselves over and over it’s not a big deal until it’s too late.”

Bad habit 8: Taking hot showers and baths

Many older adults suffer from dry and cracked skin in the winter. Taking a hot steamy shower or bath may feel therapeutic, but it can make the problem worse. “You feel good while you’re in there, but in the long run, heat dries skin out and makes itching worse,” Wolf explains.

Instead, aim for a quick lukewarm shower, and make sure you use a mild, fragrance-free soap or body wash, Wolf suggests. If your skin is excessively dry, consider using soap only in skin folds and other areas that tend to smell, rather than all over your body.

After your shower or bath, while your skin is still damp, slather on a high-quality cream or lotion to trap moisture in your skin. ​

Michelle Crouch is a contributing writer who has covered health and personal finance for some of the nation’s top consumer publications. Her work has appeared in Reader’s Digest, Real Simple, Prevention, The Washington Post and The New York Times.​