The skin, as we are all taught in high school, is the largest and the most visible tissue in the human body. Of course it is. It covers us entirely from head to toe. It is our protective casing that allows us to move freely and gives us feedback on external textures, climate and other things associated with the sense of touch. The pores in our skin also helps us to release internal wastes through perspiration. These, among other benefits and special characteristics, make our skin one of the most important parts of our body - and therefore one of the first things to take care of.

We want our skin to be supple and smooth, yet still strong and healthy. There have been countless skin care products and treatments developed over the years that have helped a lot of people and solved many skin problems. However, it's one thing to cure skin damage and it's another to protect it. When you were born, your skin was nothing short of perfect. Therefore, the first logical thing to do is to protect your skin from any kind of damage or unwanted reaction from external factors.

Nonetheless, there are numerous things that can damage your skin even without you knowing it. Some of these would be climate or weather, unknown allergies from food or drink, and the most dreaded skin damager of all - age. Though it's possible to stay away from harsh climates and food you are allergic to, it is sad to note that age is something that we simply cannot avoid. Everything solid in this world wears out with age. However, this doesn't mean we can't do anything about it.

There are various products and treatments available for making your skin look younger and less wrinkled. Nevertheless, the important thing is to keep your skin as healthy as possible all the time while you're young, in order to effectively help in slowing down the ageing process. The more careless you are with your skin, the faster it'll develop wrinkles and look older.

Leading dermatologist Greta Winslow of Wade Skin Clinic advises "....always remember that healthy skin is the result of a healthy lifestyle. And by healthy lifestyle, we mean a balanced diet, lots of water (less sodas and carbonated drinks), sufficient vitamins, regular exercise, enough sleep, no smoking, less alcohol consumption, and effective management of daily stress. It's also good to suggest that the use of tanning beds and some topical skin treatments or medication that are said to provide "instant" results may be more harmful than helpful. It's always good to consult with a skin doctor for things you aren't sure of"

In addition to these lifestyle tips, skin experts say that the best way to care for your skin is to cleanse it as often as possible, or at least on a daily basis. They note, however, that the choice of skin cleanser is critical in having healthy skin. Choose the one that's mild and with less chemicals. Make up must be totally removed before cleansing and always use only lukewarm water.