Coping and Support
Since the skin of the face and the hands is likely to get the greatest exposure to the sun and UV radiation throughout a lifetime, the most significant and evident aging is typically seen there. Unfortunately, these are also the areas most visible to other people and often most closely linked to how we feel about ourselves. Our culture is youth-oriented, and many people hope to keep their youthful looks for as long as possible.
Everyone is different, of course, and while some people easily accept the aging in their skin, others may go to extraordinary lengths to fight it. For this latter group, the impact of aging skin can be profound, affecting their well-being, self-esteem and enjoyment of social events.
The best thing you can do to manage skin aging and control sun damage is to protect your skin from the sun and its UV radiation. The second best thing is not to smoke. Other strategies include:
- Getting plenty of sleep
- Avoiding stress and, when stressed, taking steps to reduce it
