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Photo by Deniz Altindas on Unsplash - Image by @upklyak on freepik

The right actions lead to a healthy lifestyle and are based on a set of daily procedures that aim to keep the body clean in order to eliminate certain bacteria, viruses and prevent from disease...

- Making the right choice -

Complaining about having « tight skin » often comes from the fact that we alter the lipid film created by the skin to protect itself, without offering it an alternative. Moisturizing our skin is a good gesture, but not attacking it is even better. The proliferation of shower gels, beauty products and deodorants, more and more attractive on the sensory level, we tend to use these products to excess and forget that our body is damaged, by dint of scrubs and products not adapted to our skin (its sensitivity/fragility).

Therefore it is essential to choose quality products, adapted to our type of skin (dry, combination or oily). Read the labels and avoid products with parabens and excessively high alcohol level, shampoos with silicones and antiperspirants with aluminium salts. Also, if our skin is oily, we should consider « non-comedogenic » products. Conversely, if our skin is dry, we should prefer products for sensitive skin.

- Hydration -

Again, let's choose a product suited to our skin type. The technique of applying the product is also important : The skin must be clean, otherwise the pores will clog and cause pimples (especially on the face). To strengthen the effects, we have to massage ourselves to make the product penetrate more deeply and to reactivate blood circulation.

- The face -

The skin of our face is, along with the one of our hands, the most exposed to the outside world. We must therefore take the greatest care :

At the beginning of the day, we will gently cleanse it of the sweat and sebum produced during the night, using a makeup remover, a cleansing lotion or a foaming gel.

Then we will hydrate it to allow it to protect itself from aggressions such as the wind, the sun (UV), the cold and the pollution. Makeup/shaving products, just like moisturizer, should be chosen based on our skin type.

At the end of the day, we will clean it to allow it to breathe and to get rid of the accumulated impurities, throughout the day. Here again, the use of a moisturizer is essential.

- Oral hygiene -

Brushing our teeth prevents halitosis (bad breath), removes dental plaque and food particles which, if they build up on and between our teeth, can cause gum problems. Brushing our teeth for 2 minutes, 2 times a day (after breakfast and before bedtime), with fluoride toothpaste.

When we brush our teeth, we shouldn't go too hard. In fact, brushing too vigorously or too often, or even using a worn toothbrush can damage our tooth enamel. It is also recommended to replace our toothbrush every three months.

Let's make sure to clean every corner of our mouth. Let's move the brush methodically, making circular or elliptical movements on the outer faces of each of our teeth (top and bottom) and orient the brush down towards the gum line at a 45-degree angle. This helps to clean the gum line (the junction between the gum and the tooth). For the inside surfaces of our front teeth, let's tilt the brush vertically and then use the front part to apply small circular motions. And let's not forget the chewing surfaces.

Brushing can be supplemented with a mouthwash or a light brushing of our tongue and the use of dental floss. Also, it is advisable to consult our dentist twice a year (both for scaling and a check).

- Intimate hygiene -

Our personal hygiene does not need more attention than the rest of our body. Washing in the shower is sufficient and in general does not require special care (except in cases of specific problems). Therefore, we must be careful not to apply antiseptic products based on soap or alcohol, which can damage this flora and prevent us from defending ourselves naturally. We should prefer dermatological bars without soap or products with a neutral pH.

- The skull -

First and foremost, you should never wear someone else's hat or scarf (transfer reasons).

In addition to keeping our combs and brushes clean and personal, whether our hair is dry, oily or whether it carries dandruff, a treating shampoo used alternately with a normal and mild shampoo, helps to preserve the effectiveness of the washing and not to attack our hair or our scalp.

It is essential to rinse them well, in order to prevent the remains of shampoo or for them to turn into dandruff/patches of irritation. Performing this rinse with clear cold water will make our hair shinier.

To dry, we will pat our hair with a towel, before using a hair dryer that we will keep at a distance of 15 cm/5-6” (the air not too hot).

- Ears -

Earwax is a natural secretion of our body, just like our tears and saliva. It is often yellowish or brown in colour and protects our ears against bacteria and infections. It also helps hydrate the skin in our ear canals, which is very thin and very sensitive.

If we have a « normal » earwax production, nothing special will happen, since the earwax is evacuated naturally by our body, in particular during the chewing movements of our jaw. If we have « excess » production, or a lot of hair in the ear canals, we should clean them regularly. Likewise if we wear hearing aids or hearing protection or headphones every day, because any insertion into our canals prevents earwax from draining naturally. It is therefore important to have our ears monitored by our general practitioner or by our hearing care professional, in order to prevent any excessive accumulation and avoid plugging and irritation.

Although being the most used, the utilisation of the swab cotton is not recommended, as these are often misused and push the earwax to the back of the ear, resulting in the formation of a plug and irritates the ear canal. Removing all the earwax leaves the ear unprotected or lubricant. Finally, the swab cotton can leave cotton particles in the ear and there will be no more earwax to accompany them to the exit.

Here are the most effective processes :

SOAP WATER : This is the simplest and cheapest solution. When we take a shower/bath, we just have to put water in one ear and then the other (watch out for the water temperature). If the spray from our shower is too strong or we want to make sure the spray is accurate, we can use a cleaning bulb. After draining the water well, gently wipe the entry of the canals with a towel.

THE CLEANING SPRAY : A simple pressure of the spray sends the right amount of liquid into our canals and facilitates the evacuation of earwax. Composed of an isotonic, non-aggressive solution, it contains a natural plant extract that calms and soothes irritation that we may have in our ears.

THE EAR CURE : Its effectiveness is no longer to be proven, the ear cure is regularly used by doctors. However, if we use it on a daily basis, simple precautions must be taken so as not to injure ourselves: not to be near children or animals, to not be jostled when using it; and to not go too deep into the canal, as this could damage the skin and/or the eardrum. Its use is simple, we grab the object by its handle and slide the spatulate end into the ear, the curved side facing the wall of the ear canal and without sudden movement pull it out of our ear.

- Hands -

In contact with everything around us, our hands are carriers of bacteria and viruses, especially in times of flu and gastroenteritis. We should wash them with soap and water, rubbing our palms and between ours fingers (remembering to remove our jewellery). Next, we will carefully wipe our palms, the back of our hands, our fingers and between them (and if we have kept our rings on, we have to take them off to wipe up the soap and water that has crept underneath).

Antiseptic products should be reserved in the absence of soap or in the event of epidemics/pandemics. These attack the skin and can cause eczema or pimples.

IT IS RECOMMENDED TO WASH YOUR HANDS:

Before eating (so as not to contaminate the food)

After meals (to degrease them)

After touching soiled objects or handling garbage

After our visit to the toilet (not matter what we do there)

After sneezing or coughing

After petting or handling animals

After a trip on public transport

After shopping (not matter the kind of shopping)

After all manual work (cleaning and storage included)

- The feet -

Whether in winter (because of the cold) or in summer (because of sweat), the feet are subjected to severe tests. Good hygiene requires gentle washing.

Particular care must be taken when drying them : There must be no trace of moisture, especially between the toes, in order to avoid the appearance of fungal infections. For the same reasons we can proceed with an exfoliation that will eliminate dead skin.

Let's also think about changing our socks daily, and after physical activity.

Hard skin formation on our feet is a natural process that helps protect the skin of the foot from chafing. We are not all equal when it comes to hard skin. Some people produce more than others. There are currently three different tools on the market for removing the hard skin t: rasps or rollers which strip the hard skin (we should be careful not to remove too much), CREDO scalpels which allow the hard skin to be sliced (let's not forget to sterilize them and beware of wounds) and ointments that contain acidic substances that attack the skin. Generally speaking, proper hydration of the feet is the best way to prevent hard skin. To remove it, we should better leave our feet in the care of podiatrists (who will remove just what is needed and with the appropriate tool).

- Nails -

We will brush them with soap and water, and rub it with a small brush (which we will make sure to keep clean and change regularly), we should not hesitate to pass a small stick in order to take out the stubborn dirt or residue.

If possible, we will trim, file and polish our nails every week.

In case of yeast infection, we have to treat them with the appropriate product, after consulting a doctor.

- Epilating -

With wax or an epilator, the methods vary following the sensitivities of each of us. A good epilation is done on clean and hydrated legs (and from bottom to top). And to avoid ingrown hairs, we will not forget to apply a moisturizing cream/foam after each epilation.

- Shaving -

We will not shave after eating : Eating increases blood pressure and therefore the risk of bleeding. Let's do it right after the shower or in the shower : Nothing worse than a dry shave (cuts insured). The steam from the shower will open the pores of the skin, making the hair softer and easier to shave. If we don't have time to take a shower, we can place a hot towel for about ten seconds on the area to be shaved. We should always take the time to apply a shaving product and shave in the direction of the hair growth.

We will take care of our tools : Oxidation and time will dull our blades, but we can make them last longer, by soaking our razor in mineral oil, for a few minutes, in a shallow container and then rinsing it with rubbing alcohol. Despite this subterfuge, we must make sure to change our blades regularly.

- Armpits -

They trap bacteria which in turn exacerbates body odour, to combat this, we will use antiperspirants (better known as deodorants).

If we have hyperhidrosis, we need to see a doctor to find out its source and find a suitable treatment.

- Linens -

Good body hygiene also involves cleaning the tissues in contact with our skin.

In the bathroom, it's every man for himself : We each have our own toothbrush, towel and washcloth. No sharing, unless we are fans of pimples, boils, yeast infections and staphylococci.

The washcloth or shower flower should be rinsed completely at the end of each shower and change every day.

Unless we share it, that it smells damp or that there are traces of dirt, we need to change our towel every three days.

Conclusions

Cat toilet or long hot shower? Washing ourselves is the best way to get rid of sweat, excess oil, microbes and germs/dirt that accumulate on the surface of our skin covered with a lipid (greasy) film.

Having good body hygiene makes you feel good. This involves respecting our body by providing it with the necessary care.

What do you think?