Ask any woman, which stage of their life they would love to go back to or stay a little bit longer in, and chances are that most of them will say that they would love to remain in their twenties. This is probably because this is the time of their life that they look their best, in terms of skin and hair.

However, it is important to remember that skin is a human organ and similar to other parts of their body, it can be affected by various medical conditions. This means that the skin too is not protected against different diseases and infections, but if one is willing to take care of it, it should stay healthy and beautiful for a really long time.

Let’s start with some of the conditions that can affect the skin of women in their younger ages:

During the late teens, many girls develop acne and chances are that the same will carry through for a while. In many cases, the scars left behind by the acne are the most troublesome for a young woman.

The moment you enter your twenties, whilst you might be enjoying great skin, the first signs of ageing are starting to show. If you are a working woman, you might be travelling everyday, which means that your skin is being exposed to sunlight, dust and pollution. For women, who like to party, the effects of late nights will start to show on the skin soon enough. Wrong eating habits, consumption of alcohol and smoking can all harm the skin.

This is also the time when the first fine lines and wrinkles start to show, and handling them right away is what can ensure that your skin looks young, for a longer time.

What you can do to keep your skin healthier:

Perhaps one of the biggest problems that most women in the late teens and early twenties face is that of acne or at least the scars left behind by the same. There is actually no age limit at which acne will start and case studies have shown that women can get acne or pimples, even in their late thirties. However, there are methods of reducing acne and ensuring that even when they do appear, they do not leave any scars.

• Make sure that you eat right, because the more oily and fatty food you have in your diet, the greater the chances of developing pimples.
• Include a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet, as these will provide natural nourishment to your body and skin. While converting fruits and vegetables into juices might seem easy, it is advisable that you eat them in their natural form, as this way you will also receive plenty of fibre and roughage.
• Liquids are also very important to keep your skin healthy and nourished and water is the most important of them all. You need to make sure that your skin is hydrated from within, for which you should drink two to four litres of water each day.
• Acne is more common in people who have oily skin, which means that if you too have oily skin, then you need to wash your face more often. When dirt accumulates on oil, this is when the formation of a pimple starts, which is why you need to make sure that you wash your face to remove the dirt as well as oil.
• Invest in skin care products that are meant for your skin type and purchase good brands.

With age, the problem of fine lines and wrinkles also starts, and almost every woman in the world dreads the appearance of the same. Wrinkles are often associated with ageing and most women go to great lengths to avoid the same. The reason that the wrinkles and fine lines start to appear is because the skin starts to lose its elasticity. Here is how you can keep the lines at bay, for a longer time:

• Stress is a major component which contributes to the appearance of wrinkles, which is why you need to make sure that you do not take on too much of it. Try to keep your mind as calm as possible. Alternately, you could also spend some time meditating, which will calm your mind and body.
• Hydration is also important, which is why you need to drink water and other fluids such as fresh fruit juices and vegetable soups.
• It is important to establish a proper skin care routine, which should include daily washing and moisturising. In addition, you can scrub or exfoliate your face twice or thrice a week.
• There are numerous skin care products on offer these days, which will protect your skin against ageing. Many of these creams have collagen, which is what makes the skin elastic. However, make sure that you choose products from a good brand and if you notice any side effects, discard the product immediately.
• If you feel that your wrinkles are becoming too obvious, there is always the choice of getting dermal fillers injected.

Pregnancy and childbirth are also something that most women in their twenties and early thirties go through and while it is a beautiful time for most of them, it can be quite taxing on the skin. During pregnancy, there is a natural glow, but after childbirth, the glow does tend to disappear. Here are simple things to do during and post pregnancy to maintain healthy skin:

• Eating healthy is important during pregnancy to ensure that the foetus receives adequate nutrition, but it is also important for the skin. Include plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your daily diet as well as water.
• Maintain the skin care routine throughout your pregnancy and post child birth too. Once the child is born, finding time for oneself might become tough, but do take the time to wash your face twice daily, moisturise it daily and use a scrub regularly.
• Whenever you get the time, head to a salon or spa and take the time to pamper your skin. If that is not possible, look for easy hacks with which you can pamper your skin at home. Applying homemade face packs and scrubs is just one of them.