Vivien Williams: Drink plenty of water. Don't smoke and wash your face and body each day with a gentle hypoallergenic soap for healthy-looking skin says Mayo Clinic dermatologist, Dr. Dawn Davis. And, after bathing,

Dawn Davis, M.D., Dermatology, Mayo Clinic: Moisturize with a hypoallergenic, fragrance-free moisturizer when you're done to help the skin hydrate.

Vivien Williams: With so many products from which to choose, how do you pick the right moisturizer? Dr. Davis says hypoallergenic is the key.

Dr. Davis: So you want it to be fragrance-free. Unscented doesn't necessarily mean that it doesn't have fragrance. Oftentimes unscented just means more chemicals.

Vivien Williams: What ingredient should you look for?

Dr. Davis: The most inert natural hypoallergenic product that you can find in a moisturizer is petrolatum.

Vivien Williams: As in petroleum jelly. Dr. Davis has another important tip for healthy skin care that could potentially save your life.

Dr. Davis: Please remember to wear your sunscreen.

Vivien Williams: For the Mayo Clinic News Network, I'm Vivien Williams.

From Mayo Clinic to your inbox

Sign up for free and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips, current health topics, and expertise on managing health. Click here for an email preview.

We use the data you provide to deliver you the content you requested. To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, we may combine your email and website data with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, we will only use your protected health information as outlined in our Notice of Privacy Practices. You may opt out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the email.

Aug. 25, 2023