Spring is finally here and that means that people get to sink in sunshine and feel warm again. It’s time to bare those legs once more, so skirts, shorts and swimsuit season is upon us, and while you are keeping up with the usual maintenance, did you know there are habits you are doing every day that can make your legs look, less than gorgeous?
Here are five habits you need to cease for the sake of your pretty legs.
1. SITTING
For those working on a corporate world where you get to see your computer for almost the entire day, this is a reality for most of us. Sitting actually slows blood circulation, causing the fluid in the legs to pool, which can lead to varicose veins, swollen ankles, and even blood clots. You won’t notice this immediately but sooner or later, you’ll regret why you did not stretch those legs for sometime during your day at the office. To improve circulation, make sure to take a quick break once every hour to walk around and stretch out your legs.
2. CROSSING YOUR LEGS
In contrast to the popular belief, crossing your legs won’t actually cause varicose veins. However, it does put a small amount of pressure on veins, which could exacerbate the problem by causing blood to pool and vein walls to bulge. For some who wont be able to check if they’re prone to developing veins in the leg area, try to keep it to a minimum. Prevention will always be better than sclerotherapy.
3. MISSING EXFOLIATION
Though you might think that legs don’t show dead skin cells, like any other body parts, think again. Just as it makes all the difference for your face, exfoliating and moisturizing your legs are beneficial too. You can exfoliate your legs more often than you would do to your face, but keep it to a minimum, once a week is ok. You should moisturize at least once a day, and increase the hydration by choosing products suited for the type of skin you have.
4. LESS ATTENTION TO YOUR LEGS
Sometimes, ladies tend to forget to give same TLC to their legs, and focus on their favorite parts. Do yourself a favor, not because you need to but because you have to. Ideally, your razor (with at least 4 blades) should be replaced every 5-7 times or as soon as it starts to look dull or rust. Use shaving creams that are suited for you, moisturize it daily.
5. UNTREATED BRUISES/SCRAPES
There will times that we can not avoid razor burn, mosquito bites, or just a plain old scrape, other injuries, if these marks go untreated they will most likely scar, worst it that when you’re prone to developing keloids. Treat them as soon as possible and give time to heal. Then from there, you can try ways to improve their appearance, like applying creams, or laser to remove scars. For those with visible visible scar, use a scar treatment or even just vitamin E oil, which is loaded with antioxidants to improve the appearance of damaged skin tissue.
