Expertly applied blush ... or post-coital flush?
What’s that old chestnut about chocolate being better than sex? Skincare trumps sex in my books – and now that sex itself has been discovered to be good for your skin, there’s really no reason why us hungry beauty junkies can’t have our cake and eat it, too.
Consummation begets a clearer complexion; who knew? Here’s the science behind the sex. Dr. David Weeks, a British clinical psychologist and former head of old age psychology at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital, says a preliminary study suggests couples who well, “couple” thrice a week look younger than their age by a Botox-busting five to seven years.
Here’s why. The heady rush that comes with the big O floods the parched plains of your body with a whole host of human growth hormones, propping up collagen production and warding off wrinkles in the process.
But there’s more. Blissing out in bed also bumps up your endorphin levels, that famous feel-good chemical known for its anxiety-alleviating abilities. In other words, sex staves off stress and its associated suite of skin ailments like acne, rosacea and eczema. Whoopee!
The good news just keeps on coming. As it turns out, a rough tumble in the sheets is also regarded as hardcore aerobics of sorts: “Physical activity increases blood flow, which increases circulation, which equals vibrant skin,” notes Florida-based dermatologist Dr. Gary Goldfaden of Goldfaden MD.
All those lubricating beads of perspiration you work up also sub for a sauna session, purging the gunk clogging up your pores. (Stash a tub of wet wipes by the bed so you can clean off the morning after; stale sweat is paradoxically a prime cause of pimples.)
Now for a very, very important caveat. This isn’t carte blanche to be the town tramp. Dr David Weeks says that wanton promiscuity is particularly damaging to your dermis: “Casual sex would bring a lot of the detrimental things to staying youthful such as anxiety and the absence of security. Both those things are associated with a loss of youth.”
Key takeaway? Sex is superb for the skin – but only if it’s between you and your hubby. Got a ring on your finger? Go ahead and make everyday humpday!