Shaving is the most cost-effective way to remove excess or unwanted hair. But how’s your shaving technique?

Many more men are recognizing the importance of proper skin care to reduce the appearance of aging and prevent skin cancer. But for most of them, their skin care regimen starts and ends with a daily shave. To turn shaving into a total skin care opportunity, divide the process into four parts:

• Prepare. If you can, shower before shaving so the steam can soften the hair, or press a warm washcloth against your skin before shaving.
• Lather. Apply shaving cream with a shaving brush if possible. The brush will help the shaving cream to lift the hair away from the face for easier shaving.
• Shave. If you have sensitive skin, be sure to use a shaving cream or lotion when shaving, and use a razor that is clean and sharp. Shaving dry skin can cause razor burn and irritation. Shave in the direction that the hair grows, not against it. Note: if you opt for an electric razor, avoid the closest setting to reduce skin irritation.
• Moisturize. After shaving, apply a moisturizer (ideally, choose a moisturizer that has an SPF of at least 15).

These same principles apply to women who want to shave their legs, armpits, or any other area.

If you need another reason to quit smoking, do it for the health of your family, friends, and coworkers.

Strong, long-term evidence shows that breathing secondhand smoke from other people’s cigarettes or cigars is as dangerous to your health as smoking yourself.

Secondhand smoke consists of sidestream smoke (the smoke that floats your way from the smoker’s cigarette) and mainstream smoke (the smoke that hits your face when a smoker exhales).

Research into the negative effects of secondhand smoke continues, but consistent exposure to secondhand smoke has been associated with an increased risk of cancer, heart disease, and lung disease. In addition, family members of smokers often suffer from less serious but bothersome chronic health problems including chronic coughing, eye and nose irritation, tooth decay, and breathing problems.

Specific studies in children have shown that children who live in a home with a smoker may be more likely to suffer from asthma or ear infections. And women who continue to smoke during pregnancy may be increasing the baby’s risk of low birth weight, which can contribute to a range of growth and development problems in infants.

If you are trying to quit smoking or have recently quit, preserve your health by avoiding others who smoke and by avoiding smoky places. Fortunately, a series of regulations have banned smoking in public places such as office buildings, stadiums and airports, as well as in bars and restaurants.