Simple skin care techniques, easy for you to maintain, work the best.

The women with the most beautiful skin in the world have the simplest beauty regimens.

I learned this the hard way.

My mother is in her sixties. She's been living in Florida for the past twenty years, and her skin is silky and smooth. Her pores are tight.

Recently, we were at a family gathering in Alabama. My oldest female relative was in her eighties. She also had the same tight pores, and smooth skin.

None of these women had surgery. And none of us were so closely related that genetics would account for the condition of their skin. (One of the "relatives" is a close family friend and not related by blood.)

I need to mention that frugality is a trait that is passed along in the family. No woman in my family would spend an arm and a leg on cosmetics. And, my family is old fashioned enough that fancy chemical additives would turn them off to a product.

So, what was the family secret?

I desperately needed to know. At 45, my skin had begun to fall apart. Indeed, actually, it had fallen apart.

Two years later at 47, I was ready to talk weight loss and beauty tips with my Mom.

I saw an 100% improvement in my skin after one month on her beauty treatments. The total investment in materials was under forty dollars.

First, let's talk about your skin.

The number one tip that I will pass along for free is:

AVOID THE SUN

And when I say avoid the sun, I mean, avoid the sun, tanning beds and chemical bronzing products.

When I was younger, I lived on the beach or in the pool. Now that I'm older I know better.

Leathery skin is just one consequence of being in the sun. Skin cancer is another. And in case you think skin cancer is easily diagnosed and treated, I need to remind you that Melanoma is a leading cause of cancer death in the United States.

(May is National Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month. The month is dedicated to increasing public awareness of the importance of skin cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment, including basal cell, squamous cell, and melanoma.)

Using tanning beds, especially prolonged exposure that results in a burn, can also cause irreparable damage to your skin.

UV exposure increases the risk for skin cancer among people with all skin types, but especially fair-skinned people. Those who sunburn readily and tan poorly, namely those with red or blond hair and fair skin that freckles or burns easily, are at highest risk for developing skin cancer and would benefit most from sun protection behaviors. The incidence of melanoma among whites is 20 times higher than it is among blacks; the incidence of melanoma among whites is approximately four times higher than it is among Hispanics.

I think I should pass along another tip for free:

AGEING GRACEFULLY IS BEAUTIFUL

Most women who have multiple plastic surgeries and subscribe to the "you can never be too rich or too thin," theory of life, look like hags as they grow older.

With the plastic surgery craze that's sweeping the nation, I really need to tell you, women of a certain age who try to look like they are eighteen are downright scary.

I don't know whether it's bad plastic surgeons, or patients who don't know when enough is enough.

You're getting older. You're getting better. And the more comfortable you are in your own skin, the more self-assured and beautiful you look.

Mentally, you've never been so sharp and so on top of your life. A little eye tuck, maybe. Surgery that stretches the corners of your mouth to your ears and the tops of your eyebrows to your hair line is grotesque.

I've had plastic surgery done on my face. I had a benign lump the size of a golf ball removed. The surgeon was 1. highly recommended. 2. More expensive than I could believe. 3. Meticulous in his work.

I wasn't rushed so he could do another patient. He scheduled in plenty of time in case something unexpected happened and something unexpected did happen.

He did his utmost to make sure that both sides of my face matched when he was finished. He had follow-up visits scheduled into the cost of his treatment.

My face hurt for the next six months and continued to heal for the next year.

Will I ever have plastic surgery voluntarily again? Maybe.

At 47 will I ever look eighteen again? No.

All the plastic surgeons in the world couldn't accomplish that.

I want to look and feel good.

Growing old gracefully is part of that.