image degradation when resizing pics

[vibetuner]

I'm using PS 7, and I have several pics from my digicam loaded in a document - with each jpeg on its own layer.

I am still playing with the layout of my final composite, so I'm resizing several pics to a much smaller size via the:
Free Transform (Ctrl+T)

However, I'm changing my mind about things as I go along, and I often resize (the small, resized) pics back to a larger size. (I resize the pics using the shift key to keep the original aspect ratio, btw).

Here is the problem:
Image degradation occurs.

I resize the pics a little (or a lot) larger as I play around with the layout and change my mind about things, and then I notice a pixelated image staring back at me.

Any way to avoid this?

 

[Josh]

When you resize you always lose quality. You can't avoid it.
Photoshop will throw away the pixels it doesn't need when you down downsize and when it upsizes it doesn't have the extra pixels it needs.

 

[Erik]

What you can do is create your lay-out as you fancy and when it is ready, restart on a new layer which will be the final one. That way you can minimize data loss.

 

[bigcloud]

... and always work on a duplicate layer. This way you never lose the original.

 

[vibetuner]

I think the duplicate layer is a good idea. :} Thanks all.