A Guide to Caring For Your Skin
Posted on June 12th, 2007 by garyPosted in Skincare
The skincare market makes up a large share of the estimated 200 billion plus a year personal-care market. People spend a lot of money and time dabbing, cleansing, buffing, spritzing and even injecting their skin in an effort to perfect the appearance of it. But money alone can not buy truly healthy skin. Our skin is an intrinsic component of the health of our entire body. The skin is a vital organ and by learning about what effects its condition you can optimize the look and feel of your skin.
An average sized human adult had 2 square meters of skin that accounts for 12-15% of their total body weight. The skin is composed of three layers- the epidermis, the dermis and the hypodermis. Each square inch of the skin is made up of millions of cells, more than 1,000 nerve endings, hundreds of sweat and oil glands and nearly 15 feet of blood vessels. Everyday they are working together for the body. Sweat glands relieve the body of sodium, water and waste products. Oil glands keep the body’s outer layer resilient, protected and pliable. Blood vessels help regulate body temperature and keep the skin oxygenated and nourished. Nerve endings communicate information to the interior of the body and brain.
The skin communicates all kinds of internal information, such as the presence of fever or an emotional response through physiological reactions such as blushing, blanching or creating a cold sweat. The skins appearance can relay information about a body’s physical or psychological state. If it is rough, flaky, patchy, swollen, red, broken out, blotchy, jaundiced, ashy or weeping there may be nutritional deficiencies, stress, disease, digestive disorders, food allergies, hormonal imbalances, toxicity, or environmental irritations.
The skin is also the body’s primary barrier against toxins, germs and other external contaminants. The healthier the skin is the better protection it provides for. The skin absorbs whatever you put on it. The patch method of administering medicine allows medicine to enter the blood stream faster than through digestion. The same way medicine is absorbed through the skin, so are skincare and hair-care products. Many of them are not good for the skin. Petrochemicals, fragrances, detergents and other substances can cause irritations and allergic reactions that contribute to bumps and clogged pores. If cleaners are too harsh they can disturb the skin’s ph balances and strip the skin of it natural mantle, which results in dryness, flaking, excessive oil production, dermatitis and vulnerability to infection. Look for natural skincare and medicinal-bathing products. Think twice about what you put on your skin.
Certain essential fatty acids (EFA’s) are found in omega 3, omega 6 and omega 9 families. They play a crucial role in supporting strong skin structures and keeping skin soft and smooth. They also help fight inflammation and maintain good skin health. The body can not make EFAs so they must be obtained through food or supplements. But balance is the key. The National Institute of Health reports the American diet provides more than 10 times the amount of omega 6s (found in many processed foods, red meat, eggs and most vegetable oils) as omega 3s. This imbalance negatively affects the skin and contributes to long term diseases like heart disease, cancer, asthma, arthritis and depression. Avoid processed foods and use cooking oils like sunflower, safflower, corn and soybean. Eat red meat sparingly. Good food sources for omega 3s and other healthy fatty acids are nuts, seeds, and cold water fish like salmon, sardines, tuna and halibut. EFA supplements come in liquid, ground seed or capsule.
We all know the benefits of drinking a lot of water to our overall health. Waters role to the skin’s health is no different. If you are worried about a dull, dry or flaky complexion, reach for some water instead of a moisturizer. The amount of water you need to remain properly hydrated depends on your diet, (the more fresh produce you eat, the more water you take in from food), your activity level, and your climate. But most health professional recommend consuming eight fluid ounces of water a day and suggest you limit caffeine and alcohol consumption.
In a healthy body, skin cell turnover is very rapid. We typically replace our entire epidermis every 28-30 days through naturally sloughing and cell regeneration. The American Academy of Dermatology reports our skin ages both intrinsically because of the genetic instructions encoded in our DNA and extrinsically because of environment and lifestyle factors. As a result, our skin is prone to becoming rougher, thinner, less elastic and less toned over time. You can not control your genes which determine your skin’s character and resiliency or avoid the aging process. You can however control a variety of factors that contribute how your body’s DNA-level instructions play out and how quickly they take their course. If you inherit delicate sun-sensitive skin for example, you can avoid excessive sun exposure and eat a diet rich in antioxidants and healthy fatty acids. Many of the steps you take to care for your own health also protect the DNA in your skin cells, reducing your vulnerability to aging and melanoma.
Exercise is important. Our cardiovascular system is responsible for circulating nutrients and repair compounds to the skin, for maintaining the health of capillaries that affect our skin’s appearance and also for maintaining proper blood-sugar levels. By eating moderately (taking in just enough calories to maintain a healthy weight) and exercising moderately (versus being sedentary or exercising at overly high intensities too often) can help you lighten your body’s inflammatory and free-radical burdens and enhance its self repair capabilities.
A nourishing diet with adequate hydration, appropriate exercise, good stress management and high-quality sleep are the components of systems that help build, nourish, protect and repair your skin. There are also stressors on the skin that you should watch out for and be prepared to handle. They include the sun, free radicals and smoke and pollution.
There is no healthy suntan. A tan is your body’s response to exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light. Photo-aging, the term used to describe the damage to skin caused by UV exposure is responsible for 90-95% of extrinsic skin aging. It can contribute to age spots, dark patches and other visible skin discolorations. It can also inhibit the immune system and interfere with DNA repair. But before you put on sunscreen watch the ingredients. Consider naturals sun block products that use titanium dioxide and zinc oxide to block rays. Wear a hat. Vitamins C & E also counter the effects of sun exposure.
Free radicals are a byproduct of our body’s process of turning food into energy and the result of exposure to the stressors above and below. They contribute to the oxidation of the body’s internal and external tissues and have been implicated in causing widespread inflammation and cellular damage in the body including in the skin. Free radicals damage collagen, one of the essential components of the connective tissue that keeps skins smooth, firm and wrinkle free. They can also contribute to the formation of skin discoloration. Commonly associated with the vitamins A, C, and E, antioxidants are found in brightly colored fruits, vegetables, and legumes. Red beans and brightly colored berries top the charts for antioxidant activity. High powered antioxidants such as ALA can be found in spinach, broccoli and other plant and animal sources. These can be taken as a dietary supplement or topically.
One of the skin’s worst enemies is cigarette smoke. The skin of smokers ages twice as fast as non smokers. Smoking dehydrates, slows skin growth and rejuvenation, depletes essential nutrients and contributes to decreased levels of estrogen, leading to collagen and elastin breakdown. Air pollution also takes a toll on the skin. Stop smoking and limit your exposure to second hand smoke. Take whatever steps you can to limit exposure to environmental toxins. Emphasize good nutrition and proper hydration to protect your skin from damage, enable detoxification and optimize its repair mechanisms.
Caring for your skin is really a matter of caring for your whole self. It is not too late to make the healthy, whole body changes that will visibly improve your skin and sustain it vitality for years to come. If you are suffering from a skin condition or a lack of skin quality, take a look at more than your skins surface for the answer. Make the nutrition, exercise and other healthy lifestyle changes necessary to improve your skin and your whole body will benefit.
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