Skin care is thought of by many as a luxury.
This is probably because of the over- commercialized status of skin care products and services, most of which are expensive or wrapped up in very complicated to-dos.
This discourages people to go the extra mile in taking care of their skin, not knowing the importance of having a healthy skin.
However, though common, this notion is very unacceptable. A healthy skin has many benefits, not only for aesthetics purposes but for health reasons as well. It determines the proper functioning of many body systems, and it spells the difference between a sickly person and a fit one.
Primarily, your skin is your first line of defense against harmful natural elements and occurrences.
It shields you from germs and viruses which bring illness and sickness, as brought about by dust, change in weather patterns, etc. Therefore, your immune system starts from your skin.
If your skin is unhealthy, you are actually subjecting yourself to harmful elements which prejudice your whole being. This might probably be the most significant in the long list of the importance of having a healthy skin.
Skin cancer is also fast becoming a phenomenon in the medical world as cases and incidents are fast rising in number. Adequate skin care can prevent this from happening. A healthy skin protects itself from any infirmities and other related illnesses.
Proper skin care also prevents Dry Skin. Dry skin is often associated with microangiopathy or a condition when the blood vessels can’t get an adequate supply of nutrients to the skin cells.
This further causes prolongation in all healing processes of the skin, such as wounds and scrapes.
For aesthetic purposes, a healthy skin also has many benefits. It radiates a youthful glow thus making one good to look at. It slows down the aging process, thus keeping your skin as fresh and as glowing as that of a baby, and everybody wants that.
In a world where staying young has become the name of the game in almost all walks of life, maintaining a healthy skin is indeed a sure way to get exactly that goal.
Understanding the importance of having a healthy skin might be the secret of staying young and beautiful.
Therefore, the skin is not only another part of your anatomy. It is not only just a useless mass of tissues. It is a very important organ which provides you with a lot of benefits if maintained in a very healthy state.
FEATURES OF HEALTHY SKIN
Each of us has their own definition of what healthy skin is. What are the characteristics of healthy skin?
Basically healthy skin should be smooth, blemish-free, glowing and radiant. This is the ideal characteristics of the skin. Is it possible to attain? Yes, it is but it may require some efforts from you such as:
Smoothness
Another, immediately noticeable feature of beautiful skin is smoothness. Although textural problems (like bumps and acne) can present more obvious problems, smooth skin is also extremely important.
Keeping hydrated and staying out of the sun can go a long way toward giving your skin what it needs to maintain its smoothness over time. Follow the same suggestions provided for firmness and texture to achieve smoother, healthier skin.
Texture
Beautiful skin also has an even texture, free of bumps and common skin problems like acne. Just as skin tone can become uneven with time, so too can texture.
As we age our skin cells are less capable of coping with irregularities in their production (such as abnormalities caused by free radicals) and this leads to issues with texture. Many textural problems can be solved (or slowed) by staying hydrated and avoiding excessive sun exposure.
Moisture
Moisture is one of the keystones of beautiful skin. Without enough of it, dryness can lead to many different problems. Keeping skin moist is essential for warding off wrinkles, folds and fine lines.
Be sure to stay well hydrated, avoid too much exposure to the sun and apply moisturizers in order to stop your skin from becoming overly dry.
Tone
An even skin tone is one of the most noticeable features of beautiful skin. When we’re young our skin is able to naturally regulate its pigmentation and these results in a uniform, healthy- looking tone (except in the case of freckles which are usually the result of genetics).
Uneven skin tone is often the result of sun damage or cells that are producing irregular amounts of melanin. Age spots and blotching can occur as the result of excessive sun exposure, improperly functioning skin cells or environmental damage (from smoking, toxins, etc.).
Firmness
The development of sagging or loose skin is one of the most common signs of aging — and one that gets in the way of enjoying beautiful skin. Unfortunately, our skin naturally loses its firmness over time but this process can also be accelerated by damage from UV rays and dehydration.
Like most features of beautiful skin, firmness can be maintained by protecting your skin from the sun and moisturizing. Giving skin cells what they need to function properly goes a long way toward maintaining firmer skin. Laser Skin Tightening Toronto also helps firmness greatly.
SYMPTOMS OF AN UNHEALTHY SKIN
Skin disorders vary greatly in symptoms and severity. They can be temporary or permanent, and may be painless or painful.
Some have situational causes, while others may be genetic. Some skin conditions are minor, and others can be life-threatening.
Dry, itchy skin
It’s probably “winter itch,” skin dryness that’s a result of cold, dry air.
Using a humidifier, avoiding super-hot showers, and routinely slathering on a thick moisturizer will help keep skin supple.
But if it’s an intense itch (the kind that makes you leave scratch marks on your skin) and is accompanied by other symptoms like fatigue or weight loss, your doctor may want to rule out more serious conditions like thyroid problems, renal disease or certain cancers.
“These diseases release inflammatory hormones that make skin really itchy,” says Peredo.
Red bumps
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It’s more than just stress.
“Many times skin conditions are the outward appearance of psychiatric conditions,” says Ronald Sulewski, MD, a Chicago dermatologist at Pinski Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery.
Some people with anxiety and depression pick at their skin to cope with unhappy emotions, leaving red marks, bumps, or bleeding behind. In that case, a dermatologist would refer you to your primary care doctor or a psychiatrist to uncover and treat the root problem.
Raised, red patches
That’s most likely psoriasis, an imbalance of immune cells that leach underneath skin and cause inflammation, which is what leads to those irritated patches of skin.
“Some people have genes that make them more susceptible to this autoimmune disease,” says Marina Peredo, MD, assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital.
Though you can get psoriasis at any age, she notices two peak times of diagnosis: one in people when they’re teenagers or in their early 20s and another when they’re in their 50s or 60s. The latter flare-up is often set off by a stressful event, like a death in the family or divorce.
Strep throat is another common trigger of psoriasis. Peredo always asks her patients if they also have joint pain, stiffness, or swelling. That’s because 30% of psoriasis sufferers also have psoriatic arthritis, which is an autoimmune disease characterized by joint pain accompanied by psoriasis.
If you have this condition, it’s not enough to simply treat skin with a steroid cream, so your dermatologist may refer to you to rheumatologist for treatment.
And, be sure to monitor your health in other areas. “People with psoriasis may also have an increased risk for many other internal conditions like heart disease, cancer, and depression,” adds Potter.
Puffy eyelids
Swollen eyes may be from something as simple as skimping on shut-eye one night.
“Sleeping on your stomach can also cause fluid accumulation around the eyelids,” says Potter. But if they look itchy, red, and scaly you may also have a seasonal allergy or be suffering from an allergic reaction. “The eyelids are covered with the thinnest skin on your body and will often show an allergy before any other place,” adds Peredo.
Common allergies include fragrances, dyes in beauty products and clothing, and formaldehyde (a preservative in some creams, shampoos, and nail polish). Your dermatologist can run an allergy patch test to determine what ingredient is setting off your symptoms.
MAINTAINING HEALTHY SKIN
Who would not love to have a healthy skin? Everyone surely wants to have that younger- looking and healthy skin. The only problem is most people think that maintaining healthy skin is difficult and expensive.
The truth is, it is not. In fact, you need only a few minutes a day and a reliable skin care product to keep your skin healthy.
The Right Skin Care Product
You do not need expensive cosmetic treatments in maintaining healthy skin. The right skin care product would not cost half of these treatments’ prices. To find the right product, take time to look at the labels.
Two of the most important ingredients to look for are coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) a collagen booster. CoQ10 is very important if you want to keep your skin healthy. It is an antioxidant that fights radicals.
All cells in the body naturally have this but the number diminishes as you age so you need to provide more of it for your skin cells to be in the best condition. The skin also has collagen but its production also diminishes as you age.
You do not need products with collagen. A product with collagen booster will suffice.
The Right Skin Care Procedure
Maintaining healthy skin requires thorough cleansing, which does not equate to scrubbing. In fact, simple facial wash or soap would do the trick. Clean your face in the morning and in the evening before you go to sleep.
Apply toner after cleansing. It will close the pores. Applying moisturizer after the toner dries up would also help avoid oily skin.
Healthy Lifestyle Helps You Get Healthy Skin
You might be blaming skin care products for not giving what they have promised when in fact you are the one to blame. Note that some of your habits may contribute to your skin’s bad health.
Maintaining healthy skin requires you to avoid smoking as much as possible. It does not only affect your lungs. It causes wrinkles, too.
You also need healthy diet. Eat healthy foods especially the ones with skin health benefits.
The food guide from the US Department of Agriculture recommends rice, pasta, cereals, whole grain breads, fruits, green and orange vegetables, low-fat lean meats and fish, and low-fat or fat-free milk. Foods that are rich in calcium are also recommended.
Drink plenty of water, too. When you are dehydrated, it shows through your skin regardless of how much moisturizer and lotion you will apply.
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