Prepared by: Wafaa Shwaiky. RPH

Abstract:

Did you know that your skin is the largest organ of your body? Well, it is, in terms of both weight, between 6-9 pounds (2.7- 4kg), and surface area, about 1.67 m².

Your skin reveals a lot about you, it can tell the world whether you’re tired or rested, sick or healthy, young or old. Your skin carries out a number of functions that help maintain your health.

This article will let you know a lot about this important organ, its functions, the elements that assail it, and how to protect and keep it young and healthy.

What are the skin functions?

What are the most important skin diseases?

What are the most important factors that affect my skin?

How can age affect my skin?

What are the best habits to maintain healthy and young skin?

What is the role of nutrition in maintaining healthy skin?

How can I choose the best skin care products?

How can I select the effective techniques that rejuvenate my skin?

What are the skin functions?

Your skin carries out a number of functions that help maintain your health, it separates the inside of your body from the outside world, Protects you from bacteria and viruses, helps you sense the outside world, such as whether it is hot or cold, wet or dry. In addition, your skin regulates your body temperature by sweating and dilating its blood vessels to cool you down in hot weather, and constricting those blood vessels to conserve heat deep inside your body when you feel cold.

Also, the skin uses the sun’s energy to make vitamin D, which is essential to strong bones.

What are the most important skin diseases?

Talking about skin diseases is a huge issue, but we can talk about skin conditions that lead to different diseases.

Conditions that irritate or inflame your skin can cause symptoms such as redness, swelling, burning and itching. Allergies, irritants, genetic makeup and certain diseases and immune system problems can cause dermatitis, hives and other skin conditions. Also some conditions can affect your appearance such as acne.

What are the most important factors that affect my skin?

Many factors may affect your skin such as:

·         Sun exposure.

·         Smoking and Alcohol.

·         Unproper face cleansing.

·         Inadequate sleep.

·         Inadequate use of moisturizers.

·         Lack of exercises.

·         Some diseases.

·         Medications’ side effects

·        Age.  

How can age affect my skin?

As you age, your skin gradually becomes thinner and finely wrinkled. Oil-producing (sebaceous) glands grow less active, leaving your skin drier. The number of blood vessels in your skin decreases, your skin becomes more fragile, and you lose your youthful color and glow.

To some extent, your genes determine how well your skin stands the test of time. But environmental factors play a big role as well.

What are the best habits to maintain healthy and young skin?

Good skin care can help delay the natural aging process and prevent many skin problems. The following simple skin-care habits will help you protect your skin and keep it healthy and glowing for years to come.

1. Protect your Skin from the sun

 Our sun gives us both UVA and UVB light Ultraviolet light damages your skin, causing deep wrinkles, dry, rough skin, liver spots, and more serious disorders, such as malignant skin tumors. For the most complete sun protection, use all three of these methods:

·         Avoid the sun during high-intensity hours (from 10 am. to 4 pm.)

·         Wear protective clothing.

·         Use sunscreen, choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) greater than 15.

2. Avoid smoking

Smoking accelerates aging of your skin and increases wrinkles. Skin changes from smoking can appear in young adults after 10 years of smoking. It causes narrowing of the tiny blood vessels in the outermost layers of skin which decreases blood flow, depleting the skin of oxygen and nutrients. All of these factors increase damage to the elastic fibers and collagen, which give your skin strength and elasticity.

In addition, the repetitive facial expressions you make when smoking may contribute to wrinkles. It's also possible that repeated exposure to the heat from burning cigarettes may damage your facial skin over time.

3. Clean your skin regularly

Wash your skin regularly using warm water and mild soap. Hot water, long showers or baths, and strong soap remove oils from your skin. Gently pat or blot your skin dry with a towel so that some moisture remains on the skin. Immediately moisturize your skin with an oil or cream.  Avoid irritating additives if your skin is sensitive. Remove eye makeup carefully.

Always wash the make-up off before going to bed so that will reduce the risk of bacteria building.

4. Moisturize your skin regularly

Avoid dry skin by Moisturizing your skin daily (or multiple times a day if needed) with gentle lotions, creams, and soaps containing ingredients like cocoa butter, shea butter, olive oil, honey, palm oil, and petroleum jelly. Avoid products containing strong chemicals that can further dry out your skin.

5. Get enough sleep

 Sleep is essential for your skin health, if you are deprived of sleep, this will make your skin look older and tired due to sagging eyelids and bags under your eyes. It can also cause anxiety, irritation and depression, which can cause more sleeplessness and the cycle continues. Make sure you get enough sleep to keep your skin looking healthy.

6. Have regular exercise:  Regular exercise such as running, swimming or yoga leads to good skin oxygenation and is a great outlet for stress, and this leaves your skin looking and feeling vibrant.

7. Eat a balanced nutritious diet: Look at the following question.

What is the role of nutrition in maintaining healthy skin?

No doubt that eating well and drinking enough water will help your skin, as well as the rest of your body, stay healthy.

Water is Essential for proper hydration of cells, regulating body temperature, carrying nutrients to cells and wastes away from cells, when water is lacking this can cause dehydration.

Essential fatty acids are available in vegetable oils, poultry fat, soy oils, nuts and seeds. They help maintaining healthy, hydrated skin, if missed in your food this will lead to dry, scaly and flaky skin, and hair loss.

The following table contains the other essential nutrients to keep your skin healthy:

How can I choose the best skin care products?

Choose skin care products wisely, and make sure that there are no government standards for the use of words on cosmetic labels such as “dermatologist-tested,” “allergy-tested,” “hypoallergenic,” “non-irritating,” “herbal,” “natural,” and others. These terms are often employed solely for marketing purposes.

The ingredient list on the label is the only source of reliable, government-required information.

The following table is a simple guide to products’ ingredients, it can help you to know the anti-aging products’ ingredients and how they can help your skin. The evidence supporting the benefits of these ingredients is incomplete.

How can I select the effective techniques that rejuvenate my skin?

When it comes to skin’s appearance, effective techniques that rejuvenate the skin are rapidly entering the market.

Dermatologists nowadays are replacing the face lift surgery with a combination of non-invasive procedures to help maintain a natural, youthful look such as laser treatment, light-energy treatments, botulinum toxin injections, fillers, and photodynamic therapy.

You should choose treatments with care. Therefore you must double-check the reputation and accreditation of clinicians performing invasive skin procedures.

Some procedures that affect only a superficial layer of skin such as microdermabrasion, can be performed by nurses or cosmetology professionals, while other procedures such as cutaneous (skin) surgeries, and laser procedures, require the skills of dermatologists and dermatologic surgeons, plastic surgeons, facial plastic surgeons (otolaryngologists), oculoplastic surgeons (ophthalmologists), and other cosmetic surgeons.

References:

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(http://clicks.health.harvard.edu/dm?id=305B36C19DA9F86ED0C09ABC7896BE3CCF80EF627D233712)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skin#Hygiene

http://www.skincancer.org/

http://www.webmd.com/skin-beauty/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A581032

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/skinconditions.html

http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/skin-care/SN00003/METHOD=print

http://www.clevelandclinic.org/health/health-info/docs/3300/3350.asp?index=11373

http://www.clevelandclinic.org/health/health-info/docs/1000/1093.asp?index=5771

http://www.healthline.com/blogs/health_observances/2007_11_01_health_observances_archive.html

http://skin-care-beautiful.blogspot.com/2008/04/why-use-skin-care-products.html

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/skin/Pages/Keepskinhealthy.aspx

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/healthy-skin/AN01863