9 Enemies Of The Skin
It is no surprise that the skin is self-repairing, self-maintaining, and constructed from nutrients provided by one’s diet. If someone is seeking a ‘cure’ for their skin issue, then they need to look holistically at their whole body and lifestyle. Because let’s be honest, actual skincare products can only do so much. The skincare products themselves only play a secondary part. They can only amplify the effects of good diet and healthy lifestyle choices.
So ladies and gentlemen, I introduce to you the…
9 Enemies Of The Skin
Diet
Chemical Exposure
Smoking
Poor Air Quality
Make-Up
Dehydration
Lack of Exercise
Sudden Weight Loss
The Sun
So let’s get into it…
Diet.
Modern humans eat, in most cases, a very poor diet devoid of many nutrients. Overeating the wrong types of food and not eating the right types leads to all manner of skin disorders. Acne is linked to a refined carb/high sugar diet for example. Don’t get me wrong, we all have a sweet tooth and can’t help ourselves to indulge in comfy foods. However, being aware of what you are putting into your body is one of the first steps to a healthier lifestyle. Not providing the skin with the nutrients it needs will lead to sagging, wrinkling, poor skin tone, unbalanced complexion and increased outbreaks of spots or rashes.
Chemical Exposure.
From certain irritants in skincare to the pollutants in the air, the skin is under daily attack from damaging particles. That’s right, watch out for those cleaning chemicals and certain cosmetics in your home.
Smoking.
Apart from the fact that it can kill you, smoking increases the production of an enzyme which breaks down collagen - the fibre that holds the skin together. It restricts blood flow, halting nutrient delivery to the skin cells. Destroys Vitamins A & C which are vital for skin health, leading to an ashen complexion and wrinkles around the mouth. Is it really worth it guys?
Poor Air Quality.
If you’ve ever had a long haul flight or lived in an over-heated / air conditioned house, you definitely know what it is like to have all of the moisture sucked from your skin. Skin without moisture is dry, dull and wrinkled. Being made of over 70% of water, anything that upsets this balance will cause havoc to the health of the skin. As good as it is for your mental being, your skin needs to be exposed to fresh outdoor air.
Make-Up.
Make-up is a tool used that enhances beauty no matter who you are. It’s an art that allows one to express themselves. Shout out to the holy grail companies that make totally natural make-up products, however, many skin issues can still be linked to the over-use of this application. Foundations and powders can clog the pores of the skin and lead to spots and rashes. Wearing make-up all day, everyday, is an unhealthy habit. The skin helps to eliminate waste and needs to be kept free from clogging products in order to function properly.
Dehydration.
Most people do not drink enough water. In fact, some people do not drink any! Water is ESSENTIAL to the health of the skin. In areas all around the world, clean water is scarce to many. If you are lucky enough to have a good quality water system that is not harmful to you, then keeping your body fully hydrated every single day is a given.
Lack of Exercise.
A lack of exercise is not usually associated with skincare, but exercise is essential for the health of the whole body, including the skin. Exercise increases blood flow to the skin cells. Any form of exercise which increases the heart rate will be beneficial to the skin.
Sudden Weight Loss.
Yo-yo diets and sudden weight loss can cause the skin to sag and droop. If the skin stretches too much, it may never return to its original shape, but if weight loss is very slow and steady then the skin has a greater potential to shrink back to match the new body size.
The Sun.
Oh, a very controversial topic indeed. There are endless warnings about sun aging and skin cancer, and we all know how important it is to wear sunscreen. However, there is another side to this story - Our skin NEEDS sunshine to synthesize Vitamin D.
The rays of the sun fall into 3 main categories:
UVA
UVB
UVC
UVC rarely reaches the Earth but UVB is abundant in natural sunlight, while a lot of UVA is emitted from sun beds.
So that means UVB rays can only penetrate as far as the lower epidermis, causing damage to the basal cells and wrinkles. UVA can penetrate deeper, into the dermis and cause sagging. There is no doubt that over-exposure to the sun is going to cause problems, after all you can see the effects of sunburn on anyone. But for healthy skin and for the synthesis of Vitamin D, we also need to have some sensible sun exposure.
Making changes to better your lifestyle is only going to help you achieve the goals you have ever dreamed of. Don’t let these 9 enemies keep you from beautifying your skin from within. Instead, make mindful choices on your day to day, even if that takes baby steps.
As always,
stay conscious.
