A few lies and truths about healthy skin

 

A few lies and truths about healthy skin

According to dermatologist Sarah J. Brown, wash your skin regularly to keep it healthy, but not so much that you strip it of essential moisture and oils.

Skin is our largest and most important organ and when it is healthy, we don't even pay much attention to it. We also have a few misconceptions about the skin, which seem to have been around for a long time.

Here we will mention some such 'myths' that need to be dispelled immediately along with a few that should be trusted.

Skin is constantly changing

Truth : The skin provides a great barrier to the environment inside and outside your body. Cells called keratinocytes, which are found on the outer layer of the skin, constantly divide the cells above and below the skin. Our skin is full of stem cells and has the ability to self-renew and divide.

Myth : The amount of water you drink does not directly affect your skin. Water reaches the skin with the blood through the lower layer of the skin, but water is lost from the outer layer of the skin, especially in a dry environment. Water is essential to keep the skin hydrated and when the body is severely dehydrated, your skin becomes dull and hard.

A healthy person's internal organs such as the kidneys, heart and blood vessels regulate the amount of water reaching the skin.

There is no fixed amount of water for the skin. It has to do with your water intake and excretion.

Stress leads to unhealthy skin

Truth: There are many health problems that can be attributed to stress, but research has shown that many skin conditions are exacerbated by life's stressors. A clear example of these is alopecia areata (hair loss). In addition, psoriasis, another auto-immune condition that involves thinning, flaking and inflammation of the skin, while eczema, a red and itchy skin condition, is also a stress-related skin problem. 

Unfortunately, these skin problems are the things you don't want to see during times of stress or anxiety.   

Chocolate causes acne

Myth : Acne, which most often occurs in teens but can last into the 30s and 40s, is caused by hormonal effects on the skin's oil glands and the immune response against bacteria and clogged pores. .

A diet rich in fat is bad for health for many reasons, but it doesn't cause acne. In fact, some pills for severe acne, such as esotretinoin, are better absorbed by the body when they are taken with high-fat foods, including chocolate.

Laundry detergent causes eczema

Myth : Eczema causes the skin to become itchy, itchy, and red. It is caused by a combination of environmental and genetic influences in the form of inflammation in the skin.

Soaps and soaps can irritate the skin and cause dryness as they strip the skin of oils.

Some washing powders contain ingredients that can make sensitive skin more sensitive, which can make eczema worse, so it is important to remove the washing powder from clothes well when washing to avoid skin irritation. be    

White marks in nails mean calcium deficiency

False : Nails are formed in the nail matrix buried beneath the skin. If this matrix is ​​damaged, the developing nail can become filled with air. This trapped air is visible in the form of white marks in the nails. 

Calcium is essential for healthy nails, teeth and bones, but white spots on nails are not caused by calcium deficiency.

Sunshine is good for you  

True and false : Sun has good and bad effects. Sunlight consists of different types of ultraviolet (UV) rays. The skin uses UVB rays to make vitamin D, which is essential for bone health. Without sunlight, this vitamin has to be obtained from food.  

But overexposure to UV rays can damage the DNA of skin cells, causing cells to overgrow and become cancerous.

Occasional sun is good for you, but avoid prolonged exposure. 

Basic principles

The basic principles of maintaining healthy skin are to wash regularly to keep it clean, but not so much that the skin is stripped of essential moisture and oils. Also, apply moisturizer when skin feels dry or tight, avoid stress as much as possible, eat healthy foods, drink water when thirsty and avoid excessive sun exposure.