Maintaining Healthy Skin

Have you heard of the saying that appearance is everything? One of the major contributors to your appearance and first impressions is your skin.

Being your body’s largest organ, you must protect it. Your skin acts as a barrier, regulating your body temperature, hormones and more.

With this importance, it is no wonder the global skincare market amounts to around $181.20 billion each year. But, to look after your skin properly, you don’t have to delve deep into your pockets and spend lots of money on cosmetics. There are a lot of natural ways to do so.
Learn how to support your skin below.

Understanding the skin

As mentioned before, the skin is your body’s largest organ and is often seen as one of the most complex. It’s so big that it makes up one seventh of your body weight. The primary function of your skin is to protect your body from the external environment, acting as a protective barrier.

It does this across its three layers: the epidermis, dermis and hypodermis.

Epidermis
The underlayer of your skin, the one that’s visible to your eyes, is your epidermis. This is a waterproof layer that helps protect your body from the environment, contributes to your overall skin colour and helps you make new cells. In this part of your skin, there are no blood vessels; your skin colour arises from a pigment known as melanin, which helps protect your skin from UV light.

Dermis
The middle layer of your skin is known as your dermis, which has a connective tissue. This helps your skin stay durable, elastic and strong. It also holds your sweat glands and sebaceous glands, helping produce sweat and oil, allowing blood to go to your skin and helping with hair growth.

Subcutaneous tissue
Lastly, a deep layer on your skin is known as your subcutaneous tissue, also called the hypodermis. While it’s not fully classed as your skin, it helps attach your skin to your muscles and bones. It also allows your skin to attach to your nerves and helps with your blood supply.

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What are the functions of the skin?

In addition to being a protective barrier, there are many more functions of your skin, such as:

• Helping your body have essential nutrients 
• Plays a role in vitamin D synthesis 
• Supporting the regulation of your body’s temperature
• Stops excessive water loss from your body

What causes skin damage?

It’s essential you protect your skin; if you don’t, you could be at risk of experiencing conditions like acne, psoriasis, fungal infections and more severe conditions like melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers. 

But knowing how to protect your skin properly requires knowing what can damage it first. The main factors that can affect its appearance and cause damage are:

Smoking 

If you smoke, your skin can be prone to premature ageing as it constricts the blood vessels and prevents blood flow to your skin. It can also cause collagen to break down and elastin, contributing to wrinkles and a bad appearance. 

Overexposure to UV radiation 

Exposing your skin to UV rays from the sun and tanning beds can cause your skin to be damaged. If exposed frequently for too long, you may face a risk of skin cancer. 

Pollution

If you live in a congested city, air pollution can cause serious damage to your skin. Pollution infiltrates your epidermis, causing toxins to damage your skin, creating free radicals. As a result, it causes your skin to lose elasticity, pores to become clogged, skin to lack hydration and become inflamed. 

Bad nutrition 

A diet lacking in the essential minerals, vitamins, nutrients and antioxidants can seriously impact your skin health. If you don’t have sufficient health, your skin may look dry and dull and become less elastic. The same applies with dehydration; if you don’t have sufficient water intake, your skin may lose moisture, becoming dry and flaky.

Lack of sleep

If you don’t consistently get 7-9 hours of good sleep every evening, you may be prone to having problems with your skin. That’s because your body has not had enough time to rest and repair for your skin to regenerate. A lack of sleep is often associated with puffy eyes, dark circles and an ageing complexion. 

Hormonal changes 

Often, when your body undergoes fluctuations in hormones, your skin may have acute problems like acne, melasma and dryness. Fluctuations happen during puberty, pregnancy, menopause and when taking certain medications.

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Foods and natural methods to support skin health

If you want to keep looking youthful, have less inflamed skin, and are in tip-top condition, then there are some natural ways to look after your skin health. 

Foods to eat 

Fish 

Fish like mackerel, salmon, herring and more are great options to help with your skin. The reason being is that they contain high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, which help you maintain your skin health. Omega 3 fatty acids have a lot of benefits, some helping keep your skin thick and elastic and providing the necessary moisture to your skin. 

Avocados 

Avocados contain healthy fats, allowing your skin to maintain elasticity and moisturise. There’s even research which supports this, showing that a study including over 700 women who ate avocados had more springy and supple skin. It’s also thought avocados can protect your skin from sun damage. However, more research is needed to support this. 

Sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are packed with a nutrient known as beta-carotene. This nutrient is also found in carrots, spinach, oranges and more. It helps provide vitamin A to your body, being a natural sunblock to skin cells. Therefore, it helps prevent sunburn and dry skin. 

Broccoli

Another vegetable that contains a lot of vitamins and minerals is Broccoli. Mainly having vitamin A, vitamin C, zinc and lutein. Broccoli helps stop your skin from oxidative damage, stopping it from becoming dry and wrinkled. In florets, Brocolli also contains a compound known as Sulforaphane, which can have some anti-cancer effects by neutralising free radicals. 

Tomatoes

Tomatoes have high vitamin C and carotenoids, helping protect your skin from sun damage. These also reduce the chances of your skin wrinkling. 

Water

Not quite a food but an essential liquid, water helps you stay hydrated and retains skin moisture. To do this, try to drink 3 litres of water a day to help your skin stay healthy.

Natural ways to maintain healthy skin

In addition to the above food and drinks, here are some natural ways you can keep on top of your skin health: 

Exercise

Regular physical exercise of at least 30 minutes every day can help encourage more blood flow and circulation. As a result, your skin will be supplied with more nutrients and oxygen.

Manage your stress

Prolonged stress levels can cause your skin to experience more breakouts and acne. Staying on top of your stress by getting enough sleep, shortening your to-do list and doing more of the activities you love. 

Protect your skin from the sun

Protecting your skin from the sun by applying sun cream with an SPF of at least 15+, wearing protective clothing and seeking shade can help your skin. Doing this can lower your risk of wrinkles, skin cancer and premature ageing.

Bottom line

Overall, your skin is one essential organ that you cannot overlook when it comes to your health. If you maintain it well, you can dramatically reduce the likelihood of wrinkles, certain skin cancers, inflammation, premature ageing and more.

The best way to stay on top of your skin health is by getting enough sleep, exercising, not smoking, having a healthy diet and limiting your sun exposure.

What do you do to look after your skin? Let us know in the comments below.

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