Did you know that November is National Healthy Skin Month?
Your skin is your body’s largest organ, yet for some reason we often take the least care of it. At the highest stakes, having healthy skin can help protect the rest of your body. If you are unsure about your skin’s health, start with assessing the habits you maintain regarding your skin.
Skin is actually a very complex organ. The range of ailments and imperfections that can occur in the skin is vast. The healthiest skin is that which resembles a baby or a young child who has yet been impacted by all of the elements that affect our skin such environmental factors and diet. Healthy skin is typically even in color, strong in collagen (possessing just the right amount of fat beneath the skin’s surface), and may even have a translucent appearance. It may appear glowing or rosy to due to the visibly healthy circulation.
This kind of normal, healthy skin is incredibly rare. Our team of estheticians is dedicated to helping our clients reach or come as close to this high bar of healthy skin. Our passions extend beyond simply making skin temporarily pretty. We live and breathe the science of skin. Some of our team members answer the most popular questions regarding accomplishing and keeping healthy skin.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MOST COMMON CAUSES OF UNHEALTHY SKIN THAT YOU SEE?
Signs that we are stressed are typically very obvious, especially when looking at the skin. Lack of sleep, changes in diet and an increase in toxic habits are common signs of stress. All of these lead to unhealthy skin. It might be impossible to completely eliminate stress in our lives but we do need to be aware of the things that make it obvious that we are.
Trying to avoid all of these things will lead to skin that is overall more happy and healthy.
- Excessive sun exposure
- Unhealthy lifestyle: diet, smoking, not enough water intake, caffeine
- Harsh weather or changes in climate
–Kaitlin Walker, Esthetics Director
WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT IN HEALTHY SKIN? HOW DO YOU GET IT?
The key to healthy skin is “water” intake. It’s that simple. I can’t stress enough to clients, “If you want healthy, glowing skin… water plays a huge part in this process.” However, there are other factors which fit into the scheme of things as well. While, water intake is important, you should also have a daily skin regimen for more immediate results (as it takes time for water ingested orally to filter through your body’s processes and reflect in your skin). Included in your regimen should be a quality product for hydration.
Hydrated skin is a sign of healthy skin. It promotes the appearance of a healthy glow, moisture and improved elasticity. Keep in mind diet and exercise are always good maintenance tools that work in conjunction with water and hydration. Specifically, smoking, alcoholic beverages and soda (sugar) are things which should be avoided or limited, due to the compromising affects each can play in breaking down the necessary nutrients, decreasing in elastin, and catalyzing the aging process.
Healthy skin can be achieved by:
- Water intake
- Daily Skin Regimen
- Proper Diet
- Exercise
–Gigi Greene, Licensed Esthetician
WHAT ARE THE BEST VITAMINS FOR HEALTHY SKIN, HAIR, NAILS?
You truly are what you consume. However, what you consume, internal organs are fed first, leaving whatever nutrients left to nourish the skin. Equally important to skin health are sleep and water intake (as aforementioned). Those two things in themselves do multitudes! But what are the best vitamins for skin? Zinc taken orally can be good for acne. Essentially, Vitamins A, C, and E used topically (and added to your diet) are crucial for skin cell turnover.
Vitamin A regulates cell growth. Plant-based vitamin A products such as fruits and vegetables provide beta-carotene, an antioxidant that protects the cells from damage caused by free radicals. Fruits and vegetable with higher intensity of color contain higher beta-carotene content.
Vitamin C is an antioxidant. Vitamin C is essential for wound healing and is a natural pigment suppressor. Uneven skin tone (sun spots) is the result of overexposure and/or no sun protection resulting in damaged melanocytes (pigment cells). Vitamin C is a commonly used antioxidant in treating sun damage.
Vitamin E plays a role in your immune system and metabolic processes. After topical use Vitamin E accumulates in skin cell membranes where it softens skin and contributes to antioxidant defenses. It’s often used in products containing Vitamin C because of its greater efficacy (C, E together) in UV protection then either antioxidant alone. Avocados are rich in Vitamin E.
– Joanie Almaguer-Brown, Liciensed Esthetician
