Your skin forms a waterproof barrier against the outside
world, protecting you from physical damage, dehydration and
infection.
Your skin also helps to control your body temperature, makes
vitamin D on exposure to sunlight and contains specialist nerve
endings that can detect light touch, sustained pressure, cold,
warmth or pain. Many people take their skin for granted, but a
little bit of care will reward you with a softer, more youthful
outer coat.
Skin care
As skin cells turn over so rapidly, lack of vitamins, minerals
and essential fatty acids can quickly lead to problems such as
dryness, flakiness, dullness, pimples and premature wrinkles.
It’s therefore important to follow a healthy, wholegrain diet
supplying at least five servings of fruit and vegetables per day
plus a handful of nuts/seeds and oily fish two or three times a
week.
Fluids are important for skin hydration and suppleness. Drink
plenty of water - at least 2.5 litres per day.
Cleanse, tone and moisturise your skin twice daily using
good-quality skin care products.
Avoid excessive exposure to the sun or sun-beds.
Always wear sun-protection products containing UVA and UVB
screens. Choose one with a protection factor of at least SPF8 when
going outdoors, even in winter.
Avoiding smoking (active and passive). Smokers are five times
more likely to develop premature wrinkles than non-smokers.
Did you know?
- Skin forms the largest organ in your body.
- It has a surface area of up to two square metres.
- Skin has two main layers, an outer epidermis and an inner
dermis.
- As new cells move from the basal layer towards the surface,
they gradually become flattened, hardened (cornified) and die to
produce a tough, outer layer that is continually being worn away
and replaced.
- You shed around 18kg of skin during your life.
- Household dust is mostly made up of dead skin cells.
RECOMMENDED SUPPLEMENTS
GLA: Gamma linolenic acid (found in evening
primrose and starflower oils) has antiinflammatory actions and
provides building blocks for healthy skin cell membranes. Research
shows that GLA-rich supplements can reverse the effects of ageing
to produce a more youthful appearance within just three months. In
one trial involving 40 women with an average age of 44, those
taking 3g evening primrose oil experienced a 20% improvement in
skin moisture, smoothness, elasticity and firmness. GLA is used to
help a wide range of problems, from dryness and itching through to
eczema, psoriasis, rosacea and acne.
Omega 3: As well as improving skin lustre,
omega 3 fish oils have an anti-inflammatory action that improves
skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. In particular, they
have been shown to alleviate itching, redness and scaling. EPA in
fish oils can replace arachidonic acid in psoriatic skin lesions to
produce a significant clinical improvement for some within four to
eight weeks.
Grape seed oil: This contains concentrated
antioxidant proanthocyanidins similar to those that give red wine
its widely appreciated health properties. It helps to strengthen
fragile capillaries and protect skin cells from damaging oxidation
reactions. Grapeseed oil is widely used to boost skin regeneration
- especially in delicate areas such as around the eyes - and to
improve stretch marks.
Green tea: Over 30% of the dry weight of green
tea leaves consists of powerful flavonoid antioxidants such as
catechins. Their antioxidant action is at least 100 times more
powerful than vitamin C and 25 times more so than vitamin E. Green
tea extracts increase resistance to infection, help to protect
against premature ageing and are increasingly being used in both
internal and topical skincare products.
Vitamin E: A powerful antioxidant which,
because it is fat-soluble, protects lipid skin cell membranes from
oxidation. It reduces inflammation, improves healing, softens scars
and reduces sunburn reactions on exposure to ultraviolet rays to
protect against premature ageing. In general, the more
polyunsaturated fatty acids you eat, the more vitamin E you
need.
Vitamin C: Also a strong antioxidant that
reduces inflammation and protects the aqueous content of skin cells
from oxidation. It is also needed for synthesis of collagen, an
important structural protein in skin. Like vitamin E, vitamin C has
been shown to reduce sunburn reactions on exposure to ultraviolet
irradiation which helps to protect against premature ageing.
Vitamin C is increasingly used, both externally and internally, to
treat photoageing linked with sun damage.
Carotenoids: Vitamin A and the closely related
carotenoids - some of which are converted into it in the body - are
so important for health that deficiency can lead to scaly skin with
raised, pimply hair follicles and flaky scalp. Carotenoids help to
protect the skin from sun damage and may play a role in reducing
the risk of cancer, especially melanoma. Vitamin A derivatives are
available on prescription to treat acne.
Vitamin D: Cholecalciferol is synthesised in
the body by the action of sunlight (UVB rays) on a cholesterol-like
molecule (7-dehydrocholesterol) in the skin. Recent evidence
suggests that the vitamin D produced helps to protect skin cells
from ultraviolet-induced damage. Exposure of hands, face and arms
to one third of a minimal erythemal dose of sunlight (the amount
that produces a faint redness of skin) on most days is needed to
produce sufficient levels of vitamin D. However, advice to avoid
deliberate sun exposure means that many people are deficient in it
D and a supplement is often advisable.
Good skin starts from the inside out and nutrition is the key.
Don’t leave your skin to fend for itself this winter - pamper
it, protect it and you will reap the benefits.
back to the top »