Skin care is an essential part of personal hygiene. It involves nourishing and caring for your skin by following a routine and applying the right products based on your skin type. Dermatologists often highlight the significance of skin care in preventing skin problems and aging. But why is skin care so important?
Your skin is the largest organ in your body, covering 22 square feet or 2 square meters.1 It has many layers and protects your body from injury or external damage. It has several other functions, such as regulating body temperature and acting as an immune barrier against toxins and pathogens.2 Your skin reflects your overall health. So, it’s crucial to take care of it.
Skin care helps prevent damage and maintains the appearance of your skin. It involves practices like cleansing, exfoliating, toning, and moisturizing.3 It also includes protecting the skin from the sun and environmental damage. Skin care protects and improves skin health, promotes hygiene, prevents skin problems, and helps you relax.
Why Is Skin Care So Important?
Here are some skin care facts to shed light on the importance of skin care:
1. Your skin has three layers
The skin is the outermost covering of your body. And it is made up of three distinct layers: the epidermis (thin, outer layer), dermis (thick, middle layer), and hypodermis (layer under the dermis containing sweat glands and fat tissue).
These layers have varying thicknesses depending on the part of your body it covers. Your skin is thickest on your palms and soles to protect them as they withstand a lot of friction. Your eyelids and genital organs have the thinnest skin.4
2. Skin helps regulate your body temperature
Skin is responsible for thermoregulation. It acts like a thermostat and regulates your body temperature through the blood supply. Your skin loses heat and cools down when blood vessels widen or dilate. But when the blood vessels narrow or constrict, your skin conserves heat and warms your body.
Also, skin has millions of sweat glands, which release sweat and cool your body in hot conditions.5
3. You shed thousands of skin cells per minute
The outer layer of your skin or epidermis generates new cells every 30 days.6 Your skin sheds 30,000 to 40,000 dead cells each minute.7 The dead cells accumulate on the surface of your skin. Skin care helps exfoliate or remove these dead skin cells and keeps your skin healthy and glowing.
4. External factors like sun damage cause skin aging
People believe that genetics affects skin aging. But research shows that external factors like the environment, pollution, sun exposure, and smoking can also cause premature skin aging. Sun damage causes 90% of the signs of premature aging.8
Skin care with protective products like sunscreen can minimize skin damage due to environmental factors and prevent harmful conditions like skin cancer.
6. Stress can affect your skin
Stress triggers inflammatory molecules that can affect your health. It can also affect your skin. Inflammatory molecules can break down skin proteins like collagen, reduce your skin’s elasticity, and cause premature aging.9 Skin care can be a relaxing activity that lowers stress levels and improves skin health.
7. Skin changes may reflect underlying health problems
Similar to stress, underlying health conditions can also trigger skin reactions. Allergies, infections, or nutrition deficiencies can lead to skin changes like rashes, dryness, swelling, itching, discoloration, or redness.10 Appropriate skin care with treatment for the underlying problem can help restore your skin health.
8. You start aging at 25
Contrary to the popular belief that aging starts after 45, research shows that it can begin at age 25.11 Collagen levels in your skin decrease over time and may result in the formation of fine lines. These fine lines grow into wrinkles.12
However, anti-aging skin care products rich in antioxidants like vitamin C can help reverse these signs of aging and promote healthy, younger-looking skin.
How To Improve Your Skin Care Routine
Now that you understand skin care’s importance, you need to set a daily skin care routine involving cleansing, exfoliating, toning, and moisturizing.
Here are some tips to improve your skin care routine:
- Wash your face regularly: Dirt and microorganisms often settle on your skin when you sleep or go outdoors. So, wash your face when you wake up, go to bed, or after you sweat. It removes all the impurities that settle on the skin and cleanses it. However, wash your face only twice a day or if you sweat.13
- Clean your face gently: Avoid being harsh when cleansing your face. Gentle rinsing with lukewarm water and a mild cleanser will provide the best results. Gently apply the cleanser with your fingertips in a circular motion. Rinse the cleanser and gently pat your face dry with a clean towel.14
- Choose skin care products that suit your skin: Use skin care products that your skin needs. If you have sensitive skin or conditions like allergies, so make sure you read the labels for problematic ingredients.15
- Avoid scrubbing your skin: Avoid scrubbing your skin, especially if you have sensitive skin. It can irritate your skin and cause or worsen problems like acne.16
- Always apply sunscreen before stepping out: The first and most important skin care tip is to use sunscreen daily. Sunscreen shields your skin from harmful ultraviolet rays and prevents sun damage and aging. It can also help prevent skin conditions like cancer. So, include a sunscreen with broad-spectrum protection, i.e., at least SPF 30, in your skin care routine.17
- Avoid smoking: Smoking can affect your skin health and speed up aging. It can also slow down wound healing and cause skin problems like psoriasis.18
- Self-examine your skin: Check your skin for signs or symptoms. This can help you detect skin problems and even skin cancer early. If you notice an unusual patch on your skin that itches, bleeds, or changes, consult a dermatologist for a diagnosis.19
- Avoid stress: Stress can worsen skin conditions and promote premature aging.20 Your skin care routine can be a great way to pamper yourself and unwind. It can help improve your skin and overall wellbeing.
Learn More About Skin Care
If you’re confused about your skin type or have doubts about skin care products, consult a certified dermatologist. They’ll help you find the appropriate treatment based on your skin type. For more resources on skin care, visit My Skincare Routine.
SOURCES:
- University of Leeds: “Skin functions and Layers.”
- StatPearls [Internet]: “Anatomy, Skin (Integument), Epidermis.”
- Healthline: “What Order Should I Follow for My Skin Care Routine?”
- University of Texas: “Anatomy of the Skin.”
- University of Texas: “Anatomy of the Skin.”
- Healthline: “How to Remove Dead Skin from Your Face.”
- KidsHealth: “Your Skin.”
- Skin Cancer Foundation: “Photoaging: What You Need to Know About the Other Kind of Aging.”
- Brain, Behavior, and Immunity: “Stress, immunity and skin collagen integrity: Evidence from animal models and clinical conditions.”
- American Academy of Dermatology Association: “What Your Skin Can Tell You About Your Overall Health.”
- Cleveland Clinic: “Wrinkles.”
- Cleveland Clinic: “Wrinkles.”
- American Academy of Dermatology Association: “Face Washing 101.”
- American Academy of Dermatology Association: “Face Washing 101.”
- American Academy of Dermatology Association: “10 Skin Care Secrets for Healthier-Looking Skin.”
- American Academy of Dermatology Association: “10 Skin Care Secrets for Healthier-Looking Skin.”
- Skin Cancer Foundation: “Photoaging: What You Need to Know About the Other Kind of Aging.”
- Tanaffos: “Cigarettes Smoking and Skin: A Comparison Study of the Biophysical Properties of Skin in Smokers and Non-Smokers.”
- American Academy of Dermatology Association: “10 Skin Care Secrets for Healthier-Looking Skin.”
- American Academy of Dermatology Association: “10 Skin Care Secrets for Healthier-Looking Skin.”
