Dry Skin!
Q: Is my low/no-fat diet contributing to my dry skin?
A: Yes, it’s true: your diet could be contributing to your dry skin.
The trend of low-fat or fat-free diets can deprive our bodies of skin-friendly Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs). EFAs are critical to all parts of a healthy functioning body: they help move oxygen through the bloodstream, can help stave off early aging, and keep skin healthy. They also protect against water loss within cells and throughout skin, helping to prevent dryness, keeping skin supple and hydrated.
An EFA deficiency can result in chronic itching, dryness, scaling, and thinning, and can lead to an imbalance in prostaglandins. Prostaglandins are chemical messengers that help control inflammation.
Q: What’s the difference between dry skin and dehydrated skin?
A: Dry skin refers to skin that’s lacking in oil. Dehydrated skin is characterized by a lack of moisture in the Stratum corneum (the outermost layer of the epidermis).
Traditionally, the Stratum corneum cells are about 10% water. Anything below that is classified as a dehydrated skin condition.
Because dehydration is a lack of water in skin, dehydration can even be experienced by those with oily skin. Whether you’re suffering from dryness or dehydration, a professional skin therapist can prescribe a regimen to help keep skin healthy.
Q: I’ve never had dry skin before. Why do I have it now?
A: The natural process of aging, environment, and lifestyle choices can impact your skin’s level of dryness.
As we age, the activity of sebaceous (oil) glands begins to slow, causing the skin’s natural hydrators to decline over the years. Aging may also cause blood flow to skin to decrease, causing a drop in oil production.
Cold winds and cold temperatures can dry out skin, which is why you may notice “seasonal” dryness. This also applies to air conditioning and forced air heating. Warm, dry air acts like a sponge, soaking up moisture from everything it touches.
Prolonged exposure to sun can also cause water evaporation from skin and contribute to dryness.
Q: Why am I experiencing sensitivity and dryness?
A: One of the biggest consequences of dry skin is an increase in sensitivity, as dry skin is a precursor to sensitized skin.
When skin is dry, it’s depleted of its natural protective lipid barrier. This lowers skin’s defences against environmental assaults that can cause a sensitized response in skin, such as itching and redness.
Thank you for reading.
Wendy x
Source: Demalogica