5 Factors that can affect the Skin Health

2021-07-09

5 Factors that can affect the Skin Health

Have you ever wondered why the skin is called ‘healthy’? Well, defining this term can be challenging. However, I believe the word healthy concerning the skin is the ability of the skin to react to some of the daily challenges imposed on it, which can interfere with the structure and functions of the human body.

The human skin has been ‘designed in a way for it to function adequately, while at the same time capable of appearing and feeling healthy. While these are attributes of healthy skin, none of these is possible without healthy eating, which helps to provide nutrients required for preservation of skin health.

The skin can be affected by factors such as external (pollution, harsh toxic skincare ingredients) and internal (hormones, health condition), resulting in poor appearance and texture of the skin. These factors can be harmful to the biological functions and performance of the skin leading to a dull and poor skin texture. Some of these factors include ultraviolet rays of the sun, dehydrated skin, poor wound healing, skin laxity, wrinkles, and skin aging.

Here are some factors that can affect skin health.

Factors that Influence the Skin Health

1. Harmful Sunrays 

The sun assists the body in the synthesis of vitamin D, however, excess exposure to the sun harms the skin; they can generate free radicals absorbed in the cellular component. If the body’s immune system becomes weak, the damage caused by these free radicals can lead to permanent damage to the skin. An example is developing sunburns. Looking at how this affects the skin, it can result in inflammation. After prolonged exposure to sunlight, you can have a condition known as photoaging due to intrinsic aging effects.

Some of the signs and symptoms of harmful sun rays on the skin include;

  • Skin laxity
  • Formation of wrinkles
  • Sudden change in the texture of the skin
  • Poor wound healing
  • Abnormal skin growth.

Also, in chronic exposure to sun rays, one can quickly notice a sudden change in skin color.

2. Wound Healing

The body is made in a way to go through the ‘self-healing process’ after an injury has occurred to any part of the skin. However, the level of healing perfection varies; some can be perfect while others leave a scar behind. These are linked directly to the level of tension developed within the skin at the site of the injury, with the other parts that have are not injured. Scarring can occur at any part of the body due to the inability of the repair process to stimulate collagen deposits correctly by fibroblasts and cytokine signals from inflammatory cells.

3. Dehydrated Skin

It is a common complaint among us, especially during weather changes such as harmattan, looking at the atmospheric condition of your location; there is always a change in the temperature, humidity, and airflow. If higher, their ability to pull water from the skin also increases due to reduced skin barrier integrity. Hence, leading to water loss from the body, and vice versa. Apart from weather conditions, internal factors can increase or reduce the level of water lost to the environment. When there is a change in the body’s lipid barrier, particularly a decrease in the body’s lipid, it can result in a sudden change in the characteristic of the skin, which acts as a barrier leading to loss of water to the atmosphere.

4. Skin laxity and Wrinkles

Skin laxity has been linked to poor support of the epidermis by the dermis; some reasons for this occurrence include; loss of the protein collagen, damage on collagen, and elastin fibers in the dermis. And structural change causes the junction between the dermis and epidermis, which are perceived to be the reason for developing wrinkles.

5. Skin Aging

It is an unavoidable and natural process in the human race. Skin aging occurs due to continuous decades of wear or stress of the skin, and this process is never reversible. Some of the causes of skin aging include;

  • Too much exposure to ultraviolet light, which can result in impairment of antioxidant capacity within the body
  • Impaired immune system
  • Reduced production of melanin production.

In conclusion, skin health undergoes rigid changes due to different factors such as sun exposure, condition, and genetics. To protect the skin barrier system and improve its daily performance requires you to eat healthily, reduce exposure to the sun, and apply sunscreen before going out.

Written by: Jackson Omanwa