They Call It Dehydration

While writing about skin types I have found that the skin type you now have may not be the type you will have a few years.

Normal skin type – is the most prevalent, all other skin types are simply symptoms of some imbalance. When you are healthy, with all systems working properly, when you are in good spirits and you are able to easily deal with the stresses in your life – your skin glows with health, it is supple, soft, smooth and of a very special hue that you will recognize as markedly improved when you begin to observe it.

Something to consider:

Dry skin can be just a symptom of a skin disorder, a disorder in one or more of your organs, symptomatic of something else no functioning properly or it could simply be your body’s way in letting you know that you are not adequately hydrated. So, if you have noticed your skin undergoes any changes in its appearance, you may want to visit a health care professional if you think that it may be caused by the more serious conditions listed above.

Symptoms and Causes – what we must deal with daily?

You can work on moisturizers, anti-aging and nourishing crèmes, but as long as the underlying cause for dry skin remains, all these products will have little or no effect. While dermatology problems or other organ dysfunctions should be definitely treated by professionals, you can take effective steps in ensuring you are not suffering from dehydration. Dehydration can be caused by stress situations, prolonged physical activity with insufficient water intake, long-term exposure to excessively dry air (often the result of indoor air that is mechanically heated or cooled) or other numerous other causes.

Signs of mild dehydration can vary. Besides skin dryness many experience headaches, tiredness, discomfort, lack of appetite, cravings, dizziness and low blood pressure, decreased perspiration, reduced urination and lack of tears while crying. Other symptoms are that the skin loses its elasticity, sagging back into its normal state slowly when pinched into a fold. When dehydration is severe, the skin may become shriveled and wrinkled. 

The best treatment possible for minor dehydration is drinking up to 1 gallon of water – but never more than 8 oz in any 15 minute period so as to not overwhelm the digestive tract. Then this occurs you get no benefit for the water as it is immediately eliminated through your kidneys and bladder. Just fresh clear water is preferable to all drinks, as it alone has the balance of electrolytes matching the replacement requirements of the body.

So, here we are again: drinking an adequate quantity of water daily is a must. Does anybody around has any ideas on how to prevent water loss?

Guess What’s Your Skin Type?

It is vital to know your skin type before choosing from a great variety of skin care recipes, products and make-up.

This is quick and simple and there is no need to go to a cosmetologist. All you need is a towel, a mild face cleanser and several pieces of tissue. Wash your face with a mild cleanser, pat it dry and then wait for about an hour. Then press separate pieces of tissue to your chin, nose, center of you forehead and cheeks, top of your forehead and sides of your cheeks. Then examine the pieces of tissue.

1. if there is no oily or flaky residue on tissue pieces, than you have your skin of a perfectly normal type,
2. if all the pieces of tissue have an oily residue on them – you have oily skin type,
3. if all the pieces of tissue have a flaky residue on them – you have a dry skin type (another indicator is a tight feeling after washing),
4. and finally, if you have both oily and flaky residue on different tissue pieces – you have combination skin.

Some people define “sensitive skin” as a separate skin type which is characterized by immediate reaction to almost any skin care product, cold temperatures, wind, sun, etc. This is symptomatic when exposure to almost any substance makes the skin feel either tight or stretched and painful, becoming red or spotted. To me, any type of the skin may become “sensitive” when treated incorrectly.

If you don’t have an hour to deal with face washing and are interested in knowing your skin type right away, here are some other methods.

1. If your face has barely visible pores, evenly colored skin without any imperfections, then you are a happy owner of normal skin. It has lipids and moisture well-balanced and is not excessively sensitive,
2. Dry skin has tiny pores in combination with rough texture and dull complexion with red patches. It can be flaking or itchy and very sensitive to the elements or skin care products,
3. Oily skin means you have problems with production of sebum (substance generated by oil glands of the skin), it may result in shiny complexion, the skin looks thick, high incidence of acne, pores are visible and can clog easily, which causes blackheads to appear,
4. Combination skin looks shiny in the center of the chin, forehead, nose and inner cheeks, while being normal or dry (up to flakiness) on the outer forehead and cheeks.

“Here Comes the Sun…”

As summer time draws near many of us are planning vacation days spent on sun-drenched beaches.  There will be innumerable beautiful women with their skin tanned from light gold to dark chocolate and me… in shades of red.

Noble white skin, as it was considered in centuries past, makes me feel like a stranger where sun worshipers frequent. So, I only try and go outdoors early in the morning, before 10 AM, and later in the afternoon, after 3 PM, when the sun is not so “harsh” on my skin. But I was not completely sure that the excessive sun wouldn’t be as bad for my body as the lack of it. So it decided to further research the subject.

Pros & Cons of the Sunbathing

What is Positive: natural sunlight is vitally important for your health, as your skin produces Vitamin D in response to exposure to ultraviolet radiation (it is the best and most reliable way to produce enough of Vitamin D, as there is no diet containing adequate amounts of this vitamin). The lack of Vitamin D in your body prevents calcium absorption, it is harmful for your bones and may cause osteoporosis. Vitamin D deficiency may also be among reasons for such diseases as psoriasis, some types of cancer and even diabetes.
While it is absolutely impossible to generate too much Vitamin D in your body from sunlight exposure (your body self-regulates its production and only generates as much vitamin as necessary), excessive sunbathing may result in sunburn, which is extremely harmful for the skin that leads us to…

What Is Negative: Sunburned skin resulting from ultraviolet radiation causes damage of collagen fibers along with accumulation of abnormal elastin, that makes the skin look older than its years. Besides premature skin aging, sunburns may provoke skin cancer and the entire host of various skin disorders.

In Summary: In order to have your skin healthy, you should get adequate amount of Vitamin D (naturally produced by your body) keeping in mind that every excessive exposure (to heat, cold, wind or sun) is harmful to the skin, and as a result – to your overall health. It is highly recommended to restrict the exposure to hours when the sun is not too bright. In case you can’t avoid being outdoors between the hours of 10 AM and 2 PM when the UVB radiation is of the highest intensity, you should wear wide-brimmed hats and long-sleeved shirts in order to protect your skin from sunburns.