It’s our first line of defense against invasive organisms and insult. At the same time, it offers significant means for experiencing the world through the receptors and nerves involved in touch.
Image via WikipediaBlood that circulates to the skin helps keep us warm. As our outer layer, via its sweat glands, our skin helps us cool down.Anatomically speaking, skin is considered an organ, like the heart or lungs.
“The skin is the largest organ of the body,” said Dr. Dawn Davis, a board-certified clinical and pediatric dermatologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.
Skin regenerates continuously. It replaces all its cells every 28 days or so, she said.
Consistency, then, is key to skin care. It needs care every day.
What would a perfect patient do to take care of his or her skin?
The question was put to Davis and to Dr. Grace Newton of Lynchburg. Newton is a board-certified dermatologist and a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD).
At the top of both doctors’ lists was protecting against the effects of ultraviolet radiation.
“In general,” said Newton, “be sensible about the sun.”
When she goes on vacation, she said she sometimes sees people who have burned bright red, then sees them out in the sun again the next day.
They have been exposed to too much ultraviolet light.
Ultraviolet light includes both ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B rays.
UVA rays are longer in wave length, penetrating deep into skin. They can cause wrinkling and damage to the skin’s connective tissue, resulting a loss of elasticity. That’s how sun exposure leads to premature signs of aging, which is called photo-aging. UVA rays can pass through window glass.
UVB’s shorter rays affect the skin’s surface; they’re the burning rays. UVB rays cannot pass through glass.
UV radiation can cause skin cancer.
There are three prevalent types of skin cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute:
n Basal cell carcinoma forms in the lower part of the epidermis, the skin’s outer layer;
n Squamous cell carcinoma forms in the flat cells that form the surface of the skin; and
n Melanoma forms in melanocytes, the cells that make the skin’s pigment.
One of the best prevention tactics is to use sunscreen every day, doctors say. The sunscreen should have a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30, and protect against both UVA and UVB rays.
“People tend to err in using too little and not re-applying,” said Newton.
It takes at least one ounce, the equivalent of a shotglass filled with sunscreen, to protect the body effectively, doctors say.
Lips need protection, too. There are lip balms that contain sunscreen.
Sunscreen needs to be applied 30 minutes before going outside. It needs to be re-applied every two hours, or immediately after perspiring heavily or swimming.
Both physicians also suggest wearing broad-brimmed hats, UV-blocking sunglasses (melanoma can develop in the eyes, according to the AAD), long-sleeved shirts and pants in the sun.
There’s clothing made for sun protection. And you can launder clothes in a UV protectant that can be added to the wash cycle.
The AAD also suggests staying out of the sun when it’s at its strongest, between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Since the sun helps us metabolize vitamin D, Davis said some people worry about getting enough vitamin D if they avoid the sun. They need not be concerned, she said, because diet and supplements can provide sufficient amounts.
Newton and Davis caution patients to stay away from tanning beds.
Research shows that using a tanning bed can increase your risk of melanoma by 75 percent, according to the AAD.
No sunbathing doesn’t have to mean no healthy glow, though.
Davis said sunless tanning products, such as moisturizers, gels and sprays, have come a long way in recent years. Some salons now offer body sprays. (The AAD doesn’t recommend sunless tanning pills, however.)
In the summer, sun protection is on the public’s mind. But the ideal patient takes care of his or her skin year-round.
Davis said the ideal patient would bathe or shower daily in warm water, not hot, for no longer than 10 minutes. And he or she would use a soap that’s free of dyes and perfumes.
“The ideal patient avoids abrasive things,” she said. That means no loofahs or the like, she said.
After bathing, Davis recommends drying off by patting, not rubbing, with a clean towel. Towels should be changed for clean ones after one or two uses.
A moisturizer with sunscreen in it works well on the face and neck. “Don’t forget the neck,” Davis said.
She suggests a gentle moisturizer for the neck down.
For patients with sensitive skin, Davis recommends putting on clothes that have been laundered with hypoallergenic detergents, and dried without dryer sheets or fabric softeners. A laundry ball — a sphere with flattened teeth or spikes on it — reduce wrinkles and separate clothes.
At night, the ideal patient would cleanse the face and neck again, and re-apply moisturizer.
Davis said skin is “a window into your health on the inside.” What goes on in your body shows on your skin.
Davis recommends a healthy diet (plenty of fruits, vegetables and lean proteins), drinking plenty of water, exercising regularly and getting enough sleep.
The last thing the perfect patient would do is to check his or her skin regularly.
Newton likens watching for skin problems to checking for breast cancer.
Ideally, the patient would check on a regular basis. The perfect patient would get someone else, if possible, to check the places he or she cannot see. And just as with discovery of a lump, any changes in skin should be brought to the attention of a dermatologist.
In fact, the perfect patient would become a regular at the dermatologist’s office for full-body skin checks. Annual skin check-ups are a good idea, although Newton said a patient’s individual needs and history should determine the frequency.
Finally, summer is the time to enjoy being in our skin.
“You don’t want to be a hermit,” Newton said. “Be sensible.”
Protect yourself
Avoid the sun, especially between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Don’t burn.
Don’t use tanning beds or booths.
Use sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30.
Apply at least one ounce 30 minutes before going outside. Re-apply after swimming or excessive sweating.
Cover up with broad-brimmed hats, long sleeves, pants and UV-blocking sunglasses.
Keep newborns out of the sun. Sunscreen should be used on babies over the age of six months.
Examine your skin head to toe every month.
See your physician every year for a skin exam.
Source: Adapted from the Skin Cancer Foundation, www. Skincancer.orgSun exposure factors
Know the facts
Time of day: Ultraviolet radiation is most intense between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Season: Intensity is greater in summer.
Altitude: UV radiation increases by 4 percent for every 1,000 feet of elevation.
Cloud cover: A thin cover of clouds only reduces UV radiation by 20 percent to 40 percent.
Reflection: Reflected UV radiation can be as damaging as direct exposure. Water reflects up to 100 percent of UV radiation; snow, up to 85 percent; and sand/concrete, 25 percent.
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