Skin and Your Environment

The moisture content of the skin really means its water content- this is the most important factor which governs its softness and elasticity and is responsible for its youthful appearance. But water is constantly being lost from the skin surface (apart from what is lost through sweating) and this loss is continuously being replaced from below. There are two main factors which reduce the loss of water from the skin,- the outer horny layer or the stratum corneum and the invisible hydro-lipidic film that covers the skin surface.

The flat overlapping dead cells of the stratum corneum make a somewhat water-proof cover, forming a natural barrier against excessive water loss. This layer contains chemical substances, which are the natural moisturizing factors, which help to retain water in the skin. The other factor which prevents water loss is sebum. This forms a hydro-lipidic film which holds onto the water. The degree of protection offered by sebum, however, varies depending on your skin type; it is maximum if your skin type is oily.

In an atmosphere with low humidity, such as during cold windy weather or with central heating or air-conditioning, the water tends to be drawn out of the skin into the surrounding air at a rate much faster than it can be replaced. Excessive exposure to the sun, especially if the skin is not protected by an appropriate screen, also dries the skin. Soaps and detergents reduce the ability of the skin to retain water, because they damage the natural moisturising factors and also remove the oil from the hydro-lipidic film. Using cosmetic cleansers, unsuitable for your skin type can also dehydrate your skin; for instance, a product formulated to clean and remove excess oil from an oily skin can play havoc with a dry skin because it would further remove the oil and reduce its ability to hold water.

When insufficient water is present in the skin, it becomes rough, dry, flaky and fragile-this type of skin looks rather unattractive. If allowed to further lose moisture, the skin cracks up and becomes painful- such skin is in urgent need of artificial moisturisers.

Your skin and the sun: Energy from the sun reaches the earth as rays of various wave lengths, some short and some long. Wave lengths shorter than visible light are known as ultra-violet rays; two different types of these penetrate the earth's atmosphere - the UVA and the UVB.

Although ultraviolet rays are invisible, they have several effects on the skin. UVB increases pigmentation through increased production of melanin. The other response of the skin, exposure to ultraviolet rays, is thickening. Both these changes provide a natural barrier, protecting the skin from the more serious side-effects of the sun.

Over years, the skin also shows many other changes: wrinkles, excessive dryness and irregularities in the skin colour and texture. The skin becomes thick and the bundles of collagen (which give the skin elasticity) become less evenly distributed. So the skin loses its suppleness and becomes wrinkled. There are also other effects of sunlight. Some people develop irregularities of the skin of the hands and face known as keratoses - these should never be ignored as they can become cancerous.

Individuals of the darker races have a natural protection from the deleterious effects of the sun, because of the presence of large amounts of melanin in their skin. But fair-skinned people have only a limited natural protection from sun rays, and therefore, need other means to guard themselves. There are several ways of doing this: Wearing apparel could be modified, you could use sun-shades, and of course use protective creams.

Protective creams or sun screens work in two ways-either they reflect off th ultraviolet rays or they absorb them before they can do any damage. Calamine lotion and thick creams, such as zinc oxide cream, work in the first way; but for them to work, they need to be applied thickly and so are generally not cosmetically acceptable. The absorbent type of sunscreens selectively absorb UVB, allowing UVA to pass through. This category includes para-aminobenzoic acid; because these are not visible, they are cosmetically acceptable and so are very popular.

Are sunscreens perfectly safe? Most of the time yes! Sunscreens, like calamine lotion, are very safe, except that they cause slight dryness of the skin. This variety of sunscreens, however, is not used frequently, as they are cosmetically not acceptable. The most commonly used sunscreen is para-aminobenzoic acid. A few individuals develop a burning sensation after using this. So it is better to first test it on a small area to find out whether the chemical is suitable for your skin or not. But most of the time, this sunscreen is well accepted and does not cause any problem.

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