Factors That Affect the Skin

More than protecting us from microbes and other stressors, our skin is one of the non-verbal signs that shows our emotions – it glows when we’re happy or develops acne when we’re stressed. We need to take extra measures to take care of our skin to take care of our overall well-being. To do this properly, we need to know first what affects its condition. We’ll talk about internal and external factors that affect the skin.

Internal Factors are those within our body – its activities and what makes you, you.

• Genetics make up your skin type (normal, sensitive, oily, combination), color, and texture, as well as your biological skin aging (that is the decline of collagen production and moisture retention)
• Hormonal changes during pregnancy triggers hyperpigmentation on the skin while puberty makes adolescents prone to acne
• Other health conditions such as diabetes can cause dryness, itching, and pigmentation, Parkinson’s can cause either oily or dry skin, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome can cause dark patches, acne, and skin tags, among others

External Factors are outside forces – environment and lifestyle – that damage the skin.

• Overexposure to UV rays cause sunburn, pigmentation or sunspots, premature skin aging, melasma, and worst, skin cancer
• Extreme temperatures cause dry skin (cold), oily skin with triggered acne production and excessive sweating (hot), and increased sensitivity (low humidity)
• Lifestyle which includes the hours of proper sleep we get (skin renewal), amount of exercise we do (blood circulation), the type of food we eat, and even the amount of stress we are in (acne, wrinkles, and fine lines), all of which contribute to our overall health and skin condition, including smoking (breaks down essential vitamins) and alcohol consumption (dehydration)
• Skincare products with harsh chemicals can damage the skin, as well as the use of products that are not compatible with your skin type
• Medicines taken to treat a heath condition can heighten your skin’s sensitivity

There are a lot of ways you can do to avoid damaging the quality of your skin and maintaining it, especially when the causes are external factors. However, you need to consult a trusted doctor when your concerns are related to an existing health condition.