Your health with Pharmacist Advice

Skincare

Skin is a living organ and is highly specialised. We have skin to help maintain our body temperature, to protect the underlying tissues, as part of the immune system, for sensation, maintaining shape and to aid movement. Skin consists of a top layer (epidermis), a middle layer (dermis) and a subcutaneous layer (which lies beneath the dermis).  The importance of a healthy diet and lifestyle can play a huge role in maintaining healthy skin. Here are some useful tips:

• Ensure that you consume a diet high in fruit and vegetables. Good nutrition is reflected in healthy vibrant skin.
• Try to drink at least 1.5 litres of water every day as this will hydrate the whole body.
• Stop smoking! We all know the terrible effects of cigarettes on our overall ealth and this includes our skin.
• Limit your exposure to the sun.

One of the well known associations with skin is its ability to tan or burn. This response to sunlight depends on the number of melanocytes (cells that produce melanin pigment) in the skin and is under hereditary control. Melanin is vital for protection against the sun’s ultraviolet rays. It is important not to deliberately try to tan skin because this is essentially damaging it, even if it isn’t burnt in the process. Repeated tanning of skin results in premature ageing, dryness and other forms of sun damage (such as patches of pigmentation and scabby areas called solar keratoses). Once this damage has occurred it is difficult to reverse.

When choosing sunscreens, Factor 30 is the maximum protection available in Australia. Sweating will remove ordinary sunscreens, so always buy water resistant products. There are several brands of low allergy sunscreens available and people with eczema or sensitive skin are advised to purchase them. Zinc cream is a good choice for recently sun damaged or recently scarred skin as it does not wash off.

Remember, prevention is better than cure!