Are You Taking Good Care of Your Skin?
By Stephen R. Farris
Skin is the largest body organ we possess. We bathe in the sun with it. We play sports in it, work in it, eat with it, virtually everything we do in our daily lives involves our skin. It's attached to us for goodness sake. Where's it going to disappear too?
Technically, nowhere. However, if you're not taking good care of your outer shell (skin), there's chances you may end up developing long-term problems. Hopefully, this doesn't happen. But there is one common problem we all have with our skin. Dryness, itching, and scaling.
This could be from a number of things, including underlying medical conditions. Topping the list of why we might have dry, itchy or scaly skin is mostly the lack of moisture. But it may surprise you that there are other reasons for developing these conditions as well.
If It Smells Good, I'm Using It
What's the first thing we all do when picking out a deodorant, perfume or cologne at the big box store? We smell it to see if we like it. If possible -- although I don't suggest doing this with deodorant -- we sample the product to see how it will smell on our skin. The downside, often times, is the fragrance from these products could cause an irritation. Sometimes it comes with a burning sensation. If this happens, hopefully you'll discontinue use and try something that will not cause these effects on your skin.
Soaps
From body wash to laundry detergent, those soapy suds could be sucking the moisture right out of your skin. Add to that the hair shampoos we use. However, we still need to be clean, so your best bet would be to go with a product that contains moisturizer in it.
Hard Water
Hard water (containing magnesium and calcium) can actually prevent your skin from getting the moisture it needs. Hard water has a tendency to leave a film barrier over your skin. It can lead to blockage and could cause acne and rosacea. The good news, according to doctor research, is to look for skincare products containing Vitamin A and C. Using this combination on a regular basis, it can break through that barrier so your skin can once again start to absorb moisture.
To learn more about your health, wellness and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Wichita, Kans.