Eternal youth – that’s it! Unfortunately we can’t stop getting older, but skin aging can to a certain extent. We’ll tell you how your skin stays young and smooth for a long time. The principle behind it is very simple: your skin needs moisture.
We also clarify,
- Why your skin needs moisture
- How your skin retains moisture
- How a deficiency affects your skin
- How to moisturize your skin
Why does my skin need moisture?
Moisture is important for all metabolic processes in the skin, meaning for the production of important skin building blocks such as the skin’s own lipids, which keep your skin young and healthy. Why? Because the skin building blocks stabilize the skin structure and form a strong skin barrier that keeps good things in and harmful things out.
Well-moisturized skin feels supple, has a more even complexion and appears smoothed, because the moisture visually plumps the skin, which means that wrinkles are less noticeable.
If the skin is dry or dehydrated, it is not only more susceptible to infections and more sensitive to external stimuli, but also ages faster.
Therefore, the most important thing in care is to maintain the skin’s water balance. But how?
Also Read: The Benefits Of Double Facial Cleansing For Acne And Oily Skin
How does my skin retain moisture?
Young and healthy skin usually does not need any external help to retain enough moisture. However, from the age of 20, skin aging begins, which cannot yet be seen with the naked eye. However, the content of natural moisturizers and other important components in the skin gradually decreases unnoticed at first. If the skin is also improperly cared for, irritated or becomes unbalanced for other reasons (nutrition, hormones, etc.), the skin is no longer able to store enough moisture on its own. It becomes dehydrated and facial wrinkles and wrinkles appear more and more. Then your skin needs support from the outside in order to be supplied with sufficient moisture and to be able to keep it in the skin.
Because your skin’s water balance is regulated by 3 things:
- Moisture-loving substances or natural moisturizers that sit in the skin and store water.
- The skin barrier, which retains water in the skin and protects against excessive transepidermal water loss.
- The acid mantle, which lies like a protective layer on the skin.
Every skin contains natural moisturizers that are able to bind water. These include amino acids, lactic acid, hyaluronic acid, urea, etc.
The mixture of these substances is called the natural moisturizing factor (NMF) . It ensures that the skin can retain moisture and does not simply evaporate. The skin’s water balance is permanently regulated by osmosis.
Means when the surrounding air is dry, nature automatically looks for balance and removes moisture from the skin.
If the transepidermal water loss is constantly too high because the skin barrier is permeable, the acid mantle is out of balance or the NMF is weakened, it dehydrates.
What happens if there is a lack of moisture?
If the skin is dehydrated, it ages faster and loses its youthful appearance. How does this manifest itself?
If you recognize the following features in your skin, be sure to read on to learn how to correct the deficiency:
- Exciting
- Dandruff
- Feels cracked & rough
- Creases
- Looks pale and dull
General tips for a healthy water balance
- Drink at least 2 liters of water throughout the day. You’ll know if you haven’t drunk enough if your lips are dry, you’re tired, you can’t concentrate well, or you’re constantly hungry even though you’ve eaten enough.
- Eat a healthy & balanced diet. Lots of vegetables, fruit, whole grains, nuts, kernels, seeds, herbs, healthy oils, etc. If necessary, have a complete blood count done and supplement any vitamins you are missing. Use high-quality supplements recommended by your doctor.
- Wash your face with lukewarm water, avoid hot or cold water
- Avoid long showers and baths
- If possible, generally avoid extreme temperatures such as heat and cold
- After showering or cleansing your face, use a nourishing cream that curbs water loss and strengthens the skin barrier
- Fruit acid peelings improve the skin’s water balance and strengthen the skin.
- Ensure a comfortable room temperature and humidity
- Don’t stay in the blazing sun
- Avoid cigarettes. Smoking extremely dries out the skin. And that’s not all. Every puff of a cigarette releases trillions of free radicals, which damage cells and massively accelerate skin aging.
- Avoid harsh cleaning products and care products with potentially allergenic, irritating or drying ingredients.
Also Read: 11 Skin Care Tips From Real Beauty Experts