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Questions with senior care?
Healthy skin matters...
VANESSA VALERIO, RN
VP and COO for Patient Care
at Care Indeed • (650) 328-1001
[email protected]
DEAR VANESSA,
Ask Vanessa
The skin is a major organ that is easily viewed by others.What advice can you offer to achieve a healthy skin?
Besides protecting the body from absorbing many chemicals and foreign substances, what are its other functions?
Thank you. PAULA
DEAR PAULA,
The skin is the largest organ of the body, with a total area of about 20 square feet. The skin, or integument, together with its
appendages−hair, nails, and special glands−make up the integumentary system.
Society has long held healthy skin in high esteem. Some steps to achieve a healthy skin include, but are not limited to: maintaining
adequate nutrition (especially fluids; protein; vitamins A, B complex, and C; iron; adequate calories; and unsaturated fatty acids);
refraining from smoking; drinking 8 glasses of water a day; exercising; washing the skin and hair often enough to remove excess oil
and excretions; using neutral soaps, as well as avoiding hot water and vigorous rubbing; avoding harsh soaps and shampoos; using
moisturizers after bath or shower, while the skin is still damp; maintaining a healthy weight as obesity has an adverse effect on the skin
(increased subcutaneous fat can lead to stretching and overheating); and using sunscreen and wearing protective clothing when out.
The skin is the body’s protector−its first line of defense against infection and injury. The skin is pliable yet tough; it resists abrasions,
and as it wears, it is constantly renewed from layers directly beneath it. Within the skin are sensory receptors that receive information
about the environment. Messages about heat, cold, pressure, and touch are received and relayed to the central nervous system for
interpretation. The skin also aids in elimination of waste products, prevents dehydration, and serves as a reservoir for food and water.
Although the skin covers the outside of the body, its main function (other than protection of the internal organs) is homeostasis.
The skin assists the body in maintaining a constant temperature under varying internal and external conditions.
The skin also aid in vitamin D synthesis. Cholesterol compounds located in the skins are converted to vitamin D when exposed to the
ultraviolet rays of the sun.VANESSA
Disclaimer: The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.