Summer is a colorful season. However, due to the prolonged sunshine and hot weather, the body’s excretion through the skin increases, the skin is exposed more, and the corresponding skin problems also increase, how to make the skin through a safe, comfortable and beautiful summer, we should understand the structure and function of the skin, and do a good job of basic protection and maintenance.
The skin is a soft and tough tissue that covers the surface of the human body. It is the largest organ of the human body and is also the organ most vulnerable to various external stimuli. The exposed skin organ can assume the important task of maintaining the balance between the internal health of the body and the external environment, which is closely related to the dense structure and complete function of the skin.
The skin consists of three parts: epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous tissue. There are also many appendages in the skin such as hair, finger (toe) nails, sebaceous glands, small sweat glands, sweat glands, blood vessels, lymphatic vessels, muscles and nerves.
I. Epidermis.
Epidermis in the outermost layer of the skin, and is divided into five layers of cellular structures.
1, the stratum corneum: located in the outermost layer of the epidermis, consisting of 6-10 layers of keratinocytes, the stratum corneum is the main part of the skin to absorb external substances, the lipids and moisturizing factors in the stratum corneum can maintain the luster and elasticity of the skin, the proteins and lipids in the stratum corneum can defend against harmful factors, can absorb ultraviolet rays with sunscreen function, so the stratum corneum is most closely related to skin beauty, proper adjustment of the stratum corneum It is conducive to delaying skin aging and prevention of skin diseases.
2.Transparent layer, granular layer and spiny layer: located in the middle of the epidermis, forming a waterproof barrier of the epidermis, with the function of participating in the repair of the skin and absorbing part of the ultraviolet rays.
3.Basal layer. The innermost layer of the epidermis is the basal layer, which is also a particularly important layer of the epidermis, also known as the hair growth layer. The basal cells of the basal layer have a strong differentiation ability, including keratinocytes and melanocytes, which divide every 12 days and gradually push and differentiate to the surface layer, handing into the epidermal layers of cells, this process generally takes about 28 days, the older you are, the longer the cycle, the cell metabolic cycle of the elderly is about 60 days. After reaching the stratum corneum, the old dead cells gradually age and fall off.
Melanocytes are exposed to ultraviolet radiation and divide melanocytes. The number of melanocytes and melanin determine the color of the skin, and melanin absorbs and reflects ultraviolet light to protect deep skin tissues from radiation damage.
Second, the dermis.
Dermis consists of collagen fibers, elastic fibers, matrix and cellular components.
Collagen fibers and elastic fibers can maintain the tension, elasticity and compliance of the skin, keep the skin smooth and reduce the production of wrinkles. The matrix has functions such as moisturizing and promoting the maturation of collagen fibers, and the cellular components play an important role in wound healing and skin aging.
Third, the skin appendages
1.Sebaceous glands secrete sebum, lubricate the skin, participate in the formation of sebaceous film on the skin surface, maintain the softness of the skin and inhibit the growth of fungi and bacteria.
2, sweat glands secrete sweat to regulate body temperature, soften keratin, and adjust the pH of the skin surface.
3, hair, finger (toe) nail has to protect the finger (toe) end of the skin role and increase the aesthetic.
4, subcutaneous blood vessels, lymphatic vessels, muscles and nerves can supply skin nutrition, help skin cell metabolism, and participate in human sensory.
Fourth, subcutaneous tissue
Continued from the lower dermis, composed of loose connective tissue and fat lobules. The subcutaneous fat layer is a storehouse of energy, and is a good insulator of heat, in addition to buffering external shocks and protecting internal organs. The amount of subcutaneous fat varies with age, gender, and health status, but generally speaking, women have more subcutaneous fat than men.
The skin is endowed with a variety of functions through the above-mentioned complete and dense structure.
1.Protection function: It has certain defense ability against external physical, chemical and microbial stimuli.
2, regulation of body temperature function: regulate body temperature by regulating the amount of sweat discharge.
3, sensory function: through the skin receptors feel a variety of external stimuli, transmitted to the brain information.
4, secretion and excretion function: sebaceous glands and sweat glands secrete sebum and sweat, which can form sebaceous film to protect and moisten the skin, and participate in the body’s electrolyte metabolism.
5, respiratory function: the skin through the sweat pores, pores to breathe, directly from the air to absorb oxygen and excrete the body’s carbon dioxide. 6, absorption function: the skin can selectively absorb external nutrients, is the basis for the role of skin topical drugs and cosmetics.
7, metabolic function: skin cells have a strong ability to divide and reproduce and renew metabolism. The metabolic function of the skin is most active between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m., during which a good night’s sleep is beneficial for skin care.
The skin is a mirror reflecting the health and beauty of the body, healthy skin should be fine, smooth, lustrous and elastic. However, as the first protective barrier of the human body, the skin has a greater chance of being stimulated and damaged by the outside world, so it is important to take reasonable and effective preventive measures to maintain the integrity, health and beauty of the skin.
Summer is the season to show the beauty of the skin is also prone to damage and all kinds of skin diseases season, hot weather, sunlight stimulation, secretion enhanced, metabolism accelerated and other factors are prone to the following skin problems.
1, prickly heat
It is a skin inflammation caused by blockage of sweat holes and poor perspiration. Most of them occur in infants and weak sweaty adults, easy to appear in the neck, chest and back, elbow folds, armpits and other inter-sassafras parts. There are four types of heat rash: white heat rash, red heat rash, pus heat rash and deep heat rash, and severe cases can be secondary to infection, folliculitis, boils or abscesses. Prevention is mainly indoor ventilation, environmental humidity and temperature should not be too high, reduce sweating and evaporation of sweat; clothing should be loose and good sweat absorption, diligent change and wash; keep the skin clean and dry; between the sassafras parts can use more talcum powder, prickly heat powder, etc., can also be used more 2% glycomet lotion topical, most can be healed. Severe cases, should go to the hospital in a timely manner to avoid serious situations.
2, summer dermatitis
Mostly seen in adults, especially in the high temperature and outdoor environment workers. The main manifestation is red papules and patches, scratching can appear scratches, blood crust, skin hypertrophy and pigmentation; preferably on the inner extremities and trunk. Prevention should first pay attention to heat prevention and cooling; eat less spicy and stimulating food, more vegetables, fruits, mung bean soup and other cool foods; keep the skin clean. Treatment should be early with topical application of furnace glycolic lotion and appropriate anti-allergic inflammatory drugs orally, and it is best to seek treatment from a doctor.
3.Sunburn
Summer sunlight is abundant, too strong ultraviolet rays will cause skin phototoxic reaction, producing erythema papulosum, pigmentation, vasodilation and other inflammation; long-term sun exposure will make the skin dermal elastic fibers degenerate and break, the skin loses elasticity and aging. The main light harmful to the skin is long-wave ultraviolet (UVA) and medium-wave ultraviolet (UVB) rays, and the most and strongest UVB rays that cross the atmosphere and reach the ground when the sun is oblique, which is around 10:00 am to 2:00 pm daily. For prevention, take part in outdoor exercise regularly to enhance the skin’s tolerance to sunlight; use sun hat, umbrella and sunscreen for outdoor activities; and minimize the chance of outdoor activities after 10:00 am and before 2:00 pm.
Scientific selection of sunscreen
It is best to choose a broadband sunscreen that has both UVA and UVB sun protection. Of course, while ensuring sun protection, do not blindly pursue products with high SPF and PA values. Too high an index value means that the product uses a lot of UV absorbers and scattering agents, which is not only costly, but the index increase is not proportional to the multiplication of the sunscreen effect. At the same time, products with too high SPF and PA tend to be greasy or have poor compliance with the skin, causing extra load on the skin after application and easily blocking pores causing acne or folliculitis, or even contact dermatitis, allergies and other adverse reactions.
The tolerance of human skin to UV rays from the sun varies from person to person, from time to time, and from place to place. People with oily skin can choose water-based sunscreens with strong permeability; people with dry skin can choose lotion-like or cream sunscreens with better sun protection; people with normal skin generally have no strict selection requirements and have a relatively large range of choices. Different sunscreens should be used in different environments. Employees working indoors can choose skin care products with SPF around 10 and PA+; people who are more prone to tanning or sensitive to strong light or people who often work or move outdoors can use sunscreens with SPF 20 and PA+ +; while walking in the hot sun or swimming at the beach, they should choose water-resistant and sweat-resistant SPF around 30 and PA+ + + strong sunscreens. It is best if you can buy two or more sunscreens according to your own situation. For daily use of low-powered products, you can choose larger packages; for infrequent use of high-powered ones, try to choose smaller packages. The face uses a low-powered product, while the body can use a higher-powered product.
Summer sun protection should be supplemented with foods rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, etc., such as tomatoes rich in the antioxidant lycopene, lemons rich in vitamin C, nuts rich in unsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E, and fish, etc., which have a good effect on preventing the formation of post-sun pigmentation spots. Some vegetables, such as white radish, celery, parsley, spinach, lettuce, etc., contain vitamins and also photosensitive substances, so when these vegetables are consumed in excess and then exposed to the sun, skin inflammation such as erythema, papules and edema will easily appear.
At the same time, depending on the severity of the symptoms, take symptomatic treatment, local topical medication can reduce the redness, heat and pain of the skin after sun exposure, when there are systemic symptoms, feasible allopathic treatment.
Summer is hot and warm for a long time. The continuous high temperature and scorching sun will bring many problems to the skin, so you must pay attention to take good care of your skin in summer.