What exactly is meant by healthy skin? Many magazines or beauty magazines always point to healthy skin, which is supposed to be the quintessence of beauty. What exactly does it look like? What properties does it have? How can I also achieve a healthy skin condition? We asked our doctor Dr. med. (I) Ikonija Koceva about this topic, who answered 11 questions for us and dispelled some myths.
- What do you mean by healthy skin?
Healthy skin can mean so many different things... calm, strong and balanced would be my personal description. To me, it means that I have confidence in my skin and that it's okay if it's not perfect. We want to have days where we can cleanse our skin, apply a face serum and then go out without feeling like we have to hide our skin. Healthy skin also means that it doesn't react to stress the way it used to. Healthy skin feels good and glows naturally.
- What does healthy skin look like?
Usually, people spend too much time making sure their skin is healthy. They eat right, drink plenty of water, and spend a lot of money on skin care products that they're not even sure work. A clear, even complexion is a good indicator of healthy skin. While some visible skin conditions are hereditary, indications such as chronic redness, itching, and dark spots may be signs that something is wrong and that you should have your skin examined by your dermatologist as soon as possible.
- What does a healthy facial skin need?
Important factors are a healthy diet, not smoking, getting enough sleep, exercising regularly and drinking enough water. In addition, make sure to use a sunscreen with at least sun protection factor 20 every day.
- Which diet is harmful to the skin?
Numerous scientific studies have shown that diet has a significant impact on the health of our skin. Foods with a high glycaemic index, dairy products, fatty foods and chocolate have been linked to the formation of Acne associated with it.
- How do I know what kind of skin I have?
Understand the four skin types: normal, dry, oily and combination. "Normal" is a broad term that refers to balanced skin. "Dry" refers to a skin type that produces less sebum than normal skin. As a result of the lack of sebum, dry skin lacks the lipids it needs to retain moisture and build up a protective shield against external influences. The overproduction of sebum represents an oily skin type. As the name suggests, combination skin consists of a mixture of different skin types.
- What harm can the wrong skin care do?
Using the wrong products can aggravate an existing skin condition, such as dryness or even oiliness, and cause severe irritation. For example, if your skin is normally dry and tight, using too many cleansing products could make the situation worse.
- What do you recommend for sensitive skin?
Sensitive skin is a common problem, but not a medical diagnosis in its own right. The term generally refers to skin that is more prone to inflammation. People with generally sensitive skin react locally to chemicals, dyes and fragrances in products that come into contact with their skin. They may also get rashes or irritation from clothing or friction. Sensitive skin may also be a symptom of an underlying condition and should be evaluated in a dermatology office.
It is important that the possible triggers are identified and subsequently avoided. This can help people with sensitive skin find relief and improve their quality of life. Furthermore, the following factors should be considered:
- Shorter shower and bath
- Avoid very hot water when bathing and washing hands
- No use of fragrances, cleaning agents or other chemicals
- Use of fragrance-free, hypoallergenic products such as soaps, deodorants and detergents.
- Refrain from using strong chemical cleaning agents
- Dab the body instead of rubbing it down
- What care do you recommend? Does the cream have to be expensive to be good?
Cosmetics have always played an important role in society. They have influenced the trends of pop culture and have become one of the most lucrative industries. Many people think that the price of a product directly correlates with its quality. While this may be true in some cases, price should not be the deciding factor when it comes to skincare - ingredients should be. For appropriate care, it is always advisable to make a quick visit to your nearest dermatology practice, where your skin and needs can be analyzed in detail. The care should fit your skin type.
- Why is sun protection important?
According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, daily use of a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 20 can reduce the risk of developing black skin cancer by 50 percent. The best sunscreen is a broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects against both the rays that burn the skin and the rays that accelerate skin aging and tanning. The level of protection depends largely on what you do when you apply sunscreen. If you spend most of the day indoors, SPF 20-30 should provide adequate protection. If you spend more time outdoors during the hottest part of the day, you should choose a higher SPF and perhaps even one that is water and sweat resistant. Don't forget to put lotion on your ears, scalp (for those who are bald) and neck, too! You will also need to apply this amount on cloudy days, as the sun's UV rays penetrate the clouds.
- Do you recommend taking supplements?
The average European diet leaves much to be desired. Research has shown that our plates lack a number of important nutrients, including calcium, potassium, magnesium, and vitamins A, C, and D. Many supplements are taken not only to make up for the missing nutrients, but also because an additional health boost is expected. Getting nutrients straight from a pill sounds easy, but supplements don't necessarily deliver on the promise of better health. Some can even be dangerous, especially if taken in excessive amounts.
- What advice can you give young people along the way?
Taking good care of your skin is important not only for your appearance. As the largest organ of the human body, the skin is essential for overall health. If you take care of it, it can take care of you. That's why it's so important to have a well thought out skin care routine. It's definitely worth investing time and energy into taking care of your skin on a daily basis.