Factors that affect your skin

Published on April 21, 2022 By Gentle Touch | Last updated on April 21, 2022

Some factors can damage your skin without you knowing it. Some are inside your body, such as genetics or hormones, and others are outside. You can essentially control these factors and modify them in your favor to have healthy and radiant skin. Here we explain them to you and give you simple tips that you can apply. 

Internal (Endogenous) Factors

Although these factors are given inside your body, when you make changes in external factors, which we will explain here, you can positively influence to improve the inner workings of your body and thus improve your skin and your health. 

• Genetics 

Genetics is a factor given by our ancestors and determines to a great extent the way we look and how our organism performs specific processes. As for the skin, genetics determines its color and thickness if we are prone to blemishes, dermatitis, psoriasis, and biological aging. Skin sensitivity can also be caused by a genetic deficiency of a protein called filaggrin, which has the function of strengthening the skin's protective barrier. 

It should be noted that the genetic factor is not a factor that determines 100% the health and appearance of your skin. As we will see below, other factors can influence it positively or negatively and that you can control to a large extent. In countless diseases or conditions, genetics affects only 25%, and the rest is given by our lifestyle and the environment in which we live.  

• Hormones 

Hormones play a fundamental role in almost all the functions of our organism, and the skin is no exception. Acne, imbalances in oil production, dryness, and wrinkles are often due to hormonal issues. The good news is that you can positively influence your hormones with proper nutrition, stress control, and a healthier lifestyle in general. 

Estrogen: When there is a rise in estrogen, it is common to present acne, and when there are drops, as in menopause, it is very common to present dryness, lack of luminosity, and wrinkles. It is common to have more pigmentation in the skin during pregnancy due to the increase of estrogens and other hormones. 

Progesterone: When you have low progesterone levels, you may have excessive hair on the body and face. Days before menstruation, the levels of this hormone rise, leading to increased production of oil on the skin, so an increase in progesterone can aggravate acne.  

Testosterone: During adolescence or menstruation, testosterone levels rise, which can trigger oily skin or even acne. When testosterone levels drop, skin tends to become dry and more prone to wrinkles. 

External (Exogenous) Factors 

External factors are anything that is not inside your system but still influences the health of your skin. You can control or modify some of these factors to help your skin and your health. Here you will find some factors to consider and recommendations that you can easily follow. 

• Poor nutrition 

If you don't eat healthily, your skin may start to reflect the consequences of poor nutrition. It is recommended that you increase the consumption of fiber, minerals, and vitamins. Also, we recommend eating less fat and sugar. 

• Vices 

Excessive alcohol and smoking make your skin look dehydrated and accelerate the appearance of wrinkles and other signs of aging. 

• Sun 

Without proper protection, continuous exposure to the sun causes premature skin aging, leaving it more sensitive and dehydrated. 

Undoubtedly the sun plays a vital role in our health. It helps us to manufacture vitamin D for our body. However, the sun is one of the leading causes of aging, which is reflected in spots and expression lines. The most harmful radiation to our health is UV radiation, which can penetrate the deep layers of the skin, where it can damage cells due to the damage caused by free radicals, which are very reactive molecules capable of causing damage at the cellular level. 

• Chemical products 

This is one of the factors that most damage the skin, because contrary to what we believe, cleaning our skin with a very alkaline soap or making it very strong (thinking that this way you tend the fat better) can affect it a lot. 

• Pollution 

The more exposure to small particles, nitrogen dioxide levels, and high ozone levels, the greater the number of skin blemishes and wrinkle formation. 

Environmental pollution not only damages our respiratory system, it also plays an important role in skin health. Even in small cities, nitrogen dioxide levels can be enough to increase the formation of spots on our skin. Wrinkles are another sign of exposure to pollution, as it promotes the depletion of vitamin E, C, and glutathione, which protect our skin. Environmental pollution, in addition to causing spots and wrinkles, can trigger conditions such as atopic dermatitis and eczema. 

• Stress and lack of sleep 

Stress produces a hormonal imbalance and leads our body to produce cortisol, known as the "stress hormone". In this way, our body produces other hormones with different objectives, and the excess of these leads to an imbalance that directly affects the skin. 

Studies indicate that sleeping less than five hours a night is linked to more signs of aging and a reduction in the barrier function of the epidermis. 

Practicing some form of relaxation before bedtime or playing sports helps improve sleep. Massage, with its many health benefits, helps decontract and relax tense muscles. This situation favors the reduction of stress and improves sleep. 

• Cosmetics 

They serve as a barrier against some external aggressions. Here we are talking about sunscreens. We also include city sunscreens that help us to block both pollution and blue lights (those emitted by the screens of electronic devices). 

Good advice in treatments and cosmetics is vital to help slow down and stimulate our body and cover our skin's deficiencies. 

At Gentle Touch, we always carry out a diagnosis to help identify what should be done. Depending on the need, we can apply different techniques for your skincare. 

If you have questions about our facial treatment services, do not hesitate to contact the Gentle Touch Team to get a Free Consultation. Please call (860) 216-6225 to schedule your appointment or email info@GentleTouchCT.com.