Your Skin Has A Memory

Your Skin Has a Memory

Have you ever wondered if your skin is a reflection of your daily routine, habits, etc.? Well ponder no more because that is big, fat, YES!!!! 

If you truly paid attention to the times that your skin has broken out in a rash unexpectedly or that random pimple that showed up right before a big presentation, you would recognize that your body is truly a reflection of what is going on inside and how you care for it. 

Your skin is the largest organ of the body. As an esthetician, we preach this all of the time, but have you ever really put some serious thought into that? The LARGEST organ. Do we pay attention to it- all of it- as much as our brain? Heart? Lungs? 

Most of the time, we just take advantage of the fact that it does a pretty darn good job of carrying us around, filtering out daily pollutants, healing from scrapes and bruises and protecting us from the sun. It is incredible what our skin truly does for us on a regular basis. 

Paying closer attention to how it reacts to various stressors or changes can help you to tackle some of the most common skin issues or concerns.

SLEEP!!!! 

Yes, I know that’s another one we hear all of the time, but it doesn’t take long for sleep deprivation to show up on your skin. We naturally have some water loss through our skin while we sleep. But this can become unbalanced by a break down in the skin’s barrier function through sleep deprivation and it can start a number of unwanted skin conditions ranging from redness and sensitivity to fine lines and wrinkles. 

Applying nightly moisturizers will help slow this process a bit, but getting a full night’s rest (I am talking 7-9 hours, people) is what really helped to coin the term “beauty rest.” It’s a REAL THING!!! Your body does it’s healing and regenerating while you rest, so it’s no surprise that when you sleep well, your skin looks healthier! 

Stress…

Ah yes. This is a big one. A small amount of stress is super healthy. It drives us as human beings and helps us stay productive. However, an abundance of stress can definitely rear its ugly head on our skin in so many ways- redness, increased sensitivity, and breakouts. 

Finding ways to lower your stress level- whether that is through meditation, yoga, working out, spending time with friends and family- have a tremendous impact on your skin!

Sun exposure and smoking 

These are the two habits that I know have the biggest negative impact on the skin. I have seen it time and time again. Deep wrinkles, lines around the mouth, hyperpigmentation, dryness, dehydration, excessive blackheads, compromised barrier function, and of course, skin cancer. Need I say more? Quit smoking and wear your sunscreen. Done. 

Exercise and diet

Yup, they truly do affect the skin and its health. Exercise releases endorphins which helps to give you that glow. Anda balanced diet really does help your body and your skin. We all know this though so I won’t stay on my soapbox for long on this one. :) 

Take care of your body daily and your skin will truly thank you for it. Whether you are trying to conquer your breakouts, lessen irritation and sensitivity or lessen the appearance of fine lines- applying at least one or two of these practices to your daily life will make a difference. I promise. 

Here is a quote that I found that I think sums this all up...

“Your skin has a memory. In ten, twenty, thirty years from now, your skin will show the results of how it was treated today. So treat it kindly and with respect.” 
Jana Elston

Thank you for reading! 

With so much gratitude,
Rachel