Water -- Keeping the Glass Half Full

Hello, again, skin-loving friends!

     In this post, I thought I would talk about something we have all heard a million times before and why it is important for the health of your skin -- drinking lots of water! As many of us may know, water makes up about 60% of our body and is a major component of every organ (including skin!) -- so kind of important, right? In addition to making up a lot of the body, water you get from food and liquids that you eat and drink fill out a lot of functions. For example, water helps to absorb shock for your brain and spinal cord from movements that put pressure on your body, like jumping or running. Also, water makes sure that your body doesn't get too hot by making up a large part of sweat, which your body excretes to cool the skin. Last -- but not least -- water acts as a major transport system for nutrients and cells throughout your skin, as well as excreting the materials you don't need anymore in urine. Hopefully I have made it pretty clear, water is absolutely vital to your body functioning properly!

     You may be thinking, but what about the skin? Well, let me tell you, water's importance in the skin is comparable to its importance throughout the rest of the body! As you have probably figured out by now, skin -- just like everything else in your body -- is made up of cells. These cells have many components, but the cytoplasm is what acts as the major filler in cells that all of the organelles are suspended in. This cytoplasm is made up of 80% water and has a variety of jobs, such as providing materials needed for biochemical reactions. However, and most applicably to skin cells, cytoplasm allows for cell growth, flexibility, and the alteration of shape. This is very important for the skin as we all want plump, elastic skin cells that can maintain the youthful look we live in as twenty-somethings.

     So if cytoplasm is composed of mainly water, and the skin is made up of cells, meaning that it is made of mainly water, then it is pretty clear that water is necessary for the maintenance and health of our skin. Basically, if you don't have enough water then your skin will become -- you guessed it -- more dry! This will cause your skin to appear flaky and tight, though it may also look dull or cracked in appearance. This is because the top layer of your skin is pretty much the last of the organ to get water, so the cells on your top layers will be noticeably very dry due to the cytoplasm having less water and thus the skin cells will shrink a bit. In addition to this problem with the uppermost skin layer, your skin in general is the last organ to get water out of all of the organs in your body. This means that if you don't get water in your body in excess, then the allotted amount of water going to your skin will decrease first and your skin may suffer.

     So how do we get enough moisture to our skin? Basically, besides drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day (8 fluid ounces a piece), you can also put lotions on. Lotions are most effective when you put them on right after your shower -- as in within a few minutes of getting out -- because this is when your pores are open and clean and your skin is looking for a source of hydration. Lotion, depending on the type you use, can also help your skin to retain moisture throughout the day. So if you have dryer skin on the average, then a thicker lotion would probably be more beneficial. I know a lot of people who don't like lotion because they feel greasy or slippery afterwards, and this can definitely happen with certain formulas. However, putting lotion on right after your shower and rubbing it in completely will increase the rate of absorption and will leave you feeling greasy for a shorter period of time. Also, buying lotions that are thinner, due to more water than oils, will also decrease how long you are dropping things from your post-lotion hands.

     Hopefully this has made it clear why you're constantly hearing about drinking lots of water, as well as how this applies to the health of your skin. So let's all not only look at the glass as half full, but let's keep it half full by drinking enough water throughout the day!

Have any questions, comments, or concerns? Feel free to comment below or read through my references linked throughout the post!

Thanks for reading!

Collagen -- The New Love of Your Life

Hello friends!

     Today I thought we would talk about one of those topics you hear a lot about but you may not understand why it's important: collagen. I know this word is thrown around a lot, but without my science background I never would have known what it actually was, just that it was apparently important. So I'll break it down for you. Basically, collagen is a large protein molecule composed of the amino acids glycine, proline, hydroxyproline (which just has an OH -- oxygen and hydrogen -- group on the proline = hydroxy), and arginine. So you may be thinking, that's great, but why should I care? Well, these collagen molecules are one of the main components of connective tissue in our skin that helps it to maintain its shape and suppleness, as well as aiding the replication of new skin cells. And now you're interested -- hook, line, and sinker.

     So resilient, flexible skin -- sounds pretty great! But you may be thinking, "Why do we get wrinkles if this magical molecule is in our body?" Well, as some of you may have figured, collagen production slows down as we age. This eventually leads to fine lines, wrinkles, and the overall lack of elasticity of our skin. Not to mention, ladies produce less collagen than men from the start, leading us to a premature disadvantage when it comes to wrinkles. However, there are definitely ways that we can help combat this decrease in collagen synthesis, even if we are just prolonging the inevitable. As I was upon learning more about collagen, you may be thinking "Give me the goods, man." Well the goods are easier to come across than you may think, and chances are you've used them before. For example, Vitamin C is a cofactor in the production of collagen, making it a necessity for your skin. It's so important that if you don't have vitamin C, your body will stop producing collagen altogether while you also come down with things like scurvy. Similarly, Vitamin B and E are great for helping collagen to regenerate and are important for the health of your skin in general. I don't know about you, but I'm all for that win-win situation.

     In addition to getting your vitamins, it's important to wear sunscreen whenever you're out in the sun. I know we have all heard this before, but I'm serious. Sun damage has been linked to causing collagen clumps in our skin as well as decreasing the production of new collagen molecules -- yikes. This could literally take years off of your collagen life by harming the machinery that produces it. Darn you UV rays and the glorious tans you give us.

     Lastly, eating a good amount of antioxidants is often recommended to maintain collagen because antioxidants help to decrease the degradation rate of your current collagen. This is because antioxidants help to fight free radicals, which are bi-products of biochemical reactions in your body that can cause damage to your skin as well as other tissues and organs when they build up. So more antioxidants = less damage to your body = a healthier you. The following video explains how antioxidants work in your body as well as ways to get more of them in your diet!

     Further down the line, it is possible to use retinol/retinoid creams or other similar treatments to help increase skin cell turnover rate and to maintain new collagen producing machinery. However, these products can be expensive, and can make your face more sensitive to things like the sun after long term use, so it isn't really necessary right now if you take care of your skin through more natural methods. That means taking your vitamins, wearing sunscreen, and protecting your skin from the harsh reality of the modern world by eating foods high in antioxidants. In addition, a healthy diet, exercise and drinking lots of water are always good to keep the blood pumping and the vitamins moving throughout your body. I know, these are things you've heard before -- and you'll hear them again! It doesn't mean you can't go to the beach, it just means slather some of that loving SPF 30 (or higher!) sunscreen on first -- and a few more times throughout the day. The main point, however, is to take care of your skin before it's too late. You love your collagen, make it love you too!

Want to read more? Check out my sources linked throughout the post to get a more thorough look at the chemical composition of collagen -- and how you can make it work it like a supermodel.

Have any questions? Feel free to comment below and I will get back to you!

Thanks for reading!