What Skins Indicate About Your Health

Living in the UAE means living in sunny conditions most of the time, facing extreme sun exposure. Therefore, it is essential to pay attention to your skin with the aim of getting the balance just right when it comes to healthy sun exposure.

However, sun exposure is not the only factor that affects the skin. Several other factors like your nutrition, hormones, sleep, lifestyle, medication, and genes determine how your skin looks. Often simple changes to your diet and lifestyle can make all the difference. 

Sometimes your skin develops certain conditions that act as warning signs to indicate specific health problems. In this blog post, we will define how your skin tries to tell you about your health.

So, without further ado, here are some simple warning signs to look out for – and how to respond.

Acne 

Everybody is familiar with acne – those red pimples on the skin caused by inflamed or infected sebaceous glands. Surveys suggest that 41% of women suffer from this problem. It is not surprising because a frequent cause of acne is an underlying hormone imbalance with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). PCOS is an illness in which the ovaries produce an excess of male hormones, often the culprit. Moreover, insulin resistance also plays an important role.

How to Treat Your Acne?

Studies have shown that drinking green tea can help combat acne, while topical tea tree oil remains an effective solution for mild outbreaks. However, because hormonal imbalances and PCOS in women may cause persistent acne, it’s advisable to discuss hormone tests with your doctor. For those looking to treat PCOS themselves, following a Ketogenic diet and performing resistance exercises are both excellent strategies. They can help improve insulin sensitivity, which is crucial in controlling the condition.

Itchy & blistered patches

Itchy and blistered skin is one of the most common complaints in UAE clinics and has numerous potential causes. These include sunburn, heat rashes, insect bites, and aging, along with conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, impetigo (a bacterial outbreak), chickenpox, and shingles. In rare cases, blistering and itching can also signify diabetes or other metabolic conditions.

How to Teat Your Itchy, Blistered Skin?

Research has shown that mild outbreaks can respond well to essential oils (mixed with a carrier oil), including tea tree, lavender, and peppermint oils. However, long-term problems, or severe outbreaks, indicate a chronic or acute medical condition, so do seek medical advice in these cases.

Dry skin

If you often go through phases when your skin feels dry and tired, you’re not alone. There are many causes for this, including aging, excessive sun damage, fatty acid deficiency, a lack of dietary antioxidants, and reduction in skin’s natural oils (by over-bathing or using synthetic skin products).

How to Treat Your Dry Akin

Natural moisturizers, e.g., coconut oil and aloe vera, promote softer skin and provide nutrients to skin cells. Boosting your intake of antioxidants and essential fatty acids (especially Omega-3) with a wholesome diet and whole-food antioxidant supplements helps promote hydration in the skin. A study published in Clinical, Cosmetic, and Investigational Dermatology found that supplementing with an antioxidant formulation of melon concentrate, grape seed extract, vitamin C, and zinc for eight weeks significantly enhances skin tone.

And lastly, while we all like to be clean, you should avoid over-bathing and chemical-laden shower gels.

Rosacea

If your face flushes easily and causes excessive redness on your cheeks, chin, forehead, and nose, you are most likely suffering from ‘rosacea.’ Unfortunately, the condition, experienced by up to 15% of the world’s population, can be worsened by living in a sunny climate such as Dubai. Rosacea’s exact cause is still a little unclear. However, blood vessel inflammation, genetics, aging, diet, light skin tone, and the use of medicines such as corticosteroids have all been suggested as possible causes. The overgrowth of Helicobacter pylori bacteria in the gut can also inflame blood vessels. 

How to Treat Your Rosacea?

Seeking expert advice from your doctor is your first port of call because rosacea is a progressive condition that can lead to vision loss and increase the risk of cardiovascular problems. However, switching to a fiber-rich diet that contains plenty of vegetables, probiotic foods such as kefir, kimchi, kombucha, optimal levels of Omega-3 fatty acids and zinc, can help control the problem.

Eczema and psoriasis

Eczema and psoriasis are chronic (long-term) skin conditions linked to inflammation of the immune system, causing irritation, dry and cracked skin, itching, soreness, scaly patches, and discoloration. Inflammation is at the root of many long-term health issues and diseases; the conditions should be taken seriously.

How to Treat Your Eczema and Psoriasis?

Natural topical ointments such as tea tree oil and aloe vera can soothe affected areas, but they will not heal the body at a deeper level. Treating eczema and psoriasis requires a long-term strategy based on a natural, anti-inflammatory diet, fermented foods, probiotics, and increased intake of essential fatty acids.

Research published in the EPMA Journal, a leading authority on preventative medicine, has shown the benefits of a personalized anti-inflammatory diet for allergic and skin disorders. In fact, many skin disorders, including rosacea, eczema, and psoriasis, are caused by dysbiosis or a leaky gut. The deadliest disruptions that cause a leaky gut include:

• Broad-spectrum antibiotics
• Non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
• Stomach acid blockers
• Artificial sweeteners
• Endocrine disruptors
• GMO foods
• Constant exposure to blue light

Listen To Your Skin

Some of the most common skin complaints can often be treated at home, but it’s worth seeking expert advice if you’re unsure how to get results. As the skin can be a warning sign for hidden health risks, it’s essential not to ignore long-term problems. In the case of potentially serious skin conditions, such as growth, severe eczema, or rosacea, it becomes a matter of urgency. Remember, your skin is intelligent. By listening to what it’s telling you, your overall health and skin appearance can be improved. 

You can visit Euromed Clinic Center to consult with an expert dermatologist. Please fill the online form below, and one of our staff members will book your appointment.