Health

THE DANGER OF EXFOLIATING OF SKIN MICROBIOME; EXCESSIVE USAGE OF SKINCARE ROUTINE PRODUCT

 

  Skin being outward organ which is also open to aesthetic scrutiny is often seen as a means to an end , “If I brighten my dark spot, I will be happy with my skin , or once I clear up my acne ,I will feel better about my complexion or any number of common complaint about the skin.” We all do it and there is always a benefit of making yourself feel more confident in yourself.

However, when we only view our skin as an aesthetic entity, we forget the purpose of the organ. According to Keira Barr MD, a well certified dermatologist (The skin microbiome is constantly interacting with our environment and work to support our health by protecting against infection influencing the immune response, protecting against UV radiation and helps provide nourishment to the skin cells.)

Our skin contains lipids called ceramide that act as sealant, keeping moisture in and environmental aggressors out. These are found in the epidermis and make up about 50% of this layer. The outermost end of the layer is a film primarily made up of dead skin cell called stratum corneum.

Often in beauty, we talk about scrubbing away dead cell and while we should exfoliate to remove any excess that may cause build up, you cannot and should not remove all of them they can sometimes be useful – shielding the young healthy skin cell below from free radicals and so on.

There is also skin microbe, one of the most valuable assets your skin has as a means of protection. And yet is the least understood. However, we know that having a balance skin flora help your body crowd out potential pathogens on the skin than just skimming the surface. For instance, researchers used to think that organism only lived at the surface but after an eye opening deep dive, they found that the flora extend all the way to sub epidermal fat layer, where these critters intimately communicate with your internal immune system meaning we would like to picture our skin neatly as going: dermis, epidermis, including the stratum corneum and then our microbiome but it is not, the microbiome lives in all layer.

WHY WE SHOULD NOT EXFOLIATE MICROBIOME OR USE OF EXCESSIVE SKIN CARE ROUTINE PRODUCT

· Skin microbiome provide nourishment to skin cells

· It protects the skin against UV radiation.

· Protection against infection influencing immune response

· Skin care product ingredient can disrupt microbiomes and trigger or exacerbate conditions like atopic dermatitis, psoriasis and even accelerated aging.

· Sulfate and strong surfactants blast away organism, targeting the bad one but harming the good one in the process.

· Potent preservatives like parabens and formaldehyde-releasing preservatives which are put in products to help keep formulas safe from harmful bacteria and would have the potential to kill organisms on our skin as well.

· Overly aggressive routine and exfoliators in overdrive can weaken our skin by eroding barriers protection layers and shifting the natural PH.

· Weaken microbiomes can cause inflammatory skin.

 

o ODOH FRANCIS