We all want to have healthy skin! The increasing public awareness about the importance of skincare can be seen from the rise of skincare products these days. Aside from aesthetic needs and confidence, healthy skin is important in protecting our body from pollutions. But what does healthy skin actually look like? If we look at the stigma of society, glowing or white skin could be the standard of healthy skin. But is that really the case? Instead of being curious, let’s see what are the criteria for healthy skin!
Elastic & Supple Skin
Supple skin is one of the criteria for healthy skin! This means it has a high level of elasticity. You can test by pulling or pressing on the skin, and if it returns to its original shape, your skin is considered supple. This indicates the density and strength of collagen and elastin tissues.
Collagen is the main structural protein that provides density and strength. When collagen is regular and sufficient, the skin will feel supple and elastic. Meanwhile, elastin provides elasticity, allowing it to return to its original position after being deformed.
Both of these can be affected by nutrition from skincare and food consumption (vitamin C, vitamin E, sufficient water), regular exercise, and bad habits such as smoking or drinking alcohol.
Moist & Well Hydrated
These two are the most important indicators of skin health! Moisture refers to the condition when the skin has sufficient water content. Moist skin feels fresh and not dry. This can be measured by the amount of water trapped in the epidermis layer of the skin. Factors that can affect moisture include: weather, hygiene, and the use of skincare products (especially moisturisers).
Whereas, well-hydrated means that the skin is not only moisturised, but also able to retain its moisture content for a longer period of time. To maintain this ability, we need to use moisturiser according to our skin type, hydrate our body from within, and protect our skin from UV rays with sunscreen.
Even Skin Tone
Healthy skin doesn’t mean your skin colour has to be fair/white! The important point is the evenness of skin tone where colour pigments are uniformly distributed across the skin surface. This means free from skin conditions such as hyperpigmentation.
What affects the evenness of skin tone? It could be the production of melanin, the main colour pigment in the skin, or external factors such as unprotected UV exposure and friction on the skin (causing skin discolouration). So, make sure to use sunscreen and not wear too tight clothes to avoid this.
Notes: Skin discolouration can also occur due to medical issues, consult a professional for a proper diagnosis!
Free From Infection Or Inflammation
Healthy skin means it has no significant damage and is free from infection or inflammation such as acne, cuts, redness, or other signs of inflammation. The outermost layer of skin (epidermis), which serves as the primary barrier, must remain intact to protect the body from the penetration of pathogens (disease-causing microorganisms).
Of course, there are many things that can trigger skin infections/inflammation such as medical conditions, excessive oil production, trauma to the skin, or skincare allergies. This is why it’s important for us to be careful when choosing skincare or following certain trends. Make sure you know your skin well!
Small & Unclogged Pores
In general, healthy skin pores are small and barely visible! Enlarged pores are actually at risk of accumulating a lot of dirt or excess oil production. This condition can be triggered by genetics, hormonal imbalances, sun damage, and more.
To avoid this, we must cleanse our skin diligently, choose non-comedogenic skincare, use moisturiser regularly, and protect from pollution/UV with sunscreen.
Feels Comfortable & Glowing
Last but not least, healthy skin can make us more comfortable and confident. Comfortable here means no pulling sensation, heat, burning, dryness, or itching that can interfere with our comfort in activities.
In addition, glowing skin is also an indicator that our skin is getting enough nutrients. But we have to remember, it doesn’t just depend on our skincare. Make sure to pay attention to your lifestyle and nutritional intake too!
Avoid myths about skin health!
There are so many myths or beliefs to achieve healthy skin that are misleading. Therefore, Serenitree will spill some of the things that are actually wrong. Remember, the less we know, the more we risk taking the wrong steps in skincare!
- The higher the SPF of a sunscreen, the better the product.
People often misunderstand that the SPF number (at least 15) on a sunscreen means how long you will be protected from the sun. We can choose the SPF that suits us depending on our activities and how often we are exposed to the sun. For example, those who live in hot areas and are often travelling will need a higher SPF than those who live in cool areas and are often indoors.
So, the high SPF on the sunscreen is not a measure of whether the product is good or not!
- Long showers mean clearer skin
This myth is also often circulated! Not a few who think with the frequency of bathing long and often then the skin will be clean and healthy. In fact, too long a shower can make the skin dry because the skin’s natural oils can be lost. Ideally, we are recommended to shower 2-3 times a day for a maximum of 10-15 minutes. Don’t forget to avoid soap with chemicals that are too harsh because it also causes dry skin and even itching after bathing. Recommended gentle soap, Serenitree Body Wash.
At the end of the day, it’s important to do your research before committing to a skincare regime, especially one that goes viral! Not all skincare should be tried and will be suitable for our skin type or problem. Don’t forget to be a smart skincare user!