In a crowded marketplace, it is difficult to know what the most important step is in the war against aging. Believe it or not, simply moisturizing can slow down external and internal aging. In fact, It can also positively affect other diseases as well!
Dehydrated skin easily becomes irritated and sensitized, leading to a breakdown of collagen and elastin. Typically, dehydrated skin has an excess of dead skin cells. This pile up makes it difficult for serums and creams to penetrate into the dermis and do their job. Minus excess, some of these cells are needed to create a protective barrier for the skin called the Stratum Corneum.
Skin cells of the Stratum Corneum are held together by a glue like substance made up of cholesterol, ceramides, and fatty acids. Its primary function is to keep good things in and bad things out. Lack of moisture causes this protective barrier to breakdown. This leads to inflammation, sensitivity and increased redness. In worst case scenarios, infections can set in.
The Stratum Corneum takes it on the chin everyday! Walking out the door, you are hit by thousands of aggressors, with UV light, pollution and the weather being just a few. Without a proper foundation of moisturizing, dry, dehydrated skin becomes chronic and leads to a low levels of inflammation throughout the body.
Research shows that as we age, especially after 50, this breakdown of the skin releases inflammation that can be found throughout the body. Our skin is the largest organ of the body and it covers everything! Studies show that it may contribute to such diseases as Alzheimer’s, Diabetes and Heart Disease.
Don’t panic, there is good news! All you have to do is moisturize twice a day to slow down the aging process. If you can’t afford all of the extra bells and whistles that the skin care industry has to offer, just focus on this…and perhaps a good sunscreen. Make sure to use a body cream that has ceramides in it. Sticking to this routine has been shown to bring this particular level of inflammation down to that of a thirty year old. Not bad for simply moisturizing!