Skin Care

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10 Min Read

Skin Rehab: Healing Damaged Skin

Your skin protects you, so be sure you are protecting your skin!

Fun Facts

You probably already know that the skin is the body’s largest organ. It covers the entire body! It also serves as a protective shield against heat, light, injury and infection. It’s literally the barrier between an organism and its environment! But did you know the skin also:

  • Regulates body temperature
  • Stores water AND fat (love the former, but not a fan of the latter!) 
  • Is a sensory organ
  • Prevents water loss
  • Prevents entry of bacteria
  • Helps to make vitamin D, especially when exposed to the sun

 

Your skin takes on different thicknesses, colors, and textures all over your body. For example, your head contains more hair follicles than anywhere else, but the soles of your feet have zero hair follicles present! But for what it lacks, it definitely makes up elsewhere; the soles of your feet and palms of your hands are much thicker than skin on other areas of the body! 

 

Your skin is made up of three different layers and each layer has individual functions:

  • Epidermis
  • Dermis
  • Hypodermis (Subcutaneous fat layer)

 

Events that can cause harm to the three layers of skin are: Chemical peels, burns and abrasions, rashes/bug bites, as well as seasonal and medical conditions. These harmful happenings can cause redness and blisters, swelling, itching, discomfort, tissue damage, deep cracks, and even premature aging (cue horrified gasp here)!  

 

When your skin is damaging in any of these ways, you need to take action immediately! The great news is that your skin is very resilient and should start healing immediately. However, if you don’t take proper steps to assist the healing process, you may have to live with lifelong issues of damaged skin. 

 

Good Chemicals?

If you know anything about skin care, you may have noticed the first harmful ‘event’ that we listed above and are raising your eyebrows! Chemical peels. While these are actually a very popular spa treatment and can be very helpful for certain skin types, chemical peels are actually a chemical-induced peel and are meant to damage the skin to encourage regrowth. For anyone wincing at the thought, think of it as peeling off past damaging events caused by the sun, environmental conditions, aging, burns and acne. The chemical peel, to put it super science-y, is structural remodeling of your skin. 

 

It can actually aid in better elasticity, fiber and collagen production within your skin. A correctly-done peel at the spa can give you the ability to start over and solve some of the neglected parts of your skin, especially your face. However, note that we said correctly-done peel at the spa! Please be sure a professional always applies the chemical peel and never at-home by yourself, or even by your best friend who swears she’s done it before. Because it is an intense and chemical process, peels require a certain level of expertise to administer. This is why we love our professionals so much! 

 

Okay, What's Next?

After you receive the chemical peel, you need to let the skin heal for 7-10 days. This means digging into that ingredient list and not using products that contain dyes, parabens, botanicals or peptides! However, you can use products that contain Vitamin E, Arnica Extract, Cucumber and other gentle serums. 

 

To further help the healing process, you can apply these serums, toners, moisturizers to your face with Intrinsics Silken Wipes. This product is extremely soft, lint-free and non-absorbent. Silken Wipes help you get the product where it needs to go, with no waste and no residue left behind! The soft texture and lint-free features of this wipe makes this a must-have after a procedure, like the chemical peel, to help you heal! 

 

The Key

You should always be proactive when damaging events happen to your skin! The key to solving these issues is to take immediate action. If you prolong the healing process, some damage may be irreversible. While we discussed the ‘reversibility’ aspect that chemical peels can have, unfortunately, peels are not for everyone and can be rather expensive. Some simple ways to be proactive is to let your skin heal properly, use sunscreen, cover cuts and blisters, apply antibacterial ointments to sores and abrasions, use anti-itch products (reducing negative pathogens from forming on the skin), protect your skin from prolonged exposure to wind and sun, and always stay hydrated! 

 

Let’s all pledge together to take care of our largest organ, our pride and joy, our SKIN! 

Topics:   Skin Care