Our body’s largest organ


Our body’s largest organ is the skin. So why is it we so often fail to take care of it properly?

As our largest organ, the skin plays a crucial role in the holistic system that supports, protects, and maintains our overall physical health. Skin serves many important bodily functions, the most significant of which is as a barrier that provides physical, chemical, and immune-system protection.

Physical protection is the skin itself acting to shield our bodies from environmental damage. Chemically, the skin produces lipids and sweat, which serve as a barrier, the first line of defense in the body’s immune function. Skin not only provides an antibacterial blockade, it also carries immune system factors and cells that help in the recognition of harmful — as well as useful — substances and foreign agents.

Protection & prevention

Only when our skin is in top form is it fully capable of carrying out its function in maintaining a healthy environment, not only superficially, but also with respect to the body’s internal integrity. When we neglect to support and protect our skin, all of its physiological functions necessarily slow down, and its performance and very structure begin to weaken.

We’re good at spending lots of money on the trendiest running shoes to train our hearts or taking great care to supplement our workouts with the latest in electrolyte drinks, but we’re sometimes resistant to investing even a little time and money in effective sunscreens. Gladly, this tendency is changing, but, while sunscreen is a great start, most of the time it is simply not enough.

Plenty of negative factors

As we age, the physiology of our skin begins to alter, and the majority of its physiological functions start to slow down. That’s why it’s essential to introduce our skin to nutrients and procedures that will help to stimulate and promote a renewal of healthy skin function.

Time and advancing age, however, are not the only negative factors working against the health of our skin. Environmental damage is also very real. Sun exposure, pollution, and climate are well-known contributors, and, while we can’t do much to influence these external environmental factors, we definitely can help our skin to cope with them. Sunscreen, along with hats, umbrellas, and canopies, can provide a degree of protection from sun damage. In addition, the regular topical application of powerful antioxidants has been proven to help skin fight free radicals and improve its overall resistance. Exfoliants help to increase cell turnover, thus exposing healthier and younger skin cells. And plant stem cells can protect dermal cells from oxidation and early cell death.

After years of neglect, our skin deserves diligent and appropriate care!

That’s where professional consultation can prove so helpful. Skin care professionals have the expertise to assess exactly what your skin needs and what will be the best regimen for achieving healthy skin in the shortest period of time. Professional treatments can help not only to improve the damage that’s been done, but also to restore your skin’s full vigor faster.

Are we wasting our money?

We sometimes hesitate to spend time and money on professional treatments. They seem to be expensive and unnecessary when there are so many drugstores and beauty counters that carry a host of products promising to accomplish the same results. Most of the time, however, this is simply not the case. Frankly, how many products have you bought that are just sitting in your bathroom because you never felt or saw any difference at all? How much have they cost you, and do you honestly feel it was money well spent?

On the other hand, even a basic facial performed by a professional will bring greater results in the long term than that pore-clearing mask you just paid $50 for at the local beauty counter!

The "miracle" products

esthetician at work

Next time some “miracle” product is recommended to you or you are impressed by a dramatic “after” photo from a product that promises to achieve results in no time, I’d urge you to take a few minutes to go online and find a skin care professional who can give you expert advice in determining which products you actually need, rather than relying on hollow advertising claims.

The money you save on unnecessary and ineffective products will more than cover the cost of a professional skin care consultation, and you can rest assured that you’ll be investing in the long-term future health of your skin.

I’d say that’s a pretty good deal!

What do you think?