6 skin functions and how to care for them to stay healthy and youthful

Most people probably already know that the skin has a taste function. But its role is more than that. The skin also protects our body, regulates body temperature and more.

Covering the entire human body, the total surface area of each adult's skin is about two square meters and weighs around 3.6 kg. The average skin area is around 6.4 square centimeters containing 650 sweat glands, 20 blood vessels and more than 1,000 nerve endings. It's complicated, right?

The skin is a fairly complex organ. Likewise, its function for humans.

Various skin functions

The skin has six main functions as follows:

As a protective body against pathogens that cause disease. The skin contains Langerhans cells which are part of our immune system.
As a taste, the nerve endings of the skin detect touch, temperature, pressure, vibration, and injury.
As a place to store fat and liquid.
As a regulator of body temperature. The skin will maintain normal body temperature by producing sweat and widening blood vessels when you become hot. Meanwhile, in cold weather, the skin slips and constricts blood vessels to block body heat so that body temperature remains normal. Water resistant to avoid wasting skin nutrition

Control the release of body fluids by preventing water evaporation.

What about the function of skin color?

Human skin can range from dark to almost black, from light to almost white. Most of these color variations are caused by a pigment or skin coloring called melanin.

Besides melanin, skin color is also caused by connective tissue under the skin and hemoglobin or red blood cells in the blood vessels of the skin.

The main function of melanin is to protect the skin from damage caused by exposure to the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays. Excessive exposure to UV light can cause skin cancer.

Melanocytes protect the skin from this risk by producing more melanin when the skin is exposed to ultraviolet light. The impact, the skin will become darker.

This is why human populations living in areas that are more exposed to UV tend to have darker skin. For example, residents of tropical regions on the equator.

Conversely, human populations who live in areas that are exposed to sunlight and are less exposed to UV light will have less melanin on their skin. As a result, their skin color will tend to be brighter.

But whatever your skin color, UV exposure should be avoided as much as possible to maintain healthy skin.

How to care for the skin to stay healthy

No need to do treatment at a beauty clinic to keep skin healthy. Basic care and a healthy lifestyle is enough to help slow down skin aging and prevent various skin problems.

You can apply several simple methods to care for your skin:

1. Protect skin from sun exposure

One way to maintain healthy skin is to protect it from ultraviolet rays that can damage the skin. Too often, sun exposure will cause wrinkles, spots and even skin cancer.

You can do these tips to protect the skin from easy ultraviolet rays:

Always use sunscreen during outdoor activities. Choose a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) greater than 15 and repeat every two hours. Apply to face and all areas of skin exposed and exposed to sunlight.
Take cover and avoid the sun between 10 am and 4 pm. During this period, ultraviolet light is very strong.
Wear clothes that cover your arms and legs when you sunbathe, such as long-sleeved shirts,, pants and hats with wide brims.

2. don't smoke

Smoking will speed up the skin's aging process. As a result, wrinkles appear faster and skin is dull and unhealthy.

Smoking makes the blood vessels narrow in the outer skin to contract. This condition causes reduced blood flow and the skin will turn pale.

Smoking damages collagen and elastin in the skin, which results in loss of skin elasticity. Smoking also increases the risk of squamous cell skin cancer.

3. Clean the skin gently

Use mild chemical soap and avoid long showers with hot water. Because hot water can reduce oil levels in the skin.

Don't forget to apply a moisturizer on the skin. Choose the right type of moisturizer for your skin type and condition.

4. Eat healthy

Develop eating fruits and vegetables and drink enough water to keep your skin hydrated

Also eat foods that are rich in omega-3s and reduce your intake of fat and processed foods to have a positive impact on the health of your skin.

Considering the functions of the skin that are important for the body, maintaining one's health is very important. Because the skin is the body's main defense against germs and other microorganisms that can threaten the body.