As a skin care physician in Beverly Hills I am frequently requested
to comments on healthy skin and beauty tips. My patient population is
an elite group of men and women that appear perfect and pampered, but
there are important healthy skin tips that apply to all.
Healthy skin is more than just skin deep. It is the result of the inner
working of the body. When we look at our skin it is a template and reflection
of the inner and outer health. Your skin can not hide the truth.
Many of us know someone dear to us with heart
disease, lung disease , diabetes, poor circulation or even skin cancer.
One unique thing about the health of your skin is that it may be the
first presentation of many different conditions such as heart disease
and lung disease:
Heart and lungs disease is often the result in
the bloods inability to carry oxygen. As a result, the body will compensate
by growing additional blood vessels in the areas that are lacking blood
flow. This results in a widening and curved formation at the tip of
the fingers know as clubbing, similar in appearance to the fictional
alien E.T., which can indicate that the skin is no longer healthy skin.
Also red appearances or blood vessels in the
skin under ones nail bed could indicate that the heart valves are infected
and are forming blood clots or emboli. This can also indicate that the
skin is no longer healthy skin. These emboli travel from the heart valves
and become lodged in the skin at your fingertip. So make sure to look
at your skin under your nails in between manicures, it could save your
life.
Diabetes may present itself as a gradually darkening
or hyper pigmentation on the face, body folds, or extremities or as
a non-healing wound or ulcer on legs and feet. It happens because glucose
/ sugar attaches to the collagen in the skin which causes an increase
in blood flow and hyper viscosity/ thickening. As a result there is
increased amount of blood residue/ hemosiderin left in the healthy skin.
Which appears as a dark spot. An increase amount of skin tags or skin
growth that appear around your neck, under your arms or in the groin
area could be another indication of diabetes. Never assume a change
in skin color or growth is normal, or runs in the family. It may be
a problem or a warning that you should live healthier and lose weight.
Believe it or not, skin cancer is one of the
leading diagnosed and cancers in America and the numbers are dramatically
increasing. Fortunately, the majority of skin cancers are slow growing
and can most often times be removed either surgically or topically.
Alternatively, there are more serious skin cancers that can be life
threatening . The late Bob Marley died from a skin cancer known as Melanoma.
His initial presentation was a darkening mass in the skin underneath
his toe nail, called a sununcal nodular melanoma that eventually spread
through his body to his brain by the time it was diagnosed.
The message here is to pay attention to your
skin and make sure you follow the healthy skin tips. Follow the ABCD's
for skin changes or moles. Anything that is Asymmetrical, Borders look
irregular, Color has changes, or Diameter or size has increased, could
be serious. If you find something that meets the ABCD criteria, get
it evaluated immediately! If not, get annual checks by your physician
and wear sunscreen every day. Healthy skin can be easily attained.
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