Taking care of our skin and using good quality natural products isn’t just for vanity–it’s also a crucial part of taking care of our immune system. The fact is that our skin is the largest organ in our body. It impacts every aspect of our lives, from fighting off invaders like bugs or bacteria and controlling inflammation by producing anti-inflammatory cytokines. If you want to improve your skin health, you may want to boost your immune system.
Here are six examples of the connections between your immune system and your skin:
1. Bacteria
You might already know that many places inside your body house a wide variety of bacteria and other microflora. Just as it is vital for gut health, there needs to be an even balance and biodiversity of micro-organisms living on or near our skin’s surface layer to maintain protection from outside forces.
Specifically, those with dry skin or those who suffer from eczema are particularly at risk for things like bacterial infections and imbalances, as dryness can compromise the protective barrier that keeps bad bacteria out. If your looking to find ways to boost your immune system If you want to boost your immune system in this way, adding probiotic supplements or eating probiotic foods as yogurt and kombucha might help. Be sure to talk to your licensed healthcare provider before making changes to your diet or supplement routine.
2. Breakouts
Your immune system can keep you from breaking out and keep your skin clear. This is because acne is often an inflammatory response to external stimuli such as dirt, grime, and overgrowth of the p.acnes bacteria. Of course, acne can come from various sources, so your immune system might not be entirely at the root of the issue, but having solid support can help, regardless of the situation.
However, acne related to hormones or natural body cycles might be a bit more complex than improving your immune system.
Nutrients
Another way the immune system can impact your skin is through the nutrients you consume and therefore pass them along to all of the systems in your body. Eating nutritious foods like small, fatty fish, fruits, vegetables, and foods rich in essential fatty acids, probiotics, and antioxidants can improve your skin’s health and immune health. When the immune system is supported by healthy nourishment, it can pass along those nutrients all over the body to do their jobs.
Even though they feed into one another, the nutrients that support your immune system also helps. The health of your skin is all over your body, not just on your face!
Hydration
One thing our immune system does is it helps support skin hydration.
When your immune system is thriving and healthy, the hydration that helps the rest of your body will also keep your skin. This can be highly important, as hydrated skin is crucial to its texture, colouration, and even how fast it exhibits visible signs of aging.
If you tend to have dry skin, aging spots, or even looking to avoid signs of aging, staying hydrated both for your immune system and for your skin can go hand in hand. Don’t forget the amount of hydration that comes from your diet, and drinking water is not enough to keep skin hydrated for people with dry or compromised skin–topical hydration is also a must.
Protection
Along with hydration, a healthy immune system can also help prevent transepidermal water loss from taking place, specifically on your face. If you have both oily skin and dry skin, then pay attention to the moisture barriers of your skin. Ways to do this is to nourish your immune system to protect you against damage and dehydration.
Resilience
One of the primary ways that your immune system can influence the rest of your body, including your skin, is its ability to heal the various illnesses, infections, and injuries that occur in daily life. A significant concern within skincare, especially as people age or go through hormonal changes, is the skin’s ability to bounce back and heal from damage.
The skin can accrue various damage just by living life, from sun damage to acne scarring and discolouration. When your immune system is healthy and prepared, you are much more likely to heal from injuries and infections quickly and thoroughly, including things like acne and other skin damage.
A healthy immune system and skincare
Even though supporting the immune system might not be the very first thing you think of when adding a step to your skincare routine, it can be one of the best things you can do. Health works from the inside out, including fostering the body’s natural connection from one system to another.
