Skin care

Skin care is a broad health topic that covers methods of improving skin hydration and nutrition, reducing skin-cancer risk, and addressing common problems such as acne, dry skin, and sunburns. From a purely aesthetic perspective, skin care also aims to help adults maintain younger- and healthier-looking skin. To these ends, an extremely lucrative global skin-care industry has emerged, with Orbis Research reporting in February 2018 that the industry’s worldwide value had reached $532.43 billion in 2017. Projections predict that it will grow to a total valuation of $805.61 billion by 2023.

Beyond daily treatments and preventive measures to nourish, hydrate, and improve the appearance of skin, patients recovering from wounds or surgery also rely on proper skin-care techniques to facilitate healing. The basic tenets of skin care include avoiding excessive sun exposure, managing stress, maintaining a healthy diet, following a regular care routine, and avoiding tobacco use, as smoking is known to accelerate the appearance of aging.

Brief History

Historical records show that skin care has been practiced for thousands of years, with ancient Egyptian royalty using exfoliation techniques and herbal remedies to help their skin maintain a healthier appearance. Body oils were also used by the common people of ancient Egypt; they were believed to offer protection against the region’s intense sunlight and hot, dry air.

In ancient Greece, a variety of naturally occurring substances were used to keep skin moist and supple, including herbs, oils, honey, and berries that were ground into paste and applied to the face. Beeswax and almond oil were used during the Roman Empire to help well-to-do citizens achieve and maintain smoother skin. Chinese skin-care methods dating to the nation’s Early Imperial Period referenced massage techniques, topical treatments made from seaweed and jellyfish, and dietary additions such as yams, sesame seeds, and black beans.

During the Early Middle Ages and High Middle Ages in Europe, noblewomen sometimes bathed in wine because they believed it improved the texture and appearance of their skin. For a period of several hundred years, beginning around the turn of the fifteenth century, pale skin was highly fashionable in Europe, as people believed it reflected an upper-class lifestyle that did not involve outdoor labor and excessive sun exposure. People intent on getting paler-looking skin would commonly apply chalks and powders, while others adopted more extreme measures that included the use of toxic substances such as lead and arsenic.

Specially formulated and manufactured skin-care products became commercially available to the general public in the years and decades following the Industrial Revolution, which began in Europe around the middle of the eighteenth century. The modern global skin-care industry largely developed after World War II ended in 1945, when cosmetics, face creams, and similar products came to be widely distributed and sold at affordable prices. Synthetic products designed to neutralize the damaging effects of sun exposure were also developed during the first half of the twentieth century.

Overview

Everyday approaches to skin care include exfoliation, as well as moisturizing and hydrating the skin. Exfoliation is the practice of removing dead cells from the surface layers of the skin, which can be achieved with mildly abrasive skin scrubbers and specialized scrubs, cloths, brushes, and pumice stones, among other products. Homemade or commercially manufactured creams and lotions are typically used to moisturize and hydrate the skin. Some men also apply special balms or liquid formulations to their faces after shaving, which soothe the skin and reduce irritation. Shaving is also noted as an effective exfoliation technique.

Dietary habits play an important role in skin care. As a general approach to skin maintenance, physicians suggest maintaining a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, lean sources of protein, and whole grains. While a significant amount of research has been conducted into the relationship between diet and acne, there is little conclusive evidence that acne can be caused or worsened by diet alone. Nevertheless, some studies suggest that diets rich in vitamin C and low in refined carbohydrates and saturated fats may help prevent or reduce the severity of acne.

During wound healing, it is also important for patients to take care of the skin surrounding the wound site by keeping it clean and covered to speed healing and reduce the risk of infection. Antibacterial soap and warm water are generally considered the best cleaning agents when dealing with wound care, as products like isopropyl alcohol, iodine, and hydrogen peroxide can irritate the skin and delay healing. Other methods may be recommended by the patient’s physician, depending on the location, nature, and severity of the wound.

From cosmetic as well as disease-prevention standpoints, protecting the skin from the damaging effects of exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun is crucial. The sun releases two particular types of ultraviolet rays, known as ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays. Both types have been linked to premature aging and increased skin-cancer risk, and as such, a growing number of products that neutralize their action on the skin have been marketed in recent years. The relative effectiveness of these products at warding off UVB radiation (but not UVA radiation) is measured using a metric known as a “sun protection factor” (SPF), which communicates the percentage of UVB rays that are blocked. According to Consumer Reports, an SPF 15 sunscreen blocks 93 percent of UVB rays, while an SPF 30 sunscreen blocks 97 percent, and an SPF 100 sunscreen blocks 99 percent. The organization also reported in 2017 that some sunscreens failed to offer the amount of protection promised by the SPF rating on their labels. As of 2017, the American Academy of Dermatology recommends sunscreens with an SPF of 30 or higher.

Beyond these basic essentials, a wide range of other, more specialized products are available that claim to offer enhanced and highly specific benefits. For example, anti-aging creams purport to remove or slow down the appearance of fine lines, while anti-wrinkle creams are supposedly able to stop or inhibit the development of age-related wrinkles caused by losses of the skin’s connective tissues. Examples of these connective tissues include collagen and elastin fibers, which are frequently cited in marketing materials to enhance the product’s ability to project scientific authenticity. While these products have traditionally been marketed toward women, recent years have seen a steady rise in the number of specialized skin-care products aimed at male consumers.

Bibliography

Calvo, Trisha. “Get the Best Sun Protection.” Consumer Reports, 18 May 2017, www.consumerreports.org/sun-protection/get-the-best-sun-protection/. Accessed 26 Sept. 2018.

Dietz, Sally. Skin Care Practices and Clinical Protocols: A Professional’s Guide to Success in Any Environment. Scarborough. Nelson Education, 2012.

Hess, Cathy T. Clinical Guide to Skin and Wound Care. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2012.

Jablonski, Nina G. Skin: A Natural History. University of California Press, 2013.

Lees, Mark. Skin Care: Beyond the Basics. Cengage Learning, 2013.

Orbis Research. Global Cosmetics Products Market-Analysis of Growth, Trends and Forecasts (2018–2023). Mordor Intelligence, 8 February 2018. Orbis Research, orbisresearch.com/reports/index/global-cosmetics-products-market-analysis-of-growth-trends-and-forecasts-2018-2023. Accessed 26 Sept. 2018.

Sherrow, Victoria. For Appearance’s Sake: The Historical Encyclopedia of Good Looks, Beauty, and Grooming. Greenwood Publishing Group, 2001, pp. 238–240.

Siena, Kevin Patrick. A Medical History of Skin: Scratching the Surface. Routledge, 2015.

“Size of the Global Skin Care Market from 2012 to 2021.” Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/254612/global-skin-care-market-size/. Accessed 22 Dec. 2016.

“Skin Care.” Mayo Clinic, 16 Dec. 2014, http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/skin-care/art-20048237?pg=1. Accessed 22 Dec. 2016.

“UVA & UVB.” Skin Cancer Foundation, 24 May 2013, http://www.skincancer.org/prevention/uva-and-uvb. Accessed 22 Dec. 2016.

“What Does SPF Stand For?” Consumer Reports, 15 May 2015, www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2015/05/what-does-spf-stand-for/index.htm. Accessed 26 Sept. 2018.