There are a lot of reasons why the skin starts to look dry and lifeless – from hot climates and exposure to sea water to diseases accompanied by loss of body fluids. But there are only a few ways in which water enters the skin, and the beautician needs to remember them in order to control the condition of the patient's skin and prevent its dehydration.
For information on how the skin receives water, and what needs to be done to ensure that this moisture is sufficient for its health, read on estet-portal.com.
The main water reserves for the skin and the role of the epidermis in its retention
The water reserves from which the skin receives its nourishment are divided into three main sources:
All these levels of water storage communicate with each other, but its movement inside the skin is always directed from deep levels to superficial ones. From the upper layer, water cannot return to the lower one.
The beautician must always remember that the skin receives water from the inner layers, and loses at the level of the outer layer.
The stratum corneum reliably protects the skin, and therefore it is very difficult to introduce additional water reserves through the surface.
A certain amount of water is always present in the epidermis, thanks to which the skin looks smooth, even, matte and without fine wrinkles. In young people, water makes up about a third of the volume of the entire epidermis, saturating the intercellular space and the protective skin mantle. The retention of water in this surface layer is engaged, in fact, the mantle of the skin and epidermal molecules of hyaluronic acid. Due to good hydration, the skin heals quickly and fully in case of damage, hypersensitivity and other disorders do not develop.
Dermal level of skin water retention
In the dermal layer, hyaluronic acid is responsible for water retention. Its quantity is constantly updated – approximately every three days, due to this constant renewal, toxins are removed from the skin.
When there is enough hyaluronic acid in the dermis (its deficiency can develop in people over 60), the skin looks firm and elastic.
If for some reason the protective layer of the skin is broken (temperature changes, chemical or physical influences, environmental factors), then water from the epidermis begins to evaporate, and the dermis receives a signal of a moisture deficit and immediately transports water up to the epidermis.
In case of short-term damage to the epidermis, the moisture that has arrived completely satisfies the needs of the skin, and there is no feeling of discomfort. When the epidermis is constantly in need of nourishment, the dermal reserve is gradually reduced. At the same time, the skin looks dull and flabby, acquires a yellowish tint, wrinkles are easily formed on it.
The source of nourishment for the dermis is the water contained in the microcirculatory network. Its volume depends on the following factors:
- Adequate water load (Adult woman of average build needs approximately 1.5-2 liters per day);
- normal state of the system for removing water and toxins (kidneys, intestines, sweat glands);
- no damage to the vascular walls.
If the capillaries are damaged (which often happens during skin aging), water cannot enter the dermis.
What to do to ensure that the water level in the skin is sufficient
To keep the skin looking smooth, firm and wrinkle-free, it is necessary to maintain hydration at all three levels of the skin. So, to improve microcirculation, it is necessary to use vasoconstrictive agents (for example, with niacinamide, horse chestnut extract, Asian centella). Massage procedures, microcurrent therapy, lymphatic drainage will give a good effect. It is important to observe the drinking regime and protect the skin from damaging effects, use products with moisture-retaining components. If a deficiency of hyaluronic acid has developed, it can be replenished with injectable preparations.
The best surface-moisturizing effect is obtained by water-based cosmetics containing aloe vera, tamarind seed extract, polysaccharides of sugar-containing plants. Glycerin-containing creams can have a deeper moisturizing effect, because in the presence of glycerol molecules, aquaporins – open on the surface of the skin; nanochannels connecting the epidermis with the dermis. Through aquaporins, water can penetrate into the deeper layers of the dermis.
Thus, when controlling the water content in the skin, many factors need to be taken into account – from drinking load and kidney condition to the composition of cosmetics for daily home care.
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