Daily Perricone

Did you know that your skin can be a tell-tale sign of other health concerns?

Yellowing skin – smoking too much, liver disorders

Liver damage results in jaundice, a medical problem that you need to discuss with your physician.

As a dermatologist, I can also attest that smoking leads to deep wrinkles and leathery skin.  If you are a smoker, middle-age will start in your early 30′s as the tell-tale wrinkles around the mouth and eyes begin to appear.  But, once you stop smoking the circulation will begin to immediately improve, and as the blood flow returns your complexion will begin to lose the pallor of the smoker.

Cigarette smoke is highly damaging and aging to skin. When we inhale just one puff of a cigarette, over a trillion free radicals are produced in our lungs, which then trigger an inflammatory response that circulates throughout our body.  When we inhale tobacco smoke, the result is activation of white blood cells which line our arteries, causing an inflammatory response, predisposing us to heart disease.  In addition, there is a tremendous inflammatory response in all organs of the body—including the skin. Cigarette smoking depletes the skin of oxygen and vital nutrients including Vitamin C, critical in keeping skin youthful, moist and plumped up. Tobacco also acts as a vasoconstrictor, which means that it causes constriction of blood vessels. This reduces local blood flow to an area, and temporarily raises blood pressure.  When the blood flow is reduced to the skin it results in a gray, pallid, lifeless and unhealthy looking complexion. Smoking also causes dry, leathery looking skin, premature deep lines, wrinkles and loss of radiance.

The carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke is a deadly toxin to the entire body.  Smoking (and other forms of tobacco) places us at an increased risk of lung, mouth and throat cancer.

Pale skin– anemia, weak glands, congested liver

Paleness could be the result of anemia.  It can also be genetic or the manifestation of illness.  Many factors can contribute to paleness.

Extremely dry skin – diet low in essential fatty acids

Also you could be low on any nutritional factors, or be experiencing the result of environmental factors, very low humidity, etc.  Dry skin is actually a manifestation of chronic sub clinical (invisible to the eye) inflammation.  For optimum resolution, follow the three – tiered anti-inflammatory program, which consists of anti-inflammatory foods, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant supplements and topical anti-inflammatory anti-oxidants.  It is also important to make sure that you have adequate intake of healthy fats such as found in fish, fish oil, extra virgin olive oil, etc.  While topicals can do wonders it is of critical important to not forget the dietary component which can both cause and make worse all of these conditions.

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