5 questions about… the skin
The skin is the largest organ of the human body. An important organ that we must be careful with. But how many times a week is showering actually healthy? Is showering better than bathing? And why do we get wrinkles as we age? Skin specialist Yael Adler answers.
1. How many times a week is it healthy to shower?
“If you were to ask your skin, it would probably answer: “At most once a week!” And what actually happens? Most people shower at least once a day, and sometimes – for example after exercise – again. In addition, drying “disaster products” are also used, which degrease the skin. If you want to shower every day, do so with mostly water. Water has a neutral pH value and dries the skin out less than soap. And if you If you still want to use shower gel, make sure that it is odorless and colorless and foams as little as possible.”
2. Is showering better than bathing?
“In the fight against dry skin, showering is healthier for the skin than taking a bath; preferably do both relatively quickly and with relatively cold water. Hours of hot bubble baths leach our skin. This can be seen in pale, swollen and wrinkled fingertips. There the skin barrier has been washed away and the epidermis has shriveled up in the bath water. Then you need nourishing skin care to quickly restore the disrupted epidermis barrier.”
3. How often should you use a cream?
“If people wouldn’t degrease so aggressively, they wouldn’t need a lot of cream at all. If your skin unexpectedly pulls, itches or flakes, you usually only need to apply cream to the affected areas. On the face, it usually only works around the cheekbones and sometimes the lips.The T-zone – the area of the forehead, eyebrows, nose and chin – is usually so oily that you don’t need cream there.
4. Why do people get wrinkles as we get older?
“Wrinkles are the result of reduced elasticity and fat breakdown, but also mimicry, which makes an unholy alliance with the reduced muscle strength of the skin. Mimic muscles are the muscles that allow our face to express feelings – from grim to sad. and naughty to happy. The less resilience our skin has, the more clearly the mimic folds can be seen. Drinking a lot of water does not help against skin aging.”
5. Why do people have earwax?
“Earwax protects the ears against insects, infections, dust and water. It also ensures the self-cleaning of the ears. Ear doctors rightly warn against removal of the yellow substance. If you drill deeply with a cotton swab, there is a risk that the earwax penetrates too deeply. then earwax can settle on the eardrum and harden, so that you suddenly have bad hearing.”
This information comes from the book The skin of skin specialist Yael Adler. In the book you can find many more facts, insights and practical advice. The book is scientifically based. The Skin is her first book and has been sold to fifteen countries. It has been on the German bestseller lists since its release. In Germany, three months after its release, more than 80,000 copies have already been sold. The book will be published in the Netherlands on January 27.