Where Skin Health meets the rest of the body

The process on creating healthy cells depends on what we consume (food, water, air), their breakdown and absorption by the gut, and the subsequent transportation of these molecules to the cells via our vascular system. Simultaneously, it requires the maintenance of a clean space to operate in. 

Nutrition > Digestion > Circulatory System > Lymphatic System

Nutrition

Input - food, water, air

When it comes to skin health, nutrition plays the first vital role. The body needs materials to make cells, just like you would need materials to build a house. Except that the cells in our body are constantly regenerating so they require an ongoing source of materials. We understand that our skin cells are on a lifecycle, they are made, migrate to the outer part of our body, and detach. Just like a house, a quality build needs quality materials. Want healthy skin? Focus on what goes in your mouth first. 

This is also where we point out the skin and outer extremities such as hair and nails are the last to be fed. So if you’re deficient in anything, then the body will prioritise nutrients to your vital organs, and your skin will miss out. 

The Digestive System

Conversion - food, water, air

The next step is converting the nutrients into a form and size that the body can readily use. Once this is done, it transfers these molecules through our intestinal wall and into the bloodstream (more details on this later).  

You need to be aware that there are many things that can disrupt this process including dysbiosis, intestinal permeability (also known as 'leaky gut' syndrome), gut inflammation, certain drugs (pharmaceutical or otherwise), alcohol, illness, and high stress levels. These factors have the potential to hinder our ability to produce digestive enzymes, resulting in inadequate breakdown of food and impaired nutrient absorption.

If the nutrients fail to be broken down into their proper form or aren't effectively absorbed, it can limit the supply of nutrients to the body, and of course the skin. Therefore, gut health becomes the next vital link to skin health. 

The Vascular System

Our transportation system

Our building materials are now loaded into the bloodstream, ready to be transported through our extensive vascular network to feed all our cells and tissues. Our blood vessels carry nutrients and oxygen within the blood to our capillaries where the nutrient exchange occurs. When thinking about the skin, this occurs in the papillary dermis, otherwise known as the epidermal dermal junction. This is where new skin cells are formed. 

Achieving optimal blood flow is crucial. We take into account these key factors:

Blood Health

Vessel Health

Vasoconstriction

Movement

Now let’s look at some of the many factors that play a role in blood flow in the skin:

1. Smoking and vaping; A recent study found that both cigarette smokers and e-cigarette users exhibit impaired blood vessel function. Compared to non-smokers, the ability of blood vessels to expand was significantly reduced in both groups. These findings held true even after considering factors such as age, sex, and other measures of heart function.
2. Age; various physiological processes undergo a decline as we age. Among these, vascular ageing brings about alterations in the mechanical and structural properties of the vascular wall. In essence, our blood vessels become less pliable, resulting in limited contraction and expansion capabilities.
3. Dehydration; consider when you have to get blood drawn when you haven’t had enough water to drink for your body's needs. It’s always harder to find a vein right? This is because without water our blood is thicker and isn’t as free flowing. 
4. Temperature; when we are cold, our vessels constrict and blood diverts away from the skin (see image below). This is because your body is protecting your internal organs from heat loss, and redirects blood away from your extremities. 
5. Stress; when cortisol is high, our vessels constrict and blood diverts away from the skin (see image below).
6. Diet; diets lacking in fresh fruits and vegetables can contribute to arterial stiffness, leading to a decrease in blood flow. Further, the impact of salt intake on vascular stiffness is arguably the most significant.
7. Hormones; following menopause women undergo a pronounced acceleration in arterial stiffening, which aligns with the notion that the decline in oestrogen levels plays a role in the age-related vascular stiffness.
8. Inflammation; skin conditions such as acne interfere with the fluid balance in the dermis
9. Scarring; fibres run parallel to the dermal-epidermal (DE) junction
10. Obesity; carrying excessive body fat can detrimentally affect your circulation in several ways including triggering inflammation within the venous system, impeding the smooth flow of blood.
11. Injury; scar tissue . as well as any physical damage that may have occurred to the skin over a person’s lifespan. Any scarring from injuries, surgeries, chicken pox or acne, have altered the skins matrix
12. Movement; in a modern world, most of us lead largely sedentary lives, spending hours sitting at desks or in front of screens. This stark contrast to our biological nature, which requires regular incidental movement and physical activity
13. Skin architecture; the intricate structure and organisation of the skin layers can vary depending on factors including heritage 
14. Arterial stiffness; attributed to advanced glycation end products (AGEs). These AGEs are formed when proteins, such as collagen, undergo nonenzymatic glycation, leading to the formation of irreversible cross-links. As a consequence, collagen linked to AGEs becomes stiffer and less prone to hydrolytic turnover.
15. Other; Blood disorders and Medications

The Lymphatic System

A clean environment for the nutrient exchange

To transport nutrients from the blood to the cells, it is necessary for these nutrients to exit the capillaries and travel through the interstitial fluid. The interstitial fluid, found in the spaces surrounding the body's cells, consists of water and various substances including amino acids, hormones, neurotransmitters, salts, and cellular by-products. This fluid serves as the final pathway for delivering oxygen and nutrients to the cells and aids in the removal of metabolic waste through diffusion.

The cleanliness and balance of the fluid present in and around our cells are crucial. One of the primary functions of the Lymphatic system is to filter the interstitial fluid in our tissues, aiding in the elimination of waste products like cellular debris and harmful molecules. This ensures optimal well-being and functionality. If the environment of the papillary dermis contains toxins, then this impairs the absorption and conversion of nutrients in the cells. 

Whilst the vascular system relies on the heart as a pump for blood circulation, the lymphatic system lacks a similar central pump. Instead, the movement of lymph fluid throughout the body depends on a combination of pressure differentials, muscle contractions, and one-way valves within the lymphatic vessels. Movement becomes paramount in promoting a healthy lymphatic system as it stimulates the flow of lymph through muscle contractions, encouraging its circulation throughout the body.

It's important to keep in mind that all these systems serve multiple important functions, and we've focused on illustrating the connection between healthy skin cells and nutrient delivery. Ensuring optimal functionality of skin cells is crucial for establishing a solid foundation for skin health. Of course you need to consider a variety of external factors that can also affect our skin, but that’s for another time.