We often forget that the skin is not only the outermost layer of our body, but it’s also the largest organ as well. The skin has more functions than most of us realize and one of those functions is to let us know if we are as healthy as we think we are. On that note, here are five things about our health that the skin can indicate.
Dehydration
You don’t always have to walk for hours in a desert or lie on a beach to get dehydrated because mild dehydration can often occur if you do not drink water in sufficient quantities. When the dehydration becomes prominent enough, your skin will become drier, flakier, and tighter than usual and you will feel it before other more prominent symptoms. In fact, long-term dehydration can also lead to premature aging of the skin through the development of wrinkles.
Insomnia
There are multiple signs of insomnia or sleeplessness that show up on the skin and you will find some of those symptoms below.
- The eyelids will become puffy
- Fine lines and wrinkles will become more apparent
- Dark circles may start to develop below the eye
- The skin will seem less radiant than usual
Just like dehydration, you may not even realize that you are not sleeping enough, but these signs are a good indicator that you need to get an extra hour or two of sleep every day.
Gluten Intolerance
Gluten is a protein compound that’s found in cereal grain such as wheat, rye, barley, bulgur, semolina, spelt, etc. A lot of people can’t digest these proteins and aside from digestive problems, symptoms of gluten intolerance can also manifest as itchy rashes on your skin, mostly near the elbows, buttocks, arms, the upper body, and the face.
Hepatitis and Other Liver Diseases
While the yellow pigmentation can also occur from eating too much carrot, squash, sweet potatoes and other foods rich in beta-carotene, most people who develop a yellowish skin tint and yellow eyes, generally do so because they have way too much bilirubin in their body; a condition that’s known as jaundice. It can be indicative of multiple diseases and disorders such as pancreatic liver, liver cirrhosis, liver cancer, hepatitis, alcohol abuse, hemolytic anemia, pancreatic cancer and gallstones among others.
Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes slows down blood flow and may even cause nerve damage in the long run. As a result, wounds do not heal as well anymore and you feel tired all the time. If you notice that even superficial cuts are not healing as fast as they should, or if your skin is developing a form of external plaque near the armpits and neck (acanthosis nigricans) that’s velvety to the touch, it might be a sign of type 2 diabetes.
These are actually just five of the many other conditions that affect our skin and you can find out more about those signs and symptoms at Healthyskinsolutions.Com. Moreover, the site is also a great resource for information on how to keep the skin healthy and glowing every day of the year.
Have you suffered from skin problems related to healthcare issues? Let us know in the comments!
