Skin Care

“Skin care” is a term often used in conjunction with beauty products. However, the skin is the largest organ in the body and is important for excreting water, urea, and salts via sweat. It is also our first barrier against viruses and bacterial infection.

In practice, I will often look at people’s skin to establish the underlying health of their tissues. Red, hot skin can indicate inflammation and dry skin can indicate poor blood flow and a chronic condition.

As we age our skin changes in its texture and elasticity, however, it is constantly providing us with a level of protection which it is important to maintain.

By providing our body with good diet and building blocks to maintain the skin we can ensure a continued protection this essential organ delivers.

Vitamins A, B2, B3, B6, C, D, E, zinc, and selenium are all vital in maintaining the function of the skin. These vitamins are present in many vegetables and making sure you have a good variety of vegetables is important.

Vitamin E is present in wheatgerm and so eating wholemeal breads and flour products can help provide your body with this nutrition.

Vitamin D is synthesised in the skin when UV reaches the lower levels of the epidermis. This is however an issue in the UK where, for many months, we keep our skin covered and don’t get much sun. Vitamin D can be taken as a supplement, but natural synthesis will always be better. The months in which you may not make enough vitamin D is from October to March. There are many online calculators which will estimate how much sun you need for your location and skin colour.

Water and hydration are important for the skin so drinking is at the top of the list of importance of maintaining skin health. Many vegetables and fruit contain high levels of water and this can all be added to your total daily water consumption.

Although we have now reached the “other side” of the warmer weather, it is still important to protect our skin from UV. Always have you sun lotion near you and look after your skin, it holds you together!

Dragon Vets Tewkesbury is fully equipped with a sterile operating theatre, digital radiography, ultrasonography and laboratory equipment. Drop in and have a look around. You will see many of the same friendly faces from our main surgery at Dragon Vets Cheltenham.

This year’s Trafalgar Night Dinner for Severn Unit Maritime Volunteer Service was attended by 28 people was an extremely successful event held at Brown’s Restaurant, Tewkesbury Garden Centre.

Head of Unit Nic Price said “Our principal guest was Councillor Kevin Cromwell and we were also very pleased to welcome visitors from Bristol and Cardiff Units. Everyone enjoyed celebrating Trafalgar Night in true Naval tradition”.