Quick Facts About the Skin
| A | B |
|---|---|
| Size and Weight | Largest organ in the body, covering about 2 square meters (21 sq ft) and weighing 9 pounds |
| Layers | Made up of three layers: Epidermis (outermost), Dermis (middle), and Subcutaneous layer (innermost) |
| Renewal | The skin is constantly renewing itself, with dead skin cells being sloughed off and new cells being produced. This process takes about 28-30 days (faster in younger people) |
| Function | Protects against harmful substances, regulates body temperature, produces sweat and sebum, senses touch and pain, and synthesizes vitamin D |
| Composition | Made up of keratin (protein), collagen (protein for elasticity), elastin (protein for flexibility), and water |
| Cells | Contains over 300 million skin cells, with about 19 million in a single square inch |
| Sensory Receptor | Skin has sensory receptors that contains millions of nerve endings which helps us feel heat, cold, pain, and pressure |
| Temperature Regulation | Sweats to cool down and constricts blood vessels to conserve heat |
| Color | Determined by melanin, which protects against UV rays and varies based on genetics and sun exposure |
| Changes With Age | Loses elasticity and collagen, leading to wrinkles and sagging |
| Common Skin Conditions | Some common skin conditions include acne, dark spot, eczema, rosacea, psoriasis, dermatitis and sunburn |
With many Nigerians showing little concern about the health of their skin, there are a few that are concerned about how to have a smooth face in Nigeria. Many people may think these people have to be celebrities who have the public’s attention on their appearance, but it will surprise you to know that regular people also want to have smooth faces here in Nigeria.
The stress in the major cities of Nigeria make it almost impossible to achieve that smooth face you are looking for but with the right nutrition and skin care routine, you can have skin that glows like daylight, depending on your natural skin tone. Getting a smooth face in Nigeria is not far-fetched and it is achievable, if you are willing to stick with the routine that will help your facial skin remain youthful and heal from the damages it has gone through.
In this article, you will be fortified with information that will guide you on how to have a smooth skin in Nigeria, taking into consideration the available Nigerian foods that will help you achieve this. Also, you will have a grasp on how skin health works, with respect to the Nigerian clime.
What Affects Skin Health in Nigeria?
A smooth skin is a result of many things, some of which, though present in Nigeria, are difficult to come by.to have a smooth face in Nigeria, you need to be deliberate about your skin and give it the best care possible. One of the many ways to achieve this is to protect your skin against the harsh weather conditions of Nigeria.
Nigeria is a tropical country; that is, it is characterized by harsh sunshine, high volume of rainfall, humid air, and cold and dry wind during the harmattan season. These weather conditions do not readily make for a healthy skin, unless you strive to have it. Let us see how these weather elements and other factors affect skin health in Nigeria, and make it difficult to have a smooth face.
Harsh Sunshine
Sunshine is good for many reasons, including providing vitamin D, which is beneficial to the skin, to the body. However, harsh sunshine is nothing but a detrimental to the skin. Regardless of your skin tone, spending time under the harsh sunshine in Nigeria, and sweating, makes your skin dull and causes sunburn on skins that are sensitive.
The sweat your body produces to bring down your body temperature that has risen as a result of the harsh sunshine clogs your skin pores and prevents exchange of air. This causes build-up of salt that may cause itchiness and rashes on the skin.
Humid Air
Humid air is a type of air you experience during the rainy season. Usually, the rainy season is supposed to be refreshing and should give you a break from the harshness of the dry season. However, it may cause your skin to be unable to breath.
During the rainy season, there is abundant water molecules in the air, making it almost impossible for your body to sweat and cool your body. Therefore, all sweat your body produces makes you feel clammy because the water molecules in your sweat is not picked up by the air since it is saturated. This may lead to rashes, and dull skin due to prolonged presence of sweat that block skin pores, and probably encourage bacterial and fungal growth that may cause skin infections.
Cold and Dry wind during the Harmattan season
While this period is best time to sweat because the air is dry and readily picks up water molecules from your sweat, leaving your skin cool, the air is harsh. It leaves the skin susceptible to cracking and takes an enormous amount of time to get a cracked skin to heal.
The wind during harmattan season is usually accompanied by harsh sunshine, a combination that makes it difficult to keep a smooth skin in Nigeria.
Industrial and vehicular exhausts
Deposits of industrial and vehicular exhausts on skins that have sweat on them, do not speak of a healthy skin. The deposits contain carbon and some chlorofluorocarbons, CFCs, that are detrimental to the skin. They can cause skin irritations, and in some cases, skin burns, especially in the cities.
How to Have a Smooth Face in Nigeria
To have a smooth face in Nigeria, you need to prevent the effects of the things that affect skin health in Nigeria and neutralize their effects on your skin, as they are mostly unavoidable. Here are some of the things you need to do to have a smooth face in Nigeria.
Eat Healthy
One of the ways to have a smooth face in Nigeria is to health skin-friendly foods. You need foods that are rich in vitamins, especially vitamin c, D, and E. They help to remove toxins from the skin, improve the elasticity of the skin, make the skin look young, and improve the sebum production of the skin.
The foods that are rich in these nutrients include oranges, pineapples, mangoes, leafy vegetables, beans, egusi, and many other Nigerian foods that fit in this category.
Have a personal skincare routine
A skincare routine is a daily, weekly, or monthly treatment applied to the skin to make it appear better and improve its overall health. The skin is the largest organ on the human body and needs to be specially treated as it protects the inner organs.
Your personal skincare routine should ensure that it eases the skin of the harsh effects the weather condition has imparted on it. For instance, use aloe vera on your skin in the night to soothe the sunburn your skin may have gotten from the harsh sunshine. Also ensure that your skin is properly moisturized before bed.
Whichever routine you choose to follow, it must preserve and improve your skin moisturization, elasticity, and glow.
Regularly visit a dermatologist
In Nigeria, majority don’t enlist the services of a dermatologist. It is important that you visit a dermatologist regularly to ascertain the health status of your skin. A visit to your dermatologist exposes the problems that your skin may be experiencing and they will readily provide solutions for you.
Dermatologists are skin professionals and help to address all skin issues with the best solutions for you, while considering other health conditions that you may have.
Avoid habits that exacerbate skin issues
Habits that make skin issues spread easily or worsen the state of an already bad skin should be discontinued. Such habits include picking your acne, rubbing your hands against your face, cleaning sweat off your face with your palms, and excessive face scrubs, among others.
Use skincare products that agree with your skin
In the spirit of improving your skin and in a bid to have a smooth face in Nigeria, many people use certain skin products because others use it, and without giving consideration to the suitability of such products to their skin type.
While many of these skincare products will be effective on some people, they may be ineffective on others, or outrightly detrimental to their skin. While there are soaps for fair skin, there are soaps for dark skins. Also, you will get creams and lotions for fair skins and for dark skins.
Also, you may consider informing your dermatologists about any product you think you want to try, for their professional advice.
Related Article: Natural Ways to Revitalize your Facial Skin and Hair
Conclusion
The skin is the largest organ on the human body. Therefore, it needs to be pampered and cared for. In Nigeria, many people use the wrong skincare product on their skin and complain about its ineffectiveness.
Eat healthy, stick to a good skincare routine, visit your dermatologist regularly, and follow other tips in this piece to have a smooth face in Nigeria.