Warnings from your skin

You hydrate your skin regularly, apply the top shelf foundation and never forget to use the right serum. But how closely are you listening to your skin? As the largest sensory organ on the human body, our skin can give early warnings of an impending internal ailment. Then again not every scratch or bump is a reason to run to the dermatologist! You can start with looking out for and taking care of the basic signs first.

Dull skin, among the simplest most skin troubles is not a life-or-death situation. It is a sign that you may have to change something in your lifestyle. Often caused by dehydration, smoking, an unhealthy diet, lack of sleep, excess stress, and poor skin-care habits- this is one of the easiest to take care of on your own.

Are you using too much of your purple corrector to hide yellow tints around your eyes and face? There are chances that this yellowish tint (especially visible in flat, white light) is signalling jaundice or hepatitis.

Itchy red patches anywhere on the body can signal eczema. Speaking of itchy patches, if you are constantly itchy without any allergy or other reasons, then do get checked for ailments of the liver.

If your skin looks darker even though you have not been under the hard sun, then you may have Hyperpigmentation.  Hyperpigmentation may be caused by Addison's disease, which is a failure of the adrenal glands.

Wrinkles themselves are worrying enough, but if you see them in expected places, like the inner part of the upper arm, it can bear bad news. Research shows that this can indicate high blood pressure and increased risk of heart disease.

Lips are often ignored from the skin regimen since you are sure your cracked lips can be taken care of with a good balm. But cracks, particularly at the corners of your mouth, can be due to a vitamin B  deficiency, especially B12.

The skin can foretell a multitude of silent internal problems which may have no other external signs. While it is good practice to keep an eye out for these signals, always pay attention to your doctor instead of doing things on your own.

Photo: LS Archive/Sazzad Ibne Sayed