SkinFitnessFacts.com News

While we’re motivated to shave and bleach all that peach fuzz, those little hairs all over our body do serve a purpose. Here are the skin facts on peachfuzz:

• All mammals have hair on their bodies meant to keep us warm and keep our babies warm too.
• Hair follicles are in the dermis layer of the skin along with the sweat glands, but the two have no relationship.
• Hair protects your body from germs.
• Body hair also helps protects against friction. For example, against clothes or other skin, i.e., underarms.
• Experts say that our personal scent is released through our hair. Every person has unique pheromones, which is sensed by others thanks to our hair.

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There’s no denying that some of the fancy and expensive skin care products we know and love improve our skin fitness, but so can a few items from the produce aisle at the grocery store.

Carrots and spinach are great sources of vitamin A. It’s not a magical cure, but it certainly helps. Vitamin A promotes cell turnover and decreases the production of oil, which leads to overall healthy (clear) skin.

A little bit of lemon juice can go a long way to clear skin. Combine juice from one lemon with a 1/3 cup of water. Use a washcloth to pat the mixture onto your skin — let it set for 20 seconds — then rinse. The alpha hydroxy acid (which is found in really expensive skin products too!) kills bacteria and helps to kick dead skin to the curb. Think of a lemon acne rinse like an exfoliator and an astringent in one.

Okay, chickpeas aren’t necessarily in the produce aisle, but they are only a few aisles away and they’re good for your skin. Chickpeas contain zinc, which is known for its anti-inflammatory properties and its ability to control oil production.

What acne treatments do you find in the grocery store? Share your treatments with us here.

Fingernails are made of skin cells and keratin, which is a protein that makes the nails hard. And, just like skin, nails are a reflection of your diet and your health.

For example, little white lines could be a sign of calcium deficiency, and square, flat nails might be a result of too little B12 in your diet.

Fingernails can also show indication of illness. A nail with pits or ripples could be early signs of psoriasis or even inflammatory arthritis. Ask a doctor if you aren’t sure.

Fingernails also do some pretty amazing things. Here are a couple of facts:

• The rate of a nail’s growth is in relationship to the finger it is on. The shorter the finger the slower the growth, which means the pinky nails grow the slowest.
• Fingernails and toenails not only protect fingers and toes from injury, but they also serve to sense/feel objects and allow us to pick things up.

Check back with us next Thursday for more skin facts.