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Temperature changes that come with the various seasons are natural and uncontrollable. As are the rapid changes we experience just going from the cold outside to our heated homes or the heat of the southern states to the dry cold of the air conditioning. The level of filaggrin, a protein in our body, is directly affected by these changes in our environment.
To be highly technical about this protein - Filaggrin is a filament-associated protein that binds to keratin fibers in epithelial cells. Ten to twelve filaggrin units are post-translationally hydrolyzed from a large profilaggrin precursor protein during terminal differentiation of epidermal cells. In simple terms it has been found that filaggrin helps maintain our skin barrier and protect it from environmental attacks.
Skin, the largest organ of our bodies, is the most common reason for people to visit their doctors, and of course the specialty of dermatology exists strictly to treat and maintain that organ.
Some take-aways from a recent Harris poll:
- 42% of Americans said having dry skin in the winter is one of the things they dislike most, while 37% said going to the DMV, and 32% said doing taxes.
- 25% of Americans admit to neglecting a skin care routine.
- 15% admit to never moisturizing their skin at all, while 30% moisturize less than once a week.
- 34% add moisturizer to their skin care routine in the wintertime.
- 57% of Americans feel healthy skin is more important than staying up-to-date on social media.
- 23% would be willing to move to another climate if it promised healthier skin.
- 18% would be willing to give up their favorite food for the duration of winter if it meant not having dry skin for the season.
Basically, we are starting to realize the importance of maintaining our skin especially during the winter months. At the very least we should be more pro-active about using an emollient based moisturizer in the winter months, if not all year, and be sure to use an appropriate SPF factor moisturizing cream in the summer months.
Your skin is probably the organ most affected by controllable factors in our lifestyle. If your genetics shows cancer in your family you have a greater chance of contracting this in your body. Your skin can be protected from most factors that will influence its health with sensible care.