Skin Care

Our skin is the first defensive barrier against infections: it avoids water loss, regulates the body temperature and is our largest organ. Through our skin we perceive sensations and love.

The first contact of the mother’s skin with the child’s skin is of vital importance for appropriate mom-child bonding.
The skin is made of cells, fibers, blood vessels, nerves and glands connected by a substance to fulfill all the functions of the skin barrier. The skin is naturally lubricated and protected by a hydrolipidic layer.

Skin care is fundamental because skin can be the gate to any possible infections. We must bear in mind that at present there in an increasing number of antibiotic-resistant germs, for example staphylococcus, starting with a skin infection (pyodermitis), it can release toxins, disseminate and cause very severe clinical conditions posing a risk to the life of people suffering them..

Could skin be considered a mirror reflecting what happens inside the body?

This is true. Some patients present coetaneous signs, nevus, and change in skin pigmentation, vascular malformation or birth marks suggesting an internal pathology; identifying such pathology is of the utmost importance for an early diagnosis and proper treatment. Many times some coetaneous manifestations either on the skin or in the hair allow for the detection of some endocrine, rheumatic or metabolic conditions.

Has the reduction of the ozone layer impacted on skin diseases in recent years, especially in children? What are the best hours for sunbathing?

The ozone layer protects individuals from harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation, and upon reduction of such layer, the incidence of skin cancer, eye damage and photo aging has increased. It is believed that more than two thirds of population worldwide wears insufficient protection against solar radiation. We are engaged in creating awareness among parents and the educational community of their responsibility for taking care of children when exposing them to sun rays, during their first 18 years of life. The sun is important for us because it helps metabolizing vitamin D, essential for bone metabolism, but to get such benefit it only takes one hour of exposure to sun on the face, hands and feet at non-peak sun hours. However, we must bear in mind that we have to sunbathe during hours when no harm is made on the skin. You should not sunbathe from 10 am to 4 pm in spring and summer. Children under 1 year old must not be exposed to the sun and older children must be protected with SPF15 sunscreen, which must be applied every 2 hours or when getting out of water.

DRA. GRACIELA MANZUR
ASADEPE (Argentine Pediatric Dermatology Association)