We put a lot of importance into caring for our skin, which makes sense, since it's the first thing other people see. Skin might also be one of the most misunderstood parts of our bodies, so today, I'd like to run through some of the most common myths we have about our skin.
我们非常重视对皮肤的护理, 这并非没有道理, 毕竟人们一眼就会看到它。 皮肤可能也是受误解最深的 身体部位之一, 所以,今天我想简要谈谈 人们对皮肤最常见的几大误解。
(Music)
[珍·冈特博士谈关于身体的那些事 ]
[Body Stuff with Dr. Jen Gunter]
(Music) Myth number one – healthy skin is skin that looks flawless. When we think of healthy skin, we might think of a clear, even surface that's radiant and devoid of blemishes. But skin is a living organ, just like the heart or lungs and just like any other organ, it's complex, serves many functions, and not just about what's going on at the surface.
误区一:健康的皮肤就是 看起来没有瑕疵的皮肤。 当我们想到健康的皮肤时, 可能会想到一个干净平坦的表面, 它光彩照人、毫无瑕疵。 但像心脏或肺一样, 皮肤是一个有生命的器官, 也如其他任何一个器官一样, 它很复杂,有很多功能, 不能单就表面而论。
The epidermis is the outer layer we can see. It's made up of different cell types, including keratinocytes, which are replaced every four weeks. As new cells grow at the base, old cells are pushed up and form a harder layer that's difficult for water or microbes to cross. Our keratinocytes also synthesize vitamin D from the sun, which is vital for our health. Other important cells in the epidermis include melanocytes, which produce melanin or our skin pigment, and Langerhans cells, which are like little security guards on patrol for pathogens.
表皮是我们能看到的外面那层构造, 它由不同类型的细胞组成, 其中包括角质形成细胞, 这些细胞每四周更新一次。 新细胞在基底不断增殖时, 老化的细胞向上移动, 形成坚韧的角质层, 防止水分丧失和微生物入侵。 角质形成细胞在阳光照射时 还能合成维生素 D, 这对我们的健康十分重要。 表皮层中的其他重要细胞 包括黑色素细胞, 它产生黑色素或皮肤色素, 以及郎格罕细胞, 它们像巡逻的小小保镖, 防止抗原作祟。
The dermis, our skin's tough second layer, isn't as well known. It's a scaffold of collagen that's home to blood vessels, hair follicles and glands. It's also packed with special nerve cells called sensory receptors that allow us to feel pressure, vibration, even pain, some of which extend into the epidermis. The dermis also helps regulate temperature. If we're cold, our blood vessels contract to retain heat, and if we're hot, they expand to release it.
真皮是皮肤结构中的 第二层,它十分坚韧, 却不像表皮那样为人们熟知。 它主要由胶原蛋白构成的支架, 内含血管、毛囊和腺体。 真皮层遍布特殊的神经细胞, 被称为感受器, 它们使我们能够感觉到 压力、振动甚至疼痛, 其中一些会延伸到表皮层。 真皮层还可以帮我们调节温度。 如果我们感觉冷, 血管会收缩以保存热量; 而如果我们感觉热, 它们就会扩张以释放热量。
We're told to exfoliate and tone and condition our skin, to use rollers and serums and lasers. Some of that does work, especially for folks with specific skin conditions, but for normal to healthy skin, we might be spending a lot of money on bunk products, because healthy skin is simply skin that does its jobs.
别人告诉我们要用 滚轮按摩仪、精华液和激光 去角质、调理和保养皮肤, 其中一些方法确实有效, 特别是对那些皮肤状况 比较特殊的人更是如此, 但如果我们的皮肤处于 正常到健康的状态, 就可能花很多冤枉钱购买劣质产品, 因为正常工作的皮肤 就是健康的皮肤。
Myth number two – you only need sunscreen on sunny days. Ultraviolet rays from the sun are so strong, they damage our cells' DNA. There are two types that affect the skin. UVA rays penetrate the dermis, damaging the collagen scaffold and accelerating aging. UVB rays, meanwhile, cook the epidermis, causing sunburn. While our cells can repair that damage, it accumulates over time, and for some people, it can lead to skin cancer. Our skin has a defense system. When it's exposed to UV, our melanocytes release more melanin and we get a tan. This process is actually our skin's way of showing it's been damaged, and protecting itself from more. So by wearing sunscreen with an SPF of 30, even when it’s cloudy, you’re protecting yourself from sunburn, early aging and skin cancer. Just choose one that's broad spectrum. That means it's blocking UVA and UVB rays.
误区二:只需在晴天涂抹防晒霜。 阳光中的紫外线非常强烈, 它们会损害我们细胞的基因。 有两种类型的紫外线会损伤皮肤: 一是长波紫外线,它会穿透真皮层。 破坏其中的胶原蛋白成分 并加速皮肤老化; 另一个是中波紫外线, 它会灼烧表皮,导致晒伤。 虽然我们的细胞可自行修复损伤, 但是时间一长, 这种损伤会不断加深, 一些人会因此得皮肤癌。 我们的皮肤有一个防御系统, 当皮肤暴露在紫外线下时, 黑色素细胞会释放更多黑色素, 我们的皮肤会被晒黑。 这一过程实际上是皮肤 在告诉我们它已经受到损伤, 它正在采取措施 防止受到进一步的损伤。 因此,即使是阴天, 你也要用 30 倍的防晒霜, 以预防皮肤晒伤、早衰和皮肤癌。 选择广谱防晒霜就可以了, 广谱防晒霜可以阻挡 长波紫外线和中波紫外线。
Myth number three – people with darker skin don't need sunscreen. Most of us produce two types of melanin – eumelanin, associated with richer, brown tones, and pheomelanin, associated with lighter skin and freckles. Our skin color depends on the ratio between those two types of melanin and the density of pigment creating structures within our cells. It's true that having more melanin, specifically that first type, does offer some protection from the sun, depending on how dark our skin is, we do have some natural SPF, but it's not nearly enough. We all need sunscreen to ward off damage. Black and Hispanic patients are also more likely to have skin cancer detected at advanced stages. Why? Because of the many ways that racism permeates medicine. The majority of dermatologists are white, and we're trained to diagnose on white skin. Meanwhile, people of color have heard this myth of darker skin not being susceptible to skin cancer repeated. Black patients are also less likely to receive early screenings, leading to the delayed diagnosis.
误区三: 皮肤较黑的人不需要防晒霜。 我们大多数人都会产生 两种类型的黑色素—— 与深色、棕色皮肤有关的真黑素 以及与浅色皮肤和雀斑 有关的棕黑色素。 我们的皮肤颜色取决于 这两种黑色素的比例, 以及在我们的细胞内 形成自身结构的色素的密度。 诚然,更多黑色素 特别是第一种类型的黑色素 确实可以起到一些保护皮肤 免受太阳光线损伤的作用, 防护效果取决于我们的皮肤有多黑。 我们的确有一些天然防晒机制, 但这还远远不够。 每个人都需要防晒霜来抵御伤害。 黑人和拉美裔患者, 发现皮肤癌时已是晚期的几率更高。 为什么?因为种族主义 以多种方式渗透到医学领域。 大多数皮肤科医生是白人, 他们接受的训练只告诉他们 如何对白色皮肤的状况进行诊断。 与此同时,有色人种经常听到的是 深色皮肤不容易 患皮肤癌的错误观点。 黑人患者也较少接受 皮肤癌早期筛查, 到发现时为时已晚。
One particular dangerous form of skin cancer, acral melanoma, doesn't even come from ultraviolet exposure, and it shows up in parts of the body that we might not think about – nail beds and the bottoms of our feet. It's an area we need more messaging about, especially for people of color, who experience higher levels of distrust toward doctors after years of mistreatment by the American Medical System.
一种特别危险的皮肤癌 —— 尖锐黑素瘤, 甚至都不是由紫外线照射引起的, 它出现在我们可能 都不会想到的部位—— 甲床和脚底。 我们需要对这方面多加宣传, 特别是要向有色人种宣传, 他们长年受到美国 医疗系统的不公正对待, 对医生更加缺乏信任。
Myth number four – you can shrink your pores. Pores are the tiny openings in our skin. If you go further down, you'll find a hair follicle or gland. You can think of pores as ducts. They're what let sweat cool you and oil lubricate your skin. Pore size is largely determined by genetics, and they don't really shrink, but they can expand when our skin is irritated by makeup or harsh products. So save your money on pore minimizers and just wash your face with what dermatologists recommend as noncomedogenic – basically, made from stuff that won't clog pores.
误区四:你可以收缩毛孔。 毛孔是我们皮肤上的微小开口, 再往下就是毛囊或腺体。 你可以把毛孔看作是管道, 它们排出汗液使你感到凉爽, 分泌油脂润滑你的皮肤。 毛孔的大小在很大程度上 是由基因决定的, 它们并不会真的收缩, 倒是会在皮肤受到化妆品 或刺激性产品的刺激时扩张。 因此,省下购买毛孔缩小用品的钱, 用皮肤科医生推荐的不会引起 粉刺的产品清洁面部就可以了—— 基本上就是那些 所含成分不会堵塞毛孔的产品。
Myth number five – chocolate causes acne. Acne is the inflammation that occurs when our hair follicles get clogged with oil and dead skin, allowing bacteria to overgrow. There are a lot of factors involved, from hormones to genetics. The link between acne and chocolate has been studied extensively, but the results are pretty trash. Studies that say chocolate is an acne aggravator tend to be small, so aren't conclusive, and studies that absolve chocolate are sometimes funded by chocolate makers. Studying diet and its effect on acne is complex, but the research suggests that the healthiest diet for your body overall could also be the healthiest diet for your skin.
误区五:吃巧克力会生粉刺。 粉刺是 油脂和死皮堵塞毛囊 导致细菌滋长而引起的炎症, 引发粉刺的原因多种多样, 激素、遗传等等都有影响。 粉刺和巧克力之间的联系 已经被广泛研究, 却没有一个结果 真正令人信服。 声称巧克力会加重粉刺的研究 本就为数不多, 所以不足为信。 而那些为巧克力辩白的研究, 有时是由巧克力制造商资助的。 饮食及其与粉刺的关系 研究起来十分复杂, 但研究表明, 对身体最健康的饮食 可能也是对你皮肤最健康的饮食。
Our skin is an amazing organ, so let's remember to treat it right. Wear your sunscreen, keep an eye on any moles and see a dermatologist if there are any changes. And ignore those myths, OK?
我们的皮肤是一个神奇的器官, 切记不要随意对待它。 要涂抹防晒霜,留意身上的痣, 如果出现任何异常, 要去看皮肤科医生。 不要理会那些错误的说法,好吗?