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.
我們非常重視照護我們的皮膚, 這也合理,畢竟別人第一眼 看到的就是我們的皮膚。 皮膚可能也是我們身體中 最被誤解的部位。 所以,今天,我想談談 跟皮膚相關最常見的迷思。 (音樂) 〔身體的五四三,珍甘特博士主持〕
(Music)
[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.
迷思一: 健康的皮膚看起來完美無瑕。 說到健康的皮膚, 我們可能會想到乾淨平滑的表面, 亮到發光,沒有任何瘢點。 但皮膚是活器官,就像心臟或肺, 且就像所有其他器官一樣, 它很複雜,有許多功能, 不只是做做「表面功夫」而已。
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.
表皮層是我們能看到的外層, 由不同類型的細胞組成, 包括每四週更替一次的角質細胞。 當新細胞在基部生長, 舊細胞就會被推上去, 形成更堅硬的一層, 水或微生物都難以穿過。 日光照射也能讓角質細胞 合成維生素 D, 對健康很重要。 表皮層中還有其他重要細胞, 像是黑色素細胞, 會產生黑色素或我們的膚色。 以及蘭格罕細胞, 就像巡邏的小警衛, 負責對付病原體。
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.
真皮層是皮膚的第二層,很堅韌, 沒有那麼為人所知。 它是膠原蛋白做的鷹架, 是血管、毛囊,和腺體的家。 這一層還裝滿了特殊的神經細胞, 叫做感覺受器, 讓我們能感覺到壓力、 震動,甚至痛楚, 有些受器會延伸至表皮層。 真皮層也會協助調節溫度。 如果我們覺得冷, 血管會收縮來保留體熱, 如果我們覺得熱, 血管會擴張來散熱。
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.
別人教我們要去角質、 管理膚色、保養皮膚, 要用滾棒、血清,和雷射。 其中有些確實有效, 特別是對有特定皮膚病的人而言, 但若皮膚狀況屬於正常到健康之間, 我們可能就白花很多錢買產品了, 因為健康的皮膚 很單純就是稱職工作的皮膚。
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.
迷思二: 出太陽時才要塗防曬油。 太陽的紫外線非常強, 足以破壞我們細胞的 DNA。 有兩種紫外線會影響到皮膚。 UVA 射線會穿透真皮層, 破壞膠原蛋白鷹架,加速老化。 至於 UVB 射線則會 燒壞表皮層,造成曬傷。 雖然我們的細胞能修復這類損傷, 但隨著時間積累, 有些人會因此得到皮膚癌。 我們的皮膚也有防禦系統。 暴露在紫外線下時, 黑色素細胞會釋放更多黑色素, 我們就會曬黑。 皮膚其實是透過這個過程 來表示它受到損傷, 以保護它不要再受到更多損傷。 所以,即使是陰天也要 塗抹防曬係數三十的防曬油, 這樣才能保護自己不會曬傷、 提早老化,以及得皮膚癌。 選一種廣效的防曬油即可。 廣效表示可以阻擋 UVA 以及 UVB 射線。
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.
迷思三: 膚色較深的人不用防曬。 大部分的人會產生兩種黑色素: 真黑色素,與更多樣的 棕色膚色有關, 還有偽黑色素,與較淺的 膚色及雀斑有關。 我們的膚色取決於 這兩種黑色素的比例, 及細胞內建造結構的色素 有多高的密度。 的確,有更多黑色素, 明確來說是第一種黑色素, 的確有些對抗太陽的保護效果, 根據膚色的深淺, 我們的確有些天然的防曬係數, 但離足夠還差得遠呢。 我們都需要防曬油來防止受傷害。 黑人和西班牙裔患者 也比較有可能到了 皮膚癌末期才發現罹癌。 為什麼?因為種族主義會 透過多種方式滲透到醫學中。 皮膚科醫生多數是白人, 我們受到的訓練是對白皮膚做診斷, 同時,有色人種也不斷聽到這個迷思, 相信膚色較深就不易得到皮膚癌。 黑人病人也比較少接受早期篩檢, 導致太晚才診斷出來。
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.
有種特別危險的皮膚癌稱為 肢端黑色素瘤, 這種皮膚癌甚至不是 因為暴露在紫外線底下造成的, 且它會出現在身上意想不到的部位, 指甲的甲床和腳底。 我們需要在這個領域傳遞更多訊息, 特別是針對有色人種宣導, 他們比較不信任醫生, 因為他們長年都受到 美國醫療系統的不當對待。
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.
迷思四:可以把毛孔縮小。 毛孔是皮膚上的微小開口。 順著毛孔往下,會發現毛囊和腺體。 可以把毛孔想像成導管。 有毛孔,流汗才能讓你冷卻, 油脂才能潤滑皮膚。 毛孔大小主要取決於基因, 且毛孔不會縮小, 但當皮膚被化妝品或粗糙產品 刺激時,毛孔會擴張。 所以,別花錢買縮小毛孔的產品, 用皮膚科醫生推薦的 防粉刺產品洗臉就好—— 基本上,這類產品的 成分不會堵塞毛孔。 迷思五:
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.
吃巧克力會長痘痘。 青春痘是種發炎,成因是 毛囊被油脂和死皮堵塞, 讓細菌過度生長。 相關的因素很多, 從荷爾蒙到基因都有可能。 有很多研究在探討 青春痘和巧克力的關係, 但研究結果很沒價值。 說巧克力會讓青春痘更嚴重的研究 多半是無法做出結論的小型研究; 而認為巧克力無罪的研究, 有些是巧克力製造商出資做的。 研究飲食及它對青春痘的 影響是很複雜的事, 但,研究指出,對你的身體 整體而言最健康的飲食, 可能也是對你的皮膚最健康的飲食。 皮膚是很神奇的器官, 別忘了要正確地對待它。
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?
要塗防曬油,注意每一顆痣, 如果痣有發生任何變化, 要去看皮膚科醫生。 還有,別理會那些迷思,好嗎?