Health and your appearance tend to go hand in hand, especially with today’s media. But there is a grain of truth to this notion; if you don’t have a good handle on your health, there’s a good chance it’s going to start showing in your face, skin, and body. Of course, effects like this aren’t irreversible, but it can still be a shock to wake up one day and suddenly not recognize yourself in the mirror.
So let’s think a little more about how your health and your appearance interact, and the common problems that arise on the outside due to a problem on the inside.
A Bit of Dry Skin?
Dry skin is a common problem a lot of people experience. After all, there are all kinds of skin types out there, and a bit of flaking here and there is something you would usually associate with your natural skin type or a fault in your skincare routine. But sometimes, it might be a sign of something a little more serious that denotes a lack of moisture and hydration in your body.
Of course, the first thing to do is consider the environment. Is it way too hot or too cold? Is it too dry? Change these environmental factors before you think about the potential internal causes. But if humidifying the air or turning the thermostat up makes no change, it might be worth it to book a doctor’s appointment.
It might be that you need to top up on vitamins and minerals, and getting tested for deficiencies will help guide you in what multivitamins you should buy. On the other hand, your dry skin could be a symptom of an overactive thyroid, which is quite common.
At the same time, people with chronic diseases like diabetes are more likely to experience dry skin than anyone else. If your dry skin has been a common problem and goes hand in hand with increased hunger and thirst, this might be a good time to present these concerns to a professional.
More Hair Than You Expected?
We all grow hair on our bodies, and it’s perfectly normal to be covered in fine hairs on your arms and legs and your back and stomach. It’s a remnant of when we used to have thicker coats before we evolved into the mammals we are now, and the hair we have still does its best to keep us warm in winter. It’s nothing a visit to some leading aesthetic doctors wouldn’t fix!
But sometimes, if the hair is a lot thicker and darker than typical, it could be a sign of something like PCOS. It’s known as Hirsutism, and affects most of the people with the condition – maybe you’ve just shaved it away in the past or tried to bleach it, but if it’s persisted, it might be worth it to ask for a blood test or a pelvic examination.
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