4 Interesting Ways Your Immune System Affects Your Skin

There are a variety of things we can do to keep our skin healthy and vibrant. Proper sleep, exercise, a healthy diet, and managing stress are some of the things that you can do to maintain healthy skin. But do you know that your immune system plays a crucial role in keeping your skin healthy, too?

Our immune system is not just limited to fighting viruses and germs. It profoundly impacts our skin as well!

So, how does your immune system affect your skin health? And if a good immune system is great for your skin, what can you do to boost it?

How Tissues and Organs Work Effectively With a Healthy Immune System

First, what is the role of your immune system to your skin health?

Your skin is finely tied to your immune system because it serves as the first layer of defense against viruses and germs.

Since your skin is your primary defense mechanism against infections, it is packed with immune cells – this includes around 20 billion T-cells! Some cells, like keratinocytes, which are primarily responsible for producing keratin, will communicate to any nearby immune cells when harmful foreign particles such as antigens are detected.

That’s how integrated your immune system is with your skin. A strong immune system means healthy skin and, conversely, a weak immune system will have adverse effects on your skin.

What Are Skin Side Effects of a Poor Immune System

As mentioned above, an unhealthy immune system would harm your skin. There are many skin-related side effects to a weak immune system that you might experience.

1) Your skin may start to breakout

If you feel like your skin suffers every time you get a cold or flu, then that’s because your skin is tired from fighting off the bacteria, hence having an impact on its looks.

2) Your immune system becomes hypersensitive

Just as you don’t want a sluggish immune system, you won’t want a hypersensitive immune system either. One side effect of a hypersensitive immune system is when your skin reacts to particles that normally don’t trigger any reaction.

 If you find yourself suddenly feeling itchy over a detergent or dust when you usually don’t, chances are your immune system became hypersensitive.

3) Your skin is prone to bacterial infections

If your immune system is weak, it won’t be able to protect your skin effectively. As a result, bacteria can settle on your skin, causing bacterial infections and acne. 

4) Your skin won’t heal efficiently

Aside from protecting your skin from bacteria, your immune system also helps in your skin’s recovery. So, when your immune system is weak, you will notice that your skin won’t heal as efficiently as it should.

How Do We Boost Our Immune System

Since you need a healthy immune system to maintain healthy skin, you must keep your immune system in top shape. Here are some things you can do to boost your immune system.

1) Regular Exercise

Maintaining a regular exercise schedule reduces our stress levels, helps us stay in a positive mood (by producing more endorphins or our “happy hormones”) and, more importantly, it helps in our blood circulation – which effectively distributes white blood cells, responsible for detecting and fighting off bacteria in our body.

2) Healthy Diet

A healthy diet will also go a long way for our immune system and overall health. You might be surprised to know that your gut wall houses 70-80% of the cells that make up your immune system. The immune system needs a sufficient amount of Vitamin C and Zinc. Foods like oranges, papayas, broccoli, sweet potato, and tomatoes are rich in Vitamin C. And don’t forget about watercress for tons of Vitamin C! Also, I am a huge advocate of sustainably sourced bone broth as a way to boost the immune system. Bone broth has been found to seal the lining in your gut preventing “leaky gut” syndrome. Additionally, bone broth has a ton of collagen which does wonders for joint health and your skin.

3) Manage your stress

Stress is not necessarily bad for us, and in fact, we need stress to survive. Stress is a vital warning system, which produces the fight-or-flight response that we experience throughout our lives.

That said, most of our stress is unnecessary, which is why stress management is essential. Regular exercise, a healthy diet, having close relationships with people you love, and having hobbies or interests are some ways to reduce stress and increase positivity in your life.

A healthy immune system can lead to healthy skin. If you want to have glowing and beautiful skin, one thing to keep in mind is your immune system’s health. Luckily, this can be maintained by doing activities to boost serotonin. Regular exercise, proper sleep, a healthy diet, and stress management will help keep your immune system in shape!