Our bodies work hard to keep their systems in a state of balance; every stimulus that creates a reaction from the body kick-starts homeostatic mechanisms to keep us alive and working. But what exactly is it? Homeostasis is an entire collective of processes to maintain a stable internal environment within an organism, regardless of the stimuli from the external environment.
Homeostasis is maintained by the body’s ability to control a variety of processes:
- The body temperature
- The relationship between blood glucose levels and fluid balance
- The pH of the blood It’s a self-regulating process that is necessary to sustain life!
To break it down, your body continuously works to maintain homeostasis regulation through three stages.
Receptor
The sensing component is responsible for monitoring and responding to changes in the external or internal environment.
Control Center
This receives and processes information from the receptor.
Effector
The effector responds to the commands of the control center. It has the potential to either oppose or enhance the stimulus.
Homeostasis in action in your skin
- Receptor Cutaneous receptors of the skin.
- Control Center Brain
- Effector Blood vessels and sweat glands in the skin.
The skin contains receptors that detect changes in the skin caused by internal or external stimuli such as UV exposure or stress which can raise its temperature. If the external temperature rises or drops below a certain level, the brain (control center) sends a signal to blood vessels and sweat glands in our skin to react. They either dilate to cause your body’s temperature to drop or the vessels to constrict to retain heat.
Homeostasis & Optimizing Skin
Our skin contains a remarkable amount of structures that make it unique, such as hair follicles, touch domes, and sweat glands which are important for regulating temperature and sensing the environment while also influencing our social behavior! The skin continuously proliferates new cells from the stem cell row below skin cells as it's responsible for the homeostasis of the skin. When the skin is not able to reach homeostasis, and lifestyle habits like alcohol or UV exposure become excessive, the skin can become damaged, ultimately increasing the rate of aging and disease.
Homeostasis in the skin is responsible for:
- The protection from invasion by pathogens,
- The release of some metabolic waste products
- The protection against UV radiation
What can throw homeostasis off?
- Genetics
- Lifestyle habits (exercise, diet, alcohol, UV exposure, etc.)
- Venoms and toxins
- Psychological health
- Side effects of medicines and medical procedures
What can we do to assist homeostasis in achieving equilibrium?
Homeostasis is crucial for the survival of organisms and is seen as resistance to changes from the external environment. This is the reason for skin fluctuations when lifestyle factors come into play – excess UV exposure, alcohol, stress, and lack of sleep, for example. So, what are our options? Aside from finding the right balance for diet, sleep, and work, there is another system that has a major impact on homeostasis in the skin.
In the past few years, it has become evident that the ECS [Endocannabinoid System] plays a huge role in homeostasis and the complete health of our skin. Studies show that the disruption of the ECS has been associated with dermatological disorders such as atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, and scleroderma (autoimmune disorder)1. And as researchers are keen to discover more about the ECS, other researchers have laid the groundwork for studies around applications of CBD [cannabidiol] and how it can help to restore malfunctions in homeostasis via the ECS. As more studies provide evidence of CBD’s role in homeostasis and the complete health of our skin, GOA will continue stressing the importance of up-to-date knowledge about CBD and other up-and-coming phytocannabinoids like CBG and CBDa.
GOA's RS-V2 [CBD Recovery Facial Serum] was launched in October '21 with a clear directive to assist in the equilibrium of the skin. Containing 850 ml of CBD while packing 2% Neurophroline and biomimetic molecules, the RS-V2 delivers an immediate solution to non-severe, damaged skin. Find out more about how it can be part of your lifestyle.
