Unbeknown to most people, skin is an organ. In fact, it’s the largest organ of the human body. Organs are a collection or group of tissues which form a distinct shape and serve a specific purpose. For example, the heart pumps oxygenated blood throughout the body via its circulatory system. Our skin mainly protects our physical bodies and regulates our temperatures, It’s also responsible for our sense of touch.

Taking good care of it is essential, which is why True Organic Wise Living sells organic cotton and bamboo blend towels to keep your skin looking and feeling great!

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It comes in threes

The skin has 3 layers: the epidermis, the dermis, and the hypodermis. The epidermis is the outermost layer of the skin; it’s waterproof, made up of squamous cells, and it yields our skin tone through a pigment (melanin) which tans the skin when exposed to sunlight. The dermis is the second layer and harbors our hair follicles and sweat glands. It consists of an elastic, fibrous tissue made up mostly of collagen (a protein) and a little elastin. The hypodermis, the third and deepest layer, consists of large blood vessels, connective tissue, and fat, which insulates and protects the body.

A strong yet vulnerable barrier

Our skin certainly protects us against harmful agents, but it’s not impervious. Certain chemicals can enter our skin through our skin’s pores, and overexposure to irritants can, for instance, result in adverse or allergic reactions such as rashes and redness. These irritants can also enter our bodies through our eyes, nose and mouth, resulting in troublesome sensations which vary in intensity depending on how much of the chemical is ingested. If we ingest too much, whether through the ears, nose, mouth or skin, we put ourselves and our health at great risk. This includes, but is not limited to: our body’s immune and respiratory systems becoming weaker, nerve damage, diminished memory, reduction in reproductive abilities or infertility, paralysis, cancer and death.

Prevention

Our modern environments are becoming increasingly toxic. New buildings harbor a host of toxic chemicals, as do furniture and most linens. One chemical that we should never touch or ingest (and should just avoid altogether) is formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is an ear, nose, and throat irritant with carcinogenic properties (in other words, it can cause cancer in humans). Though it is commonly used as an embalming fluid to preserve the dead bodies of humans and animals in laboratory settings, it is more commonplace than many people realize; you can find it in trace amounts on the surfaces of objects we interact with daily, such as wooden cabinets, drawers and tables, towels, and sheets.

When it comes to the absorption of chemicals by the skin, we should pay special attention to those parts of the body which tend to be moist, such as the armpits, head, hands, feet, neck, and groin. After showering especially, the pores in those areas are open and vulnerable and chemicals from towels can be more easily absorbed into the skin: According to a research conducted by the Taipei Consumer Foundation, 66% of towels contain fluorescent agents and another 53% contain formaldehyde. 

       Using GOTS certified organic cotton towels or OEKO-TEX certified towels guarantees no harmful chemicals come in contact with your skin or the skin of your baby which is a great first line of defense against a toxic environment.

Learn more about the True Organic Wise Living (TOWL) difference today!