“Dull skin” loses the original brightness of the skin and looks dark, so it may give a negative impression not only to others but also to yourself in the mirror. In particular, people who suddenly have a thick layer of foundation should be careful. Also, there are various causes of dull skin, so even if you haven't noticed it yet, it's worth knowing the correct care and prevention methods. In this article, we will explain the effects and causes of dull skin, and how to prevent and improve it.

Effect of skin dullness

When the skin becomes dull, it has a negative effect on beauty, such as “dark tone” and “difficult to achieve transparency”. Check out the details below.


A darker skin tone

Lighter skin tone (brightness) tends to give a youthful and healthy image, while darker skin tends to give an unhealthy image. It is also called "toning down" when the tone of the skin goes down. Skin dullness is a typical cause of tone down.

Specific negative impressions include "looking older than one's actual age", "looking gloomy", and "looking tired". In addition, not only other people but also many people feel the same way every morning when they see their own face without makeup, which may have a negative impact on their motivation to enjoy life every day.

-Difficult to achieve transparency

Dullness is one of the most annoying problems for women, not only because it affects the tone of the skin, but also because it makes it difficult to achieve a sense of transparency. The image of transparency varies from person to person, but the Japan Cosmetic Industry Association defines skin transparency as ``a state in which the skin looks clear without cloudiness.''

Keywords for transparency include "gloss" and "texture," and "elasticity" and "moisture." If the skin becomes dull, the complexion becomes more reddish, brownish, and darker in tone, so there is a high chance that it will lose all of the elements that make up its clarity. Also, if you apply a thick foundation to cover dullness, you may end up with a “thick skin” that looks older.

If you want to maintain and improve the transparency of your skin, it is important to understand the causes of dull skin and take measures to improve it from the root.

Causes of dullness on the skin

There are many different causes of dull skin. Therefore, regardless of gender, age, or living environment, many people need to be careful. Here are five of the most common causes of dull skin.


Disturbed turnover

Normally, it takes about 4 weeks (28 days) to regenerate old skin cells into new skin cells, which is called “turnover”. If this turnover cycle is disturbed, old skin "keratin" that is originally peeled off as dirt accumulates on the skin, causing various skin problems. Of course, dull skin is no exception.

The condition in which keratin accumulates on the skin is called “keratin thickening”. The thickened keratin blocks the penetration of light, so the skin becomes darker and loses its transparency.

●Drying

When the skin dries out, it loses the "moisture" and "elasticity" that are important for giving a sense of transparency. In addition, since dry skin has a lower "skin texture", it cannot reflect light evenly compared to skin with sufficient moisture, and the "skin gloss" is lost, and the entire face looks dull. There is also Of course, people with a tendency to dry skin need to be especially careful in winter, when the risk of dryness increases.

●Ultraviolet rays

Excessive UV rays are the enemy of the skin. In particular, when exposed to external stimulation by ultraviolet rays, the body creates "melanin pigment" that causes dullness in order to protect the skin. Normally, melanin pigment is excreted by turnover. However, when turnover is disturbed and pigmentation occurs without being discharged, it causes “dark brown dullness”.

Poor blood circulation

The "redness" of healthy skin reflects the color of the blood that flows beneath the skin. If the blood circulation is poor, the blood flow through the blood vessels will decrease and the redness will fade. As a result, the skin becomes yellow or dark and dull. In addition, it can be said that one of the reasons for dark and dull skin is that the capillaries are blue and conspicuous in skin with poor blood circulation.

●Saccharification

The cause of yellowish dullness is suspected to be "saccharification" in which carbohydrates and proteins combine under the skin. Glycation refers to the mechanism by which excess carbohydrates ingested combine with proteins to produce AGEs (advanced glycation end products). When AGEs are produced, the dermis, which is located inside the epidermis of the skin and occupies most of the skin tissue, turns yellow and causes dullness. Glycated tissue is usually improved by turnover.

How to prevent and improve skin dullness

There are many causes of dullness of the skin, but prevention and improvement methods can be expected to be effective across multiple causes. It also helps prevent other skin problems such as blemishes and acne, so why not review the four basic measures first?


Eating a nutritionally balanced diet

Unbalanced nutrient intake and nutritional deficiencies increase the risk of disturbed turnover and are involved in various skin disorders, including dull skin. It can be said that the basics of beauty are to avoid meals that tend to lead to excessive intake of sugar, salt, and lipids, such as junk food and sweets, and to practice a nutritionally balanced diet. On top of that, it is recommended that you supplement your diet with nutrients such as protein, vitamins, and zinc that are likely to improve your health and beauty with supplements.

● Moisturize

Daily moisturizing is essential to prevent the occurrence of dullness due to dry skin. After washing your face, be sure to use lotion, as well as milky lotion, to firmly cover the face with oil to prevent moisture from escaping. According to the Japanese Dermatological Association, the recommended number of times to use a moisturizer is "about twice a day."

Take measures against UV rays

It is also important to prevent the production of melanin by taking measures against UV rays. Apply sunscreen evenly and wear a hat and parasol when going out. Ultraviolet rays are falling regardless of the season, weather, indoors or outdoors, so it is necessary to take measures for all seasons.

●Exercise

Lack of exercise is one of the causes of poor blood circulation. Let's prevent and improve poor blood circulation by doing moderate exercise. For those who do not have a habit of exercising or who are not good at exercising, it is a good idea to start with something that is easy to work on, such as walking or stretching. Incorporating exercise into your daily life is also recommended because it is easy to make it a habit, such as going shopping by bicycle or walking instead of driving, or walking one station longer when commuting. Moderate exercise has great health and beauty benefits, such as preventing obesity, relieving stress, and preventing swelling, so it is worth actively working on it.

Do not eat too much sugar

In order to prevent the formation of AGEs, excessive sugar intake should be avoided. It is recommended to check the ingredients such as avoiding sweets with a lot of sugar and eating a lot of vegetables with a low sugar content.

Measures against dull skin start with improving your diet

There are several ways to prevent dullness of the skin, but it is difficult to obtain results overnight, except for external stimuli such as ultraviolet rays. Therefore, it is important to keep in mind that lifestyle habits such as exercise and diet should be “continued without difficulty” as much as possible. For example, there are many hurdles, such as the cost of buying ingredients and the time and effort involved in cooking, to continue to take in all the nutrients you need in your daily diet. It is also an important point to incorporate





Chairman of the Board of Medical Corporation Ryokokai W CLINIC General Director
Mayumi Adachi

Graduated from Wakayama Medical University in 2001 and entered the Department of Plastic Surgery at Osaka Medical University in the same year.
Graduated from Osaka Medical University Graduate School of Medicine and obtained Doctor of Medicine.
2003: Worked in plastic surgery at Daiichi Towakai Medical Corporation Towakai Hospital
He was involved in the establishment of the clinic's cosmetic dermatology and cosmetic surgery departments, and was the managing physician.
2010 Appointed director of a certain beauty clinic
2014: Launched "W CLINIC", a beauty clinic with an unprecedented new concept, in Shinsaibashi, Osaka.
2017 Appointed Chairman of the Medical Corporation Ryokokai
2019 Opening of Medical Corporation Ryokokai W CLINIC Umeda Clinic
2021 Medical Corporation Ryokokai W Femina clinic opens
2022 Medical Corporation Ryokokai W Clinic Homme opens

With extensive experience in aesthetic medicine, we go beyond the boundaries of aesthetic medicine and develop holistic medicine such as Oriental medicine and Ayurveda.
With the theme of "Beauty comes from a healthy body," this clinic is attracting attention in Osaka, offering the latest in beauty with a variety of approaches that you wouldn't expect from a beauty clinic.
In September 2019, we opened “W holistic retreat”, a members-only space consisting of three zones: dining x studio x farm, on the 10th floor of the same building. After that, it reopened in April 2023 as “W holistic cafe” ~Intestinal Cafe~. Based on the concept that "Beauty begins with a healthy body," we offer food and drinks that are free of animal products, white sugar, white rice, wheat, and food additives. In addition to medical treatment, we provide comprehensive health care by recommending things that are good for your body, and support women who stay strong, supple, and radiant despite their busy daily lives.

Utilizing his experience as a plastic surgeon, cosmetic dermatologist, and cosmetic surgeon, he established "W CLINIC" in Osaka with the theme of "Beauty begins with a healthy body."
We provide the latest beauty through a variety of approaches that incorporate holistic medicine, advocating not only medical treatment but also the body's original healthy and beautiful state.

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