Skin Care
Skin is the
largest organ in the body, both by weight and surface area. In
adults, the weight of your skin accounts for about 16% of your total
body weight. The skin separates the internal environment from the
external. The skin serves as a barrier to the environment, protects
us from water loss, protects us from UV rays of the sun, produces
vitamin D, helps regulate body temperature, helps regulate
metabolism and has aesthetic qualities. However, skin diseases and
infections can compromise that barrier. The skin is composed of
several layers. The lowest layer is called the dermis. This layer is
composed of a connective
tissue,
blood vessels, nerve endings, hair follicles, and sweat and oil
glands. The outermost or top layer of skin is called the epidermis.
This is the layer of skin we see. This layer rests on top of the
dermis. The thickness of the epidermis varies with your age, your
sex, and the location on the body of the skin. For example, the
epidermis on the underside of the forearm is about five cell-layers
thick. On the sole of the foot, the epidermis might be 30
cell-layers thick. The epidermis is, for the most part, impermeable
to water. The epidermis consists of many layers: The stratum corneum,
or outer layer. This layer is made of flattened epithelial cells in
multiple layers. These layers are called keratinized layers because
of the buildup of the protein keratin in those cells. Keratin is a
strong protein that is specific to the skin, hair and nails. This
layer of skin is, for the most part, dead. It is composed of cells
that are almost pure protein. The translucent, or transitional
layer. This is a translucent, thin layer of cells. This layer is
sometimes visible in thick
skin;
however, nuclei and other organelles are not visible. The cytoplasm
(the amorphous area between the nucleus and the outer membrane of
the cell) is mostly made of keratin filaments. The suprabasal
layers. This is three to five layers of flattened polygonal cells
that have granules in the cytoplasm. Below them is a layer of
cube-shaped cells that also contain bundles of keratin filaments.
The basal or cell-division layer. This layer is just above the
basement membrane and the dermis. It is a single layer of
cells that
undergo cell division to renew the upper layers of the epidermis.
The human epidermis is renewed every 15-30 days. Proper surface
nutrition feeds the cells of the basal layer. Exfoliation will
remove dry or damaged skin of the outer layer to allow newer cells
to be visible.
Skin problems arise from allergies, molds, foods,
chemicals, cosmetics, insect bites, sun, wind, drugs and
alcohol, just to name a few. Keeping healthy skin involves
proper cleansing, providing moisture when needed, minimizing
exposure to environmental elements, and the right nutrients for
proper regeneration of cells. Neglect of this important organ can
create skin that appears aged and unhealthy.
Time,
weather, pollution and ultraviolet radiation can damage the
appearance of your skin. You can combat these elements by minimizing
your exposure to environmental elements, consuming sufficient water
each day and getting ample rest. In addition, it's important to
manage stress properly and to pay close attention to your diet.
Nutrients such as antioxidant vitamins A, C and E can help protect
your skin from free-radical damage and provide cell nourishment. In
addition, choose high-quality personal care items that cleanse,
invigorate, nourish, moisturize and protect your skin and hair.
