UNMASKING THE SKIN
The skin looks like a simple covering for the body when you look in the mirror.
This is deceptive as the skin is the largest living organ in the human body.
It is essential and hard working as the brain or heart.
The skin protects the inside, keeps foreign invaders out, regulates body temperature, gets rid of waste matters, acts as a water reservoir, manufactures vitamin D from sunlight and houses our senses of touch and pain.
It looks smooth and flat from afar but on close look you see it has a network of tiny grooves.
LAYERS OF THE SKIN
- The epidermis- this is the outer layer
- The dermis the second layer.
They send signals to the brain to activate several physiological functions.
The Epidermis:
- Provides front line defense
- Allows light to pass through to the body
- Contains the protein keratin
- It also has the stratum corneum
- Contains blood vessels that supply it with oxygen and nutrients.
- The Langerhans cells fights invaders
- Melanocytes provide pigmentation for the skin and hair determining their color
- The melanocytes protect the skin from UV radiation
The Dermis:
This is composed entirely of living cells. The epidermis can repair itself but the dermis can be permanently damaged.
It contains mainly collagen- responsible for structural support that is strength and resilience of the skin.
Collagen is packed in bundles and held together by elastic fibers made up of the protein elastin. Elastin gives the skin its tone, plumpness and elasticity.
Sebaceous glands, hair, follicles and sweat glands are found in the dermis. The sebaceous gland produces sebum the natural lubricant for the skin while the sweat glands regulate body temperature.
FUNCTIONS OF THE SKIN
- Absorption and assimilation
- Elimination of toxins and wastes through the sweat glands and the sebum.
- Sense of touch
- Regulation of body temperature through the veins, capillaries, arteries and sweat glands
- Protection- protects the body physically from shocks, bumps and water loss and chemically from infection and dehydration through the acid mantle.
In order to take best care of your skin, it is important to understand how it is structured and the functions.
The concept of skin care is simple which entails treating the skin with tender loving care and it will reward you with a fresher and more youthful look.
