Skin care is an important thing for women. They take care of their skin by using different creams and formulas but never try to understand the nature of skin and its functions.
Skin is not just a cover for the body. It is a body part that is about 15% of the total body weight. It is not only a shield for internal organs and body’s tissues against heat and cold but also prevents harmful bacteria from entering into the body. Our skin keeps renewing itself throughout the life.
The skin consists of three layers – Dermis, Epidermis and subcutaneous tissue.
Epidermis is the outermost layer of the skin; the cells in epidermis are tightly packed. Epidermis is the outermost layer so it is visible to naked eye.
The production and annihilation of skin cells take place every day. New round and plump skin cells are generated, which move in the upward direction towards the skin surface and get flattened. Some cells on skin die with time and shed from the skin and new cells replace them. Around 30k to 40k cells are shed every day.
The epidermis has Melanocytes, a kind of cells that are responsible for production of melanin that determines your skin tones. People with dark skin tone have more melanin in their skin than people who have fairer skin tone. Exposing your skin to sun can boost the production of melanin and may thus result in discoloration of skin.
Dermis is the mid layer of the skin that encloses collagen and oil & sweat glands, nerve endings, blood vessels and elastic fibers.
The collagen and fibers are responsible for the firmness and elasticity of skin. Collagen provides comfort to skin and fibers make the skin stretchable. Low level of collagen and fibers causes wrinkles and fine lines.
Nerve endings in dermis are for sensation of pain or heat. The oil glands help in the production of sebum that keeps the skin lubricated. It also helps in releasing sweat from the skin that helps in cool down the skin in hot weather. UV rays causes damage to the dermis layer.
The subcutaneous layer is the lowest layer that connects muscle membrane to skin. It is a highly elastic layer with great cushioning effect; it prevents damage to the bones and internal organs. It also contains hair follicles where the growth of skin hairs starts.
