fact sheet 9

All About Skin

The condition of a person's skin can affect a person's physical and emotional health. General appearance is determined by what is going on inside the body, but also by outward circumstances, such as changes in temperature or the use of harsh soap.

Your skin is one of the most important organs of the body. It serves as protection against infection by germs and protects the underlying tissue from injury. About on third of the bloodstream flows through your skin and as the blood vessels relax in response to heat or cold, the skin acts as a thermostat that will help control your bodies temperature. The nearly two million sweat glands in the skin will also help regulate the bodies temperature through the evaporation of perspiration. The many sense organs in the skin not only make it possible to feel heat and cold, but pain and pleasure.

Skin is composed of three primary layers:

• The epidermis, the outer layer, waterproofs the body and provides a barrier to infection.
• The dermis, the layer beneath the epidermis to which it is tightly bound, helps cushion the body from physical stresses and strains (like shock absorbers on cars). It contains nerve endings which provide the senses of touch and heat. Also included are hair follicles, sweat glands, sebaceous glands and lymph and blood
• The hypodermis or subcutis, lying below the dermis, is not really part of the skin. It is a layer which allows for easier movement over underlying structures. It also contains body insulation in the form of fat.
• In fact, the hypodermis contains up to 50% of total body fat.
  Skin Problems are often linked to the epidermis (specifically the stratum corneum) not performing its essential protective function.

Certain cells in the skin produce protective pigmentation that will determine its colour. Through absorption and elimination, the skin will help to regulate the body's chemical and fluid balance. One of the biggest miracles of the skin is its ability to constantly renew itself.

The outer layer is called the epidermis. It has a surface of horny nonliving cells that form a protective shield for the body. These cells are continually being shed and replaced by new ones. These new cells are being made in the lower part of the epidermis.

Under the epidermis is the dermis. This is the thicker part of the skin. It contains the blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissue. Your sweat glands are also located in the dermis. They will collect all the fluid containing water, salt, and other waste products from the blood. This fluid is then sent through tiny canals that end in pores on the skins surface.

The sebaceous, or oil glands that secrete the oils that lubricate the skins surface and hair are also located in the dermis. The layer of fatty tissue below the dermis is called the subcutaneous tissue. It will act as an insulator against heat and cold. It is your shock absorber against injury.

There are four different pigments in normal skin that will affect its colour. Those pigments are: melanin, oxygenated hemoglobin, reduced hemoglobin, and various carotene's. Of these four, melanin is the most powerful. The cells that produce this are the same in all races, but there is a very wide variety in the amount that is produced. There is also a wide variation in its colour. These will range from black to light tan. Melanin cells will also affect your eye colour. When the cells are deep in your eyes, the colour will produce blue or green. When they are close to the surface the colour will be brown. An albino has no melanin and their eyes will appear pink.

The pigment that gives blood its colour is called hemoglobin. It has the next greatest effect on what the skins colour will be. When it is combined with oxygen, a bright red color will be the result. This will then produce a rosy complexion which is a sign of good health. When people have reduced hemoglobin due to anemia, it will produce a pale skin colour. The weakest pigments in the skin are the carotene's. These will produce a yellowish skin tone. This will be increased by eating excessive amounts of carrots and oranges. In people with black or brown skin, excessive amounts of carotene is most often masked by the melanin.

Skin appearances are affected by both internal and external factor. A baby's skin is soft and silky because it has not yet been exposed to the sun and the wind. Many of the skin problems of adolescence are associated with the many glandular changes that will occur during the transformation to adulthood. As you begin to age, the change in skin will be one of the most obvious indicators.

Heredity, general health, and exposure to the elements are some of the things that will contribute to aging skin. Because people with darker skin have a built in protection against the effects of the sun, their skin will usually have a younger appearance that lighter skinned people of the same age. The skin of an older person is characterized by wrinkles and shininess. It will feel thinner when it is pinched because it has lost its elasticity and part of the underlying fat that is present in younger skin. Continued exposure to the sun is now thought to have a bigger effect on visible aging of skin than the aging process itself.

Skin should be pat dry with a towel, and not rubbed especially if you have a skin problem as this will aggravate your skin. Your hands should be washed several times a day and your nails should be kept clean. Your facial skin will require special care. This is because of its constant exposure to the elements. You should clean your face in the morning and again before bed. If you have sensitive and allergic skin problems use a gentle and chemically free moisturiser. Always look at the ingredients and always patch test for 24 hours any new creams before you put it on all over your skin.

Both heredity and environment will account for the wide variation in the amount of oil and perspiration that is secreted by the glands of different people. The same person may have both oily and dry skin. This can depend on what part of the body it is. Dry skin will be the result of loss of oil from the outer surface of the epidermis and the insufficient replacement from the tissues that are below. Some causes of moisture loss are: using soaps to frequently and constant exposure to dry air. Anyone who spends a lot of time in air conditioning is likely to suffer from dry skin. To help correct the situation, you should minimize your use of soap and water to the parts of the body which are dry.

The amount of oil that comes to the skins surface through the sebaceous glands is a result of heredity, temperature and emotional state. In warm weather, when you perspire more, the oil will spread like a film on the skins surface. Non oily foundation lotions can be helpful in keeping the problem to a minimum. To much friction from complexion brushes, rough washcloths or harsh soaps can irritate rather than help the situation.

There are many moisturisers and emollients on the market - have a look at our shop to see what we have available, all our products are mild, gentle and suitable for people with skin problems. Don't forget that 60% of what you put on your skin goes into your bloodstream, so watch out for all those chemicals in your creams and lotions.

Disclaimer

While every effort has been made to ensure that the information given in this leaflet is accurate, not every treatment will be suitable or effective for every person. All content within Pure and Gentle SkinCare is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional. Pure and Gentle SkinCare is not responsible or liable for any diagnosis made by a user based on the content of Pure and Gentle SkinCare website or advisers.  Always consult your own GP if you're in any way concerned about your health as he or she will be able to advise in greater detail.