Skin Deep
There are 65 hairs, over nine million cells, 95-100 oil glands, 17 meters of blood vessels, 650 sweat glands, 70 meters of nerves, 1300 nerve endings and more in ONE SQUARE INCH OF SKIN!!
When you understand how beautiful your skin is and all that it does for you, you will want to take the utmost care of it. Even beyond the self-care masks on Sundays, what you do on the other six days makes a difference down to what you eat and drink. But first let’s learn about how the skin is structured and all that it does for us. When you know better, you do better!
Our skin is a living organ that just happens to be visible. Actually, our skin is the biggest organ that we have. Sis carries out a bunch of different functions and never takes a day off. These include but are definitely not limited to:
· regulating body temperature via blood vessels
· acting as a barrier to protect us from the many microbes in the outside world
· preventing water loss
· making vitamin D!
· protecting us from UV rays by producing melanin (my black people STILL need sunscreen, more on this in another post)
· sweating out toxins
· acting as a vital sensory organ
· SO MUCH MORE
Skin is definitely not one size fits all and we all are unique with our multiple shades and varying features like moles, hyper or hypopigmentation, etc but one thing is for certain. Sis is complex and deserves respect. The two main parts that make up our skin are the epidermis and the dermis. Let’s dig deeper...literally.
EPIDERMIS
The epidermis is our first line of defense and made up of mainly keratinocytes, or skin cells. The upper layer is made up of dead skin cells (sounds gross but this is how our skin helps to protect us and act as a barrier) called the stratum corneum. Our epidermis is always working to renew and generate new cells. They start at the lowest layer and work their way up to the surface over a span of about 28 days. That’s why skin care products take time and why you should always take DAILY care of your skin because essentially you are creating your skin’s future every single day! You want to glow and not look dull and congested.
Also in the epidermis are Langerhans cells and these are the definition of on sight, period. They’re part of the immune system and attack when bacteria try to invade skin. The bottom layer is where melanin is made. Our melanin is what protects us from UV rays and gives us our wide range of colors and shades.
DERMIS
The dermis is the thicker layer of the two and has two layers: papillary and reticular. The papillary layer is up top and is full of nerves and blood vessels which contributes to our sensitivity to touch. The reticular lower layer contains components that I’m sure you have heard of: collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid. Collagen supports skin and contributes to its plumpness. Elastin helps skin to bounce back when stretched. Hyaluronic acid is a sugar molecule that houses the cells that make collagen and elastin. It can hold up to 1000 times its own weight in water! HA gives skin hydration and bounce. As we age, these compounds are not replenished as often and that’s what leads to wrinkles or sagging skin.
Oil glands, hair follicles, and the start of our pores are also in the dermis.
The Wrap Up
As you can see, a lot originates from our skin and it has many important functions that keep us healthy and glowing. From keeping bacteria out and keeping hydration in to regulating temperature to getting rid of toxins. It is a reflection of what we are doing for our insides as well. If we are in balance, eating clean, and staying hydrated our skin will tell the world by showing radiance. If not, well we know what our skin does when we don’t. As we get older, our skin slows down the rate at which it renews our cells and produces important proteins such as collagen and elastin so at the very least, we should take care of it early and consistently.
References
Mahto, A. (2018). The skincare bible: your no-nonsense guide to having great skin. Penguin Life.
Gerson, J. (1992). Milady's workbook for professional estheticians. Milady Pub. Co.
Pharmacy school notes lol