Old age isn't so bad when you consider the alternative.

Maurice Chevalier

What is skin?

Mammalian skin often contains hairs, which in sufficient density is called fur. The hair mainly serves to augment the insulation the skin provides, but can also serve as a secondary sexual characteristic or as camouflage. On some animals the skin is very hard and thick, and can be processed to create leather. Reptiles and fish have hard protective scales on their skin for protection, and birds have hard feathers, all made of tough β-keratins. Amphibian skin is not a strong barrier to passage of chemicals. A frog sitting in an anesthetic solution will quickly go to sleep.

The skin on a person's face is seen by people that person interacts with. For some people, therefore, facial skin care is of particular importance, and they often use cosmetics to deal with the appearance of the face and condition of the skin, such as those for pore control and black head cleansing.

Blood capillaries are found beneath the epidermis, and are linked to an arteriole and a venule. Arterial shunt vessels may bypass the network in ears, the nose and fingertips.

The dermis lies below the epidermis and contains a number of structures including blood vessels, nerves, hair follicles, smooth muscle, glands and lymphatic tissue. It consists of loose connective tissue otherwise called areolar connective tissue - collagen, elastin and reticular fibres are present. Erector muscles, attached between the hair papilla and epidermis, can contract, resulting in the hair fibre pulled upright and consequentially goose bumps.

The dermis can be split into the papillary and reticular layers. The papillary layer is outermost and extends into the dermis to supply it with vessels. It is composed of loosely arranged fibres. Papillary ridges make up the lines of the hands. The reticular layer is more dense and is continuous with the hypodermis. It contains the bulk of the structures (such as sweat glands). The reticular layer is composed of irregularly arranged fibres and resists stretching.

The hypodermis is not part of the skin, and lies below the dermis. Its purpose is to attach the skin to underlying bone and muscle as well as supplying it with blood vessels and nerves. It consists of loose connective tissue and elastin. The main cell types are fibroblasts, macrophages and adipocytes (the hypodermis contains 50% of body fat). Fat serves as padding and insulation for the body.

The skin must be regularly cleaned. Unless enough care is taken it will become cracked or inflamed. Unclean skin favors the development of pathogenic organisms.

Skin care facts

In fact, skin care and protection should be an essential part of your health, fitness, and beauty regime. If you take care of your skin, your skin will take care of you! If your stuck in a skin care rut, or if you are just looking to learn a bit more about the basics of skin care, read on to learn more about this important step in your daily activities.

You are never too young or too old to start taking care of your skin. In fact, skin care and protection should be an essential part of your health, fitness, and beauty regime.

The most important way to care for your skin is to protect it from the damaging rays of the sun. Ultraviolet radiation damages the skin and can lead to wrinkles, premature aging, age spots, and cancer. Take extra precautions to make sure your skin is not exposed to the sun's rays. Use a natural sunscreen, or a moisturizer that contains sunscreen (at least SPF 15) everyday. Your skin does need some sunlight 10-15 minutes of direct exposure daily.

Dry skin is very common, especially with age. Older skin has fewer sweat and oil glands than younger skin. Dry skin may be caused by frequent baths, certain cosmetics or medications. But whatever the cause, there are ways to alleviate the itchiness associated with it. Avoid using harsh soaps when bathing, and if possible, cut back on the number of baths or showers each week. A sponge bath with warm water may help to clean and revive skin without stripping the skin of its valuable moisturizers.

When you do use soap, try using a natural very mild soap that does not contain any dyes, parabens or perfumes. Follow up the bath with a moisturizing lotion, concentrating on problem dry areas. A good all natural moisturizer is one of the foundations for a healthy skin care regimen. Continue moisturizing throughout the day to keep skin healthy. Your hands and face are particularly susceptible to daily damage, and may need to be moisturized several times.

A skin care routine does not have to be elaborate in order to be effective. But you should develop some kind of skin care routine based on your skin type, daily activities, and nutritional needs so that you can be sure you are taking the very best care of your skin. Following a daily skin care regime will also allow you to more closely evaluate your skin for abnormalities.

Wash your skin thoroughly on a daily basis to remove the dirt, debris, pollutants, and perspiration that accumulates on a daily basis. If you have dry or sensitive skin, use only warm water to wash your skin and use a mild natural cleanser every few days. If you have normal or oily skin, be sure to wash with a gentle cleanser on a daily basis. Be sure to brush your teeth before washing your face, as toothpaste residue can irritate sensitive facial skin.

Unless your skin is very oily, you will want to use a moisturizer everyday to keep your skin hydrated and healthy. Your skin needs moisturizer all year long as both the indoor winter heat, and summer sun can be equally damaging to your skin.

Why is it that practically everyone in the middle class to the upper levels of demographics in any country are worried about getting wrinkles? Maybe it is the fear of getting old or looking old, or the wanting to look socially acceptable, or just plain vanity. We all have our own reasons. But whatever it is, everyone is united in wanting to solve this age old problem. However, in the first place, do we even have any idea about what actually causes these dreaded wrinkles? It's highly probable that we don't. The most important factor in finding a solution to any problem is finding out the root cause of it.

For people seeking solutions to severe damage that has already been done to the skin, there are a number of treatments available ranging from chemical peels and dermabrasion to the latest and technologically advanced, computerized laser resurfacing. However, many people looking for skin repair are hesitant to try chemical or laser peels due to the painful procedure and long recuperation period they have to undergo. The results of these procedures however, are fantastic.

One less painful procedure is the particle skin resurfacing procedure. The process is removes the outer layer of skin in a highly controlled manner. Because of its preciseness, it is practically painless. By repeating this procedure a number of times, the younger skin moves to the surface, thus promoting visible changes in the skin's texture, color and appearance. The benefits of this skin resurfacing procedure are that it causes very little pain or discomfort, no recuperative period is needed, there is minimal risk, it can be used for all skin types, and no anesthesia is required.

There are a lot of skin care products in the market today. Unlike before when a normal bar of soap was used for skin cleansing, cosmetic companies are now producing a wide variety of skin care treatments that can address various skin concerns. However, there are cases when treatments need to be more aggressive, especially for those who have aging or blemished skin. Most, if not all, of the over-the-counter products are topical in nature, meaning it only affects the epidermis or the outer layer of the skin. Aging or blemished skin needs to be treated down to the root of the problem to see definite changes.

Definitions and terms

Acne

• An inflammatory disease of the sebaceous glands and hair follicles of the skin that is marked by the eruption of pimples or pustules, especially on the face.

Bacteria

• Microscopic unicellular prokaryotic organisms characterized by the lack of a membrane-bound nucleus and membrane-bound organelles.

Dermis

• The sensitive connective tissue layer of the skin located below the epidermis, containing nerve endings, sweat and sebaceous glands, and blood and lymph vessels.

Epidermis

• The outer, protective, nonvascular layer of the skin of vertebrates, covering the dermis.

Hypodermis

• A subcutaneous layer of loose connective tissue containing a varying number of fat cells.

Pimples

• A small swelling of the skin, usually caused by acne; a papule or pustule.

Ultraviolet radiation

• Invisible electromagnetic radiation between visible violet light and X rays.

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