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This is Part One of a two-part series.

The Skin, perhaps more than any other aspect of our body, effectively reflects our life and experience. Yet it is also the most vulnerable. Continually threatened by the ravages of time and the unpredictable effects of the environment.  Safeguarding its health and appearance, at every age, is extremely important for all of us, women and men alike.

The psychological effects of changes in our appearance and especially the aging process, determine our state of mind as powerfully as physical changes are reflected in the body. Our looks are a fundamental part of our sense of self. And, at best, they provide us with a sense of confidence and well-being in our personal and social relations. Thanks to today’s scientific advances in technology and what research has learned about the functioning of skin, the ability to take care of one’s skin and maintain its fitness has become possible for everyone, not just the privileged, wealthy few.
                      --Peter Lamas

Everything you need to know about skin -- its function, structure, problems and solutions.

Your birthday suit.  Do you know how special it is? Everyone’s skin is the same – yet quite different. Skin has a personality just like you do although it’s made up of basic elements all skins have in common.

The first step in learning to take care of your skin well – for life – is to know what you’re dealing with: a wonderful, living, breathing organ that never stops changing, growing – or needing your attention and help to be beautiful.

Skin is the largest organ of your body. It accounts for about 15% of our body weight or approximately 6 pounds. What we see on the surface is just the beginning.

There are actually 3 essential layers:

Like a team, each layer performs a specific, important function.  Together the three layers form a protective barrier against the outside world to keep vital elements – like moisture and heat – in, and the world out.

Your skin is intimately connected to our nervous system and emotions. It feels with you. Blushing, turning pale or glowing, your skin reveals your most intense thoughts and emotions, and often your internal health is revealed in your skin colour, texture and general condition.

The five most important functions of skin are:

  1. Elimination: All day, every day, skin removes toxins and debris as it sheds dead cells.
  2. Secretion:  Skin’s many sebaceous and sweat glands help the body eliminate oil and perspiration.
  3. Reproduction: New cells are constantly being born through cell division in the basal skin layer. (more on that later). In young skin, on average, the process takes 28 days  But as we age, cell repro slows down. By 70 or 80, new cells can take up to 37 days to develop.
  4. Respiration: Oxygen.Your skin can’t live without it. it’s crucial to cell life and renewal. The skin gets its oxygen supply 2 ways: from oxygen-bearing blood circulating through the cells and secondly, by drawing it in from the air.
  5. Moisture Control: It’s key to healthy, young-looking skin. Healthy skin maintains its moisture balance naturally. Moisturizers assist by adding even more moisture to the skin and locking it onto the surface. Firmness, suppleness and smoothness are determined by your skin’s moisture content.

The physiology of your skin

What you need to know about the epidermis. It’s the protective shield layer of your skin. It constantly renews itself  by shedding old cells to make room for new. The epidermis is actually comprised of five sublayers. The two to know about are:

  1. the strateum corneum – the visible layer. Speed up the shedding process of this layer and voilà: better skin clarity, reduced appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
  2. the basal cell layer – where new cells are born. Here amino acids, fatty acids and other vital substances provided by the blood are transformed into new skin cells. these cells gradually move up to the streateum corneum in a 28-day cycle.

Within the basal cell layer are cells responsible for skin color.  They produce the amount of melanin that creates your natural skin tone. Melanin also protects your skin against the sun. When you sun, even more melanin is produced, resulting in a tan, freckles or the splotches we call “sun”, “age” or “liver” spots. Sunning, in effect, puts your skin’s melanin production in overdrive trying to protect your skin from burning.

What you should know about the dermis is that it is the most important part of the skin’s structure!

It serves 3 important functions:

  1. It nourishes and supports the epidermis and helps it stay elastic and supple.
  2. It delivers nutrients to the epidermis through the circulatory system.
  3. It includes cells that produce collagen and elastin proteins which provide a support system of connective tissues that lend resiliency to the skin.

The dermis is also where deep wrinkles first form. It is the source of blood vessels, sebaceous and sweat glands, hair follicles and pressure sensitive nerves that signal pain and touch. Waste products and carbon dioxide are eliminated from tissues, carried away by the circulating blood.

What you should know about the subcutaneous layer: Also called the “fatty layer,” it is considerably thicker in women thus giving the face a softer quality and finer texture than men’s. As your skin ages, this layer diminishes, giving the face a more angular appearance. It’s the "shock absorber" for the skin. The deeper hair follicles and sweat glands also originate here. It serves 6 important functions:

  1. Insulation and heat conservation
  2. A cushion against injury to bones
  3. Softens angles and creates pleasing curves
  4. Supports the upper layers, blood vessels and nerves
  5. Acts like a nutrient reservoir
  6. Contains sensory and motor nerves that create our sense of touch.

Look for Part 2 – “The Four Stages of Your Skin’s Life:
What Your Skin Needs From You”

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About Peter Lamas