Understanding Skin Anatomy
Epidermis Layer:
The skin has three layers: the epidermis, dermis and subcutis (hypodermis). The thickness of epidermis is only about 0.02-0.03 millimeter. The epidermis itself has five layers: stratum corneum, pigment layer, stratum germinativum, stratum spinosum and stratum basale. In these five layers, the most relevant layers to skincare are the stratum corneum and stratum basale.
Most of the skin problems we see show up in epidermis layer of our skin. General skin care and cosmetics also applies to the epidermis layer. The look of our skins depends a lot of whether the epidermis is healthy or not. If you want to have a healthy, soft and resilient look, pay attention to the subtle changes of the epidermis layer.
Stratum Basale:
The bottom-most layer of the epidermis is stratum basale. It is the factory that produces epidermis cells. As the cells move into the top layer - stratum corneum - they eventually flatten and die. The dead skin cells will then shed off. The stratum basale continues to produce new cells to maintain the metabolic process and the fresh shiny skin surface. However, as people age, the ability of stratum basale to form new cells deteriorates, that is how skin ages. Also, there is pigment layer where melanin is produced. This is where skin color is decided. The reason why people’s skin turns darker or has marks is because too much melanin is produced.
Stratum Corneum:
The stratum corneum is made out of dead skin cells. Dead skin cells are shed off daily. The cycle of a new cell from being produced in stratum basale to being pushed up to stratum corneum and then die and shed off, is 28 days. This constant process of renewing skin cells keeps our skin alive.
Dermis Layer:
Below the epidermis layer is the dermis layer. It is many times thicker than the epidermis layer and is the main structure of our skin. The dermis layer is composed of three types of tissue, all consist of collagen and reticular fibers. The collagen in the dermis layer creates a base structure which enable our skin to be elastic, expandable and lock moisture. It helps the skin to look soft and smooth and prevent wrinkles from forming.
The nutrition for skin comes from the dermis layer. When there is something wrong with the dermis layer, fine lines are formed. This is the reason why skin care doesn’t work when skin care products are applied to our faces. Therefore healthy diet is more important factor in maintaining healthy skin condition from the inside.
Hypodermis Layer:
Underneath the dermis layer is the hypodermis layer. It consists of blood vessels, connective tissue and fat. It provides nutrients for the skin. Aside from this, it also helps excrete waste and regulates the temperature of our body. The hypodermis layer consists of mainly fat tissue, which acts as a buffer to protect our skin, bones and muscle inside. The size of this layer varies throughout the body and from person to person, hence the reason why there are fat and skinny people. The degree of fatness of a person depends on the amount of hypodermis tissue. If you like to have a slim figure, start from having a balanced diet to prevent the accumulation of fat.
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