Skin Basics
Your Skin
Skin Care Success

 

 

Skin Basics:
Skin Science: Anatomy and Physiology

In order to achieve and maintain optimum skin health, you must first get to know your skin. Once you understand your skin type, condition, and any possible disorders, you will be able to choose the proper products and maximize your skin care routine resulting in a clear and radiant complexion.

Basic Skin Facts:

  • One square inch of the skin includes the following:
    • 9.5 million cells
    • 65 hair follicles
    • 650 sweat glands
    • 95 to 100 oil glands
    • 19 yards of blood vessels
    • 78 yards of nerves
    • 19,500 sensory cells at the end of nerve fiber
  • The skin is the largest organ of the body
  • This organ is responsible for conserving fluids, regulating body heat, providing sensory information, and protecting against the entry of microorganisms and other harmful substances.  
  • The thickness of the skin varies from a twelfth to a fifth of an inch. It is the thinnest and most delicate around the eyelids, and the thickest on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. 
  • The skin consists of three clearly defined layers
  1. Epidermis: The visible layer of the skin made up of keratin. The epidermis is divided in to 5 sub-layers:
    1. Stratum Corneum
      • The "horny" or dead skin cell layer.
      • The cells in this layer are constantly being shed, as newer cells rise to the surface.
      • As we age, the shedding process slows down, causing a layer of rough dead skin cells to build up thereby preventing new skin cells from rising to the surface   
    2. Stratum Lucidum
      • Clear cells surrounded by lipids in an ordered structure. This layer is only present in the palms of the hands and soles of feet.
    3. Stratum Granulosum
      • Granular layer where the cell begins to die.
    4. Stratum Spinosum
      • Cellular metabolism of the cell starts to change.
    5. Stratum Germinativum
      • Deepest layer of the epidermis.
      • Skin cells reproduce or subdivide.
  1. Dermis: The not-so-visible layer of the skin that contains the follicles, sweat and oil glands, nerves, blood supply, as well as the collagen and elastin fibers.

  2. Subcutaneous: The fatty layer, necessary for contour, warmth and protection.

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Your Skin: Skin Types, Conditions and Disorders

Four basic skin types exist. Various conditions and disorders join these four skin types giving us the complex diversity in skin that we see today.

Skin Types

  1. Normal Skin: is in good condition because it has a balanced, sufficient supply of oil and moisture. It is typically free from any blemishes.
  2. Dry Skin: is lacking in oil. Dry skin will often appear flaky, cracked, or scaly.
  3. Oily Skin: has an over abundance of oil being produced, it may also be blemished. Pores and follicles will appear enlarged and possibly impacted.
  4. Combination Skin: may have dehydrated and oily areas, and a combination of conditions.

Skin Conditions

  1. Dehydrated Skin: is lacking in moisture. The appearance of fine lines and a lackluster complexion are often signs of dehydration.
  2. Couperose Skin: is identified by small broken capillaries just beneath the surface of the skin.
  3. Pigmented Skin: is identified by brown spots or “age” spots due to over exposure to the sun or hormone imbalance.
  4. Sensitive Skin: is often red, blotchy, and easily irritated by environmental factors, products, or allergens.
  5. Aging Skin: tends to be loose, wrinkled, or lined and can also be dull in appearance.

Skin Disorders

  1. Acne: has the same appearance as oily skin with the absolute presence of blemishes and blackheads.
  2. Eczema, Seborrhea, and Psoriasis: these disorders are characterized by red, flaky, and irritated patches of skin (severity and areas affected vary with disorder).
  3. Rosacea:  is characterized by broken capillaries, irritation, and sometimes pustules on the cheeks, nose, and chin.

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Skin Care Success:


Skin care success can and will be yours. By utilizing the chart below to select the proper product for your skin, following our specific directions for use, and by making a few simple life-style changes, you can achieve and maintain a healthy, more radiant complexion.

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