Skin Care Tips

It is not conceited to take pride in our appearance. When we feel good about ourselves, we are more confident and outgoing, and able to enjoy life to the full. Skin responds to extra care, so let's see how skin ages and then how we can look after it for great, lifelong results.

Skin is the body's only external organ, protecting what is inside and keeping harmful things on the outside. It effectively retains essential fluids, protects internal organs, resists infections and acts as a physical barrier to damage.

Skin plays a vital role in the regulation of our body temperature. In cold climates, the blood vessels in the skin constrict and shrink away from the skin's surface to conserve heat. In hot climates, the skin is flushed, due to blood capillaries moving near the surface in order to lose heat, and is covered with sweat, which evaporates to keep us cool.

The skin is not a single layer but has multiple layers containing a complex network of blood vessels and lymph vessels, which deliver nutrients and oxygen, as well as receptors (for pressure, pain and temperature) that send messages to the brain, allowing us to sense our environment.

Skin is responsive and adaptive, with the ability to transform itself according to age, environment, mood, and hormonal seasonal conditions. A large proportion of the 70 per cent water content of our bodies is found in the skin. Lower layers of the skin contain sensitive nerve receptors, hair follicles that facilitate the movement of lubricating sebum (oil) to the skin's surface and elastic tissues that are able to expand by up to 50 per cent. The uppermost layers display the newly made skin cells and give us our natural complexion. Our bodies constantly make new skin cells: every day millions are produced for facial skin alone.

We spend time and money worrying about the thin top layer of the skin, known as the epidermis. Both its color and its texture matter to us, which is not surprising since we look at it every day, and explains the popularity of cosmetics and skin products, even including topical acne treatments. The stratum corneum, the outermost layer of the epidermis, comprises tough, scaly cells that are stuck together with a fatty compound providing skin with its natural protection. These cells are not fresh and new but older cells coming to the end of their days.

New cells are continuously formed in the basal layer - the layer between the epidermis (top) and the dermis (middle); the hypodermis or subcutaneous layer forms the bottom layer. Basal cells are plump and moist as they begin their upward journey to the surface, but change visibly en route. In these cells, the nucleus breaks down and the cells fill with a tough protein called keratin, becoming drier and flat in the process.

Approximately 30 days later they appear on the surface as dead cells, where they are shed naturally. This constant renewal process takes ever-longer as we grow older, and cell turnover decreases with age. But some cells are destroyed prematurely by overexposure to the sun, harmful scavengers (free radicals, pollutants, harsh detergents, cleansers and beauty products made from undesirable and avoidable ingredients.

The dermis measures around 3mm thick and contains hair follicles, nerve endings, blood vessels, connective tissue, sebaceous and sweat glands arid collagen fibers, giving skin its youthful appearance, bounce and vitality. Like scaffolding, collagen supports and shapes the skin, while holding everything together. Sadly, the amount of collagen decreases with age, and it is this depletion as we grow older that keeps manufacturers of mature skin care products in business.

The hypodermis - the lowest layer - is firm, spongy, subcutaneous tissue, containing fat cells, blood vessels, muscles and nerve fibers, all of which are vital for healthy skin.

The skin on the face contains more sebaceous glands and nerve endings than other body parts, plus it is supplied with oxygen and nutrients via tiny blood capillaries. It is the finest skin, yet, surprisingly, it is left mostly uncovered and exposed to the elements.

Facial skin is directly attached to over 50 flexible, facial muscles. This tied-in anatomy means that the skin moves with all kinds of expressions, and, as we get older, these repeated facial expressions start to push the fat in the subcutis into trenches, which, increasingly deprived of their bounce, remain etched on our face as frown or laughter lies. The faint wrinkles that began in early adult life also deepen, particularly on and around the eyelids and lips.

Over the years, skin loses its pigment, oil production diminishes and less oxygen is carried to the skin's surface. As a result it becomes rougher, its youthful glow fades and the tiredness that can accompany ageing makes the face look older. Even in these enlightened times, far too many still have a preconception of ageing that causes them to 'act their age'. With this mental attitude, age shows prematurely, but just learning to forget numbers can make women look years younger.

Most unfairly, men tend to retain a more youthful look with age. This is mainly due to male skin being thicker and held in place by facial follicles.