YOUR skin revealed

You may already know that your skin is the largest organ.  Learn about your skin revealed here to know how best to take care of this largest organ.

Your skin revealed

Did you know your skin reveals what’s going on with you – on the inside and on the outside.  Not only that but it shows how you’re feeling.  I know that when I’m not feeling well physically, you can see it in my face.  And when I’m not doing so good emotionally, you can see that too.  Some people may show a stoic appearance, but this also reveals how you’re feeling.  As much as you want to say you hide your emotions, you really aren’t fooling anyone.

Here are other things our skin does:

• The amazing thing about your largest organ is that it helps keep your body temp even.  It’s like an insulator keeping everything warm inside.  Your skin regulates your body temperature and it helps keep you warm.
• It produces vitamin D from the sun.  When you go outside and catch some rays, your skin can make that vitamin D.  You just don’t want to stay out too long.
• Finally, the skin you have that isn’t the same skin you had yesterday.  What I mean by that is that you are constantly shedding skin cells.  Our bodies do this naturally (although as we age, we need to help it along).

Layers of skin

Our skin has many layers which includes the epidermis and the dermis.  Each has its own function…Your skin revealed here!

The Epidermis – the outside of your skin

This layer has cells that we know as dead skin cells.  They start way down low and eventually get up to the top – this is basically how the shedding process happens and it can take over a month to do.  Our epidermis protects our bodies but this is why you’ll get callouses.  Calluses are formed to protect us, even though they can be unsightly.  This is the reason why I tell people never to walk outside barefoot; otherwise, you’ll get thick calluses on your feet and you won’t be happy and that when you do!

The other part of the epidermis is where you find the skin that’s alive and this is where the protein in our skin resides.  In simple terms, this part makes its way to the top.  Next, is a part of the skin that gives us the color of our skin and also where we get the color from suntanning.  And, yet one more part of this epidermis is something that helps us stay healthy by fighting viruses and bacteria.  Fascinating, isn’t it?

The Dermis – is below the epidermis

The dermis is the firm part.  There are blood vessels and nerves.  A different protein, called collagen is in this layer.  This is what shapes you.  For example, maybe your skin is saggy or maybe it’s nice and tight (and not from plastic surgery!).  The more UV rays you get, the less elastic your skin will be and that’s when you start seeing the saggy skin the older you get.  Yes, I’m talking wrinkles.

Another part of your skin are the glands that make sweat and helps maintain body temperature.  Then, there’s also the glands where oil is produced.  This oil is called sebum.  The older we get, the drier we become.  When you were young and always had oily skin, you probably will be wishing for that oil to come back (well, at least some of it).

I hope that helps explain your skin and the functions of each layer.  I’m hoping this information is useful.  Once I learned a little bit about skin and how it actually works, I had a better time controlling acne breakouts and making sure my skin had what it needed.  I hope you continue to read our blog to get more information on the skin!!  Your skin revealed here!