This is an article about skin and the different types.
Not many people will have perfectly proportioned bodies, but almost anyone at any age can present an attractive appearance if their skin is healthy looking and glowing. Healthy skin can be achieved through good health habits, cleanliness, and personal grooming.
The condition of a person's skin can affect a person's physical and emotional health. General appearance is determined by what is going on inside the body, but also by outward circumstances, such as changes in temperature or the use of harsh soap. One can alter the state of their appearance temporarily through the use of cosmetics or permanently through surgery. Your skin is one of the most important organs of the body. It serves as protection against infection by germs and protects the underlying tissue from injury. About on third of the bloodstream flows through your skin and as the blood vessels relax in response to heat or cold, the skin acts as a thermostat that will help control your bodies temperature. The nearly two million sweat glands in the skin will also help regulate the bodies temperature through the evaporation of perspiration. The many sense organs in the skin not only make it possible to feel heat and cold, but pain and pleasure.
Certain cells in the skin produce protective pigmentation that will determine its color. Through absorption and elimination, the skin will help to regulate the body's chemical and fluid balance. One of the biggest miracles of the skin is its ability to constantly renew itself.
Your skin is made up of two layers. The outer layer is called the epidermis. It has a surface of horny nonliving cells that form a protective shield for the body. These cells are continually being shed and replaced by new ones. These new cells are being made in the lower part of the epidermis.
Under the epidermis is the dermis. This is the thicker part of the skin. It contains the blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissue. Your sweat glands are also located in the dermis. They will collect all the fluid containing water, salt, and other waste products from the blood. This fluid is then sent through tiny canals that end in pores on the skins surface.
The sebaceous, or oil glands that secrete the oils that lubricate the skins surface and hair are also located in the dermis. The layer of fatty tissue below the dermis is called the subcutaneous tissue. It will act as an insulator against heat and cold. It is your shock absorber against injury.
There are four different pigments in normal skin that will affect its color. Those pigments are: melanin, oxygenated hemoglobin, reduced hemoglobin, and various carotene's. Of these four, melanin is the most powerful. The cells that produce this are the same in all races, but there is a very wide variety in the amount that is produced. There is also a wide variation in its color. These will range from black to light tan.
Melanin cells will also affect your eye color. When the cells are deep in your eyes, the color will produce blue or green. When they are close to the surface the color will be brown. An albino has no melanin and their eyes will appear pink.
The pigment that gives blood its color is called hemoglobin. It has the next greatest effect on what the skins color will be. When it is combined with oxygen, a bright red color will be the result. This will then produce a rosy complexion which is a sign of good health. When people have reduced hemoglobin due to anemia, it will produce a pale skin color.
The weakest pigments int he skin are the carotene's. These will produce a yellowish skin tone. This will be increased by eating excessive amounts of carrots and oranges. In people with black or brown skin, excessive amounts of carotene is most often masked by the melanin.
Skin appearances are affected by both internal and external factor. A baby's skin is soft and silky because it has not yet been exposed to the sun and the wind. Many of the skin problems of adolescence are associated with the many glandular changes that will occur during the transformation to adulthood. As you begin to age, the change in skin will be one of the most obvious indicators.
Heredity, general health, and exposure to the elements are some of the things that will contribute to aging skin. Because people with darker skin have a built in protection against the effects of the sun, their skin will usually have a younger appearance that lighter skinned people of the same age.
The skin of an older person is characterized by wrinkles and shininess. It will feel thinner when it is pinched because it has lost its elasticity and part of the underlying fat that is present in younger skin. Continued exposure to the sun is now thought to have a bigger effect on visible aging of skin than the aging process itself.
Healthy, normal skin should be washed regularly with mild soap and water. This will help to remove any grease, perspiration, and dirt. Many people believe that a shower is a much better way of getting clean than a bathe. They believe that the bath becomes a receptacle for the dirt that was washed from the body.
No matter which way you choose, all soap should be completely rinsed from the body. Unless they are specifically prescribed by a doctor, medicated or germicidal soaps should not be used. They may irritate the skin more than they will help. Skin should be pat dry with a towel, and bathe towels should never be shared. Your hands should be washed several times a day and your nails should be kept clean.
Your facial skin will require special care. This is because of its constant exposure to the elements. You should clean your face in the morning and again before bed. You should avoid massaging soap into the skin as it could cause drying.
Both heredity and environment will account for the wide variation in the amount of oil and perspiration that is secreted by the glands of different people. The same person may have both oily and dry skin. This can depend on what part of the body it is.
Dry skin will be the result of loss of oil from the outer surface of the epidermis and the insufficient replacement from the tissues that are below. Some causes of moisture loss are: using soaps to frequently and constant exposure to dry air. Anyone who spends a lot of time in air conditioning is likely to suffer from dry skin.
To help correct the situation, you should minimize your use of soap and water to the parts of the body which are dry. Cleansing creams or lotions which have lanolin in them should be used on the face, hands, elbows, and where ever else it may be necessary. If tub baths are being taken, you can add a bath oil to your water. Baby oil can be used as well, it does just as good of a job and is much less expensive. Applying oil to your skin will not stop the wrinkles.
The amount of oil that comes to the skins surface through the sebaceous glands is a result of heredity, temperature and emotional state. In warm weather, when you perspire more, the oil will spread like a film on the skins surface. Non oily foundation lotions can be helpful in keeping the problem to a minimum. Frequent washing with soap and water will also be helpful. When washing is not convenient, the use of cleansing pads would be helpful. To much friction from complexion brushes, rough washcloths or harsh soaps can irritate rather than help the situation.
The astonishing number of creams and cosmetics on the market and the claims that they make can be summed up with a few simple facts. The high price of such products has more to say about the money that went into advertising than the ingredients that are in it. You should judge the product by what it does for you rather that on what it says it will do.
Cold creams and cleansing creams are essentially the same. They are designed to remove skin secretions, dirt, and grime. You should not leave them on your skin for too long and they should be removed with a soft towel or tissue. Moisturizing creams are supposed to prevent the loss of moisture from the skin. It will also help promote smoothness. This type of product will usually be left on you face over night. This is a wonderful product for those with dry skin.
