What are the functions of the skin? Why is the bottom layer of skin most important? What exactly is the process of developing a pimple?
The key to making an educated, informed decision about what skincare products are best for you is understanding how our skin works and how it reacts to certain ingredients.
Organic skincare is a personal choice, the same way using synthetic products are. There is a balance in everything, and neither “organic” nor “synthetic” on the label will imply any degree of effectiveness or safety. Personally, the more I learned about how our skin works and how it responds to certain ingredients, the more interested in going completely organic I became.
This article will give you a high level understanding of how important our skin’s health is to our overall health. I’ll give you some fast facts that everyone should know, outline the layers of the skin and their functions, and give a high level explanation of common skin issues.
In an article coming soon, I will outline ingredients that will exacerbate or help common skin issues. But first, we need knowledge!
Here are some fast facts about our skin that you need to know!
Fast Facts
1. Our skin is our largest organ.
Ok, most of you probably already knew that. But did you know that it counts for 10% of our body mass? That’s a lot of weight for one organ! Makes you want to take better care of yours right?
2. The skin has TONS of different functions. My favorites are:
- Protection
- Water preservation
- Shock absorption
- Tactile sensation
- Calorie reservation
- Vitamin D synthesis
- Temperature control
- Lubrication and waterproofing (this one cracks me up a little just to think of it literally)
3. While the skin may seem fragile at times, it is actually the toughest stuff. There are 4 different categories of hazards that bombard the skin constantly.
- Chemical agents – not just the stuff you put on your skin, but the pollution in the air and chemicals you might come into contact with in a public place (don’t think about that too hard)
- Physical agents – extreme temperatures and radiation
- Mechanical trauma – friction, pressure, abrasions, lacerations, etc.
- Biological agents – parasites, microorganisms, plants (leaves of three, let them be), animals
4. Dermal absorption is complicated, but it happens!
There is no concrete number (yet) to point to how much our skin absorbs on the daily. I’ve heard that the skin absorbs as much as 60-70% and as low as 0% (both of which are probably too extreme). Fact of the matter is, every chemical and every ingredient has different absorption rates through the skin. However, what does penetrate your skin goes directly into your bloodstream or goes into the deep layers of the skin. I’m hopeful that someday we will be able to figure this out once and for all, but until then, I do not fancy the idea of having petroleum in my bloodstream.
Now that we know how important and how threatened our skin is, let’s learn how it functions!
Skin Layers and Functions
Outer layer: Epidermis
The epidermis is the very top layer of skin and your defense against… well, everything. It also varies in thickness around the body depending on what area it covers. The epidermis on your eyelids is super thin while the layer of your thighs or bottoms of your feet are strong and thick. The epidermis does three things:
- Making new skin cells: The cells form at the bottom of the layer and gradually make their way to the top and flake off about a month after they form
- Giving skin its beautiful color: The epidermis takes melanin (another article just on this to come shortly)
- Protecting the body: The epidermis is your skins first line of defence and has special cells that are part of your immune system
Middle layer: Dermis
The second layer of skin has a BIG job. These include:
- Making sweat: Sweat is generated by the dermis and leaves the body through holes in your skin called pores. Sweat cools the body while also ridding your body of unwanted and unnecessary toxins
- Helping you feel: The dermis contains your nerve endings that send signals to your brain so you know if something hurts, itches or feels nice.
- Growing hair: The dermis is where you’ll find the root of each tiny little hair on your skin. Bonus fun fact: the root of each hair is attached to a tiny little muscle that tightens and gives you goosebumps when you’re cold or scared.
- Making oil: Another type of gland in this layer makes oil. The oil keeps your skin soft, smooth and waterproof. The overproduction of oil is what clogs your pores and gives you acne.
- Bringing blood to your skin: Blood feeds your skin and takes away bad stuff through your blood vessels.
Bottom layer: Subcutaneous Fat
The very bottom layer of your skin is the subcutaneous fat layer. This is the most important layer!
- Attaching the dermis to your muscles and bones: This layer has the connective tissue that attaches your skin to your muscles and bones
- Helping the blood vessels and nerve cells: Blood vessels and nerve cells that start in the dermis lead to the rest of the body from your skin. Think of it as a giant roadmap of you.
- Controlling your body temperature: The fat layer keeps your body from overheating or freezing…sometimes without success.
- Storing your fat: Take it as you want, good or bad (but seriously, it’s mostly good). This layer pads your muscles and bones and protects them from bumps and falls.
Common Skin Problems Explained
Skin is incredibly important and complex. It makes sense that whatever we put on it would cause reactions – both good and bad. While toxins can permeate the skin and seep into your bloodstream, there are other reasons to be cautious about what you put on your skin as well.
Certain ingredients can cause horrible skin reactions, breakouts, and discomfort. This isn’t just for folks with sensitive skin. Sometimes, the stuff that we put on our skin is just plain bad. Don’t forget all the pollution and chemicals and harsh environments we come in contact with on the daily.
Acne Vulgaris
There are many different types of acne out there. Acne Vulgaris is the most common among them. Chances are, you’ve experience a few if not most of the skin issues it causes:
Blackheads are simply uninfected, clogged follicles. They appear as a small dark bump that is sometimes not visible at all (thank goodness)
Whiteheads are clogged follicles covered by a thin layer of skin that appear as white bumps or spots.
Papules are inflamed lesions that may appear red, and they are sensitive and painful.
Pustules are inflamed lesions that are pus-filled and appear white. These are the ones that are so tempting to pop.
Nodules are a severe form of acne lesion that develop under the skin. They don’t contain pus but are hard to the touch.
Cysts are also a severe form of acne lesion that are inflamed and pus filled. They are generally painful and require professional medical treatment.
Acne can develop by:
- Hormonal changes
- Hereditary factors
- Stress
Contrary to popular opinion, diet and cleanliness do not cause acne. I want to emphasize cause because they do exacerbate the problem. We can control our acne by the foods we eat, exercising regularly, and washing our face, but the main causal factors of acne are the three listed above. Makes sense!
Dry and Dehydrated Skin
Did you know that if your skin feels dry it might not actually be dry? It might be dehydrated.
They both appear flaky, itchy, sensitive, tight, and dull. However, here are the differences:
Dry skin:
- Lacks oil
- Is a natural skin condition
- Is more susceptible to aging
- Immediately screams for moisturizer the second your face is washed
- Needs moisturizer multiply times a day
Dehydrated skin:
- Lacks water
- Can be experienced by anyone
- Can feel oily and dry simultaneously
- May experience breakouts
- External factors (environment, diet, etc.) effect it
The good news is: most people think they are dry when they are really dehydrated! Both of them suck because they are uncomfortable, but dehydrated skin can be managed which is what we want to hear!
Oily Skin
Oily skin is simply the overproduction of oil. The bummer is, it can cause breakouts by clogging your pores, it causes makeup to slide off, and it can just be super uncomfortable.
The trick when dealing with oily skin is to strike a balance between the necessary amount of oil for your face and ridding it of the unwanted oil. There are many ways that you can do this, but it does require some trial and error.
In a later article, I will detail the ingredients that I stay away from. For now, hopefully this article gave you a clearer understanding of how the skin functions and provoked deep thought about what ingredients you are putting on your skin.
