Skin Health

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The importance of keeping your skin healthy can't be overemphasized. It's the body's first defense against disease and infection, and it protects your internal organs from injuries. It is, in fact, the largest organ in the body. The skin helps regulate body temperature and prevents excess fluid loss, and it also helps your body remove excess water and salt.

Skin conditions can affect anyone—young and old, men and women. Acne, psoriasis and eczema are just a few examples of common skin disorders. The good news is that there are a number of simple ways to keep skin healthy, and there also are now many options available to treat skin conditions, if treatment is necessary.

If you think you may have a skin problem or need to learn how to better care for your skin, consultation with a dermatologist—a physician who specializes in treating the skin and keeping it healthy—may be in order. Skin problems can be difficult to diagnose because many skin conditions share similar symptoms. An evaluation is key to effective treatment.

The Structure of Skin

To understand how to keep your skin healthy, it may help to learn about your skin's structure.

Skin is composed of three layers: the epidermis (the outermost layer of skin—about the thickness of a piece of paper), the dermis (the middle layer) and the subcutaneous layer (the deepest layer). The thickness of the dermis varies depending on the location. For example, eyelid dermis is quite thin, but back dermis is about half an inch thick. The epidermis has three sub-layers: the stratum corneum, the squamous cell layer and the basal cell layer.

• The stratum corneum or outer layer of the epidermis is the layer of skin that can be seen and felt. Proteins known as keratin, a fatty, waterproof envelope, and flat, closely packed dead cells make up the stratum corneum. This layer is the barrier between your body and the outside world.

• The squamous cell layer produces keratin for the stratum corneum and also transports water.

• The basal cell layer is the lowest layer of the epidermis. This is where the skin cells are reproduced and give rise to the more superficial layers of the epidermis. The most common form of skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma, arises from this cell layer. Melanocytes, which produce melanin, or skin pigment, sit along this layer among these cells. Melanoma, one of the three most common forms of skin cancer, originates from these pigment-producing cells.

It takes about one month for skin cells to move from the basal cell layer to the top of the stratum corneum and slough off.

The dermis is the middle layer of skin. It is a diverse combination of blood vessels, nerves, hair follicles and sebaceous (or oil) glands. The proteins collagen and elastin are found in the dermis. They provide support and elasticity to the skin. The sun's rays can break down these proteins and, eventually, the skin begins to wrinkle and sag.

The subcutaneous layer, or subcutis, is a layer of fatty tissue that provides nourishment to the dermis and upper layers of skin. It also conserves body heat and cushions internal organs against trauma. Blood vessels, nerves, sweat glands and deeper hair follicles extend from the dermis into the fat (hypodermis).

Look Your Best—Limit Sun Exposure

Facial skin typically looks its best during a woman's 20s. As you age, your skin becomes thinner and often drier. Thinning skin is a result of a breakdown of collagen and elastin fibers. As it ages, skin loses elasticity—especially if it has been exposed to excessive sunlight—and becomes more fragile and drier. However, there are a number of dietary and lifestyle changes that you can make to help keep your skin healthy and young-looking.

Because exposure to the sun causes most of the skin changes associated with aging, protecting the skin from the sun is the single most important skin care practice you can adopt. Significant exposure to the sun will wrinkle and dry the skin. Uneven pigmentation—from freckles to small or large brown spots—is another side effect of frequent sunning. Melasma, commonly associated with pregnancy, is brought out by the sun and produces large brown patches on the forehead and cheeks.

The most serious consequence of sun exposure is skin cancer. Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer, making up nearly half of all diagnosed cases of cancer, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). Most sun damage occurs prior to the age of 18, but skin cancer can take up to 20 or more years to develop; children who experience just a few serious sunburns are believed to have an increased risk of developing skin cancer later in life.