Understanding Skin Structure
The
fact that your skin makes up 15% of your body weight makes it the largest organ
in your body. In the average adult,
this can be as much as twelve to even twenty square feet of skin. Skin is also seventy percent water so hydration is vitally important.
The
skin comprises of three layers; these are the epidermis, the dermis and subcutaneous tissue.
The
epidermis is the outside layer of skin and is your first barrier of defence
between you and external elements. Between
0.5 – 1 mm thick it comprises of three different types of cells - keratinocytes, melanocytes and Langerhans.
Keratinocytes
Keratinocytes
are the cells that produce the protein keratin and they are the principal cells
of the epidermis or outside layer of skin. When immature they
divide rapidly in the lower portion of the epidermis but as they mature, they
flatten out, lose water and move upwards towards the surface of your skin.
The surface of your skin, known as the stratum corneum, consists mainly
of dead keratinocyte cells, hardened proteins and lipids, which together form a
protective crust. These dead cells
continually fall off and newer ones coming up from further down replace them.
Known as the renewal process this can take between 3-5 weeks, although
exfoliating will speed up the process.
Melanocytes
Melanocytes
are the cells that produce the pigment melanin; these cells are responsible for
the color and tone of your skin.
Langerhans
Langerhans are the cells responsible for protecting your skin from an invasion of unwanted foreign substances.
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