Before we can begin to understand why and how certain creams, lotions and potions work on your skin, it is just as important to have some understanding about your skin. After all it’s the largest organ in your body, despite what some of the male population might think.

In an average person your skin weighs approximately 6 pounds and covers 20 square feet. It is composed of water, protein and fat (fat is also known as lipids) along with other minerals and chemicals.

Why you should care?

With all the products available that claim to have certain affects on your skin, knowing the basics will make you a more informed consumer and give you the ability to choose products that work.

The Science of it All

Your skin is composed of three major layers. The epidermis, dermis and subcutaneous tissue.

Epidermis

The epidermis is the topmost layer of skin, within this layer is 5 other layers.

1. Stratum Germinativum-This is where all the action of the epidermis happens. It’s where your new skin cells are born. How healthy your new skin cells are all depends on the food and oxygen that your dermis provides. Typically it takes 28-45 days to entirely reproduce skin cells. This is why most skin care programs take up to four weeks to see results.
2. Stratum spinosum-Is the second layer of the epidermis. One of its functions of the cells in this layer is to alert the immune system of foreign bodies. This layer also contains cells called kertinocytes which produce keratin.
3. Stratum Granulosum & Stratum Lucidum-Once the cells reach this level they stop dividing and the kertinocytes produce keratin. Sound familiar? Keratin is not just found in our nails and hair, it is also a protein found in our skin.
4. Stratum Corneum-The end result of epidermis activity. This is what we see when we look at others and in the mirror. All of the skin’s problems such as acne and aging are seen here. The cells in this section are dead skin cells which are meant to be removed. This becomes a problem as we age because the shedding process slows down. If these skin cells are not removed your skin begins to look dull and muddy.

Dermis

The Dermis is the thickest layer of skin. Here is where you will find all your sweat glands, hair follicles, blood vessels, nerve endings and your oil glands otherwise know as the sebaceous glands. What else will you find here? Hyaluronic acid, collagen and elastin.

Collagen and elastin are both proteins which give our skin firmness and resiliency. Hyaluronic acid is what gives our skin structure and volume.

Sound familiar? You will find these ingredients in many anti-aging products because your skin’s ability to produce Collagen, Elastin and Hyaluronic acid decreases with age.

It does make me wonder, if the top layer of the skin is dead skin cells and the thickest layer is where it appears that ageing happens, is there any benefit to applying creams that contain these ingredients to the skin which the cells are dead?

Subcutis Layer

This is the deepest and thickest tissue layer which also contains collagen and fat. It works as an insulator and shock absorber and unfortunately where we store fat.

Now that we know more about our skin, the daunting task of finding the right products lies ahead.