Health & BeautySkincareWellbeing

What is skin and what’s it made up of?

We tend to take our skin for granted, but it is in fact one of the most hard working organs in our bodies.  It is also our largest organ.  An organ is defined as a structure made of tissues and cells that has a specific function, and in our skin’s case that function is to act as a barrier between us and the world.

It is designed to protect us from damage from external factors including sunlight or abrasions.  It is packed full of design features that make it tough and waterproof, but it still need lots of looking after to keep it in peak condition.

Our skin is constructed in two main layers – the epidermis is hard working barrier layer on the top, and the dermis lies underneath.  The dermis comprises a complicated system of nerve endings, hair follicles and sweat glands that are supplied with blood via a network of blood vessels or capillaries.

These keep the dermis healthy and play a vital role in keeping body temperature regulated.  There are many different types of nerve endings, each of which has its own role in how we experience sensations such as heat, cold, pressure, pain or itch.  The signals sent to our brains allow us to react to different environments and protect ourselves from burns or other damage to the skin.

The epidermis is essentially an interface – it connects us to the world. It has two layers.  The inner one is alive but the outer one, the one that we see and relate to as ‘skin’, is actually dead.  Our dead skin cells are continually sloughing off and being replaced by fresh cells.

Our skin is constantly regenerating.  This is why it is so important to treat it with respect, to keep this process of renewal going smoothly and to protect the outer epidermis and prevent it becoming dry or otherwise unhealthy.  It is important to treat the whole organ, not forgetting to apply back skin moisturizer.

Moisturising is the key to keeping our skin happy and healthy.  Many factors in our environment contribute to dry, flaky skin including central heating, air conditioning and the weather.  Many of us are allergic to certain substances in common household products, which can cause the skin to react angrily.

Happy skin is well moisturised skin and many people find that once they get into the habit of regularly exfoliating and nourishing their skin, their skin problems quickly become a thing of the past.  Making moisturising a normal part of your morning or evening ablutions quickly becomes routine and the benefits to the skin can be quickly felt.

The best time to do this is after a bath or shower, when skin is at its most receptive.  It is easy to apply even back skin moisturizer with the cleverly designed BackBliss back lotion applicator, that ensures a smooth, even distribution of product to this notoriously tricky to reach area.

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