It is your bodys largest organ! The skin of the average woman weighs 3 kilograms, while that of the average man weighs 5 kilograms. The care we devote to our skin is often evident in its appearance. Some lavish an inordinate amount of time to nourish and improve it, however, more often than not, it is neglected by most. Think of skin as the protective layer that shields you from external elements (weather, pollutants, etc.) and it also represents how your body experiences and communicates with its environment by interacting with various stimuli throughout the day. In its protective capacity, the outermost layer (epidermis) can be thought of as the waterproof barrier that is resistant to staining and is easily cleaned. Here lie stem cells that constantly produce and replace new skin cells and melanocytes (pigment-producing skin cells) that protect against UV radiation, which can be especially harmful to the next layer, the dermis. The collagen and fat located at or near the dermis is what gives your skin the plumping effect; as we age, depletion of these tissues cause the formation of wrinkles and looser appearance. Within the complex environment of the skin, blood vessels, hair follicles and sweat and oil glands, an intricate system of neural, vascular, immune and chemical pathways also interdependently coexist. With this new understanding, give your skin the care and attention that it gives you!
