When most people think spa, they think massage. When I hear spa, I think skin. Care of the skin is an important part of appearance. I am always so amazed at the number of people who do not wash regularly. Can you imagine what the tub would look like if you never cleaned it? There would be a serious buildup on it. Hormones also play a major role in how our skin looks, feels, and smells. One day your complexion is clear and the next you have acne. One minute you are upset, and the next second you have glands secreting a distinct odor. You can't do anything to change your hormones but you can surely do something about your skin. Did you know that the skin is the largest organ in the body? It has some important functions as well.
1. It protects the body from gems and injury.
2. It regulates body temperature.
3. It is used to transmit sensations like pain and cold.
4. It excretes wastes.
5. It synthesizes vitamin D.
With BeautiControl, we break down the layers of the skin into 3 parts: cornflakes, raisins, and grapes. Its a great visual and its easy to understand. We believe in maintenance, repair, and prevention. However, I want to talk about the epidermis and the dermis specifically. I was asked to break down the epidermis and dermis into as simple terms as possible. So here goes.
The epidermis is the top layer of the skin. This is the skin that you see. It is made up of cells that are replaced once a month when you are young. As we get older, the cells turn over slower. Look at a picture of you in your teens, 20s, 30s, and so forth. You may look fabulous through the years but you do age. The epidermis has small openings called pores. These tunnels lead to the skin surface from below the epidermis. Skin oil and sweat are carried in the pores up to the skin surface. Melanin is found in the epidermis and gives skin its color. It also protects the skin from the sun's rays and is produced whenever the skin is exposed to the sun. The myth however is that people with more melanin have full protection from the sun. This is not true and anyone can be sunburned. Melanin also produces freckles.
The dermis is the skin layer just below the epidermis. It contains blood vessels that carry heat and nutrients to surface of the skin. The dermis has thousands of tiny hairs. The root of each hair is surrounded by oil glands. Oil from these glands travels along the hair to the surface of the skin. The oil keeps the skin moist, soft, and waterproof. Overproduction of oil is something that many people deal with including myself. The dermis also has thousands sweat glands. They rid the body of excess water, salts, and wastes. When sweat evaporates, the skin get cool. About 1 quart of water is excreted in sweat everyday but we don't even notice it.
One of the first things that people notice when they look at you is your skin. It can be a serious pain when you have skin problems. I will create an entire post on skin problems but feel free to contact me if you have a specific problem that you want to talk about. Skin care solutions and treatments can also be purchased at the top of this blog as well.
Yahrasiel Colbert
The Real Spa Girl
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