Multi-Task Skin
Skin multi-functioning abilities
The skin of an average adult is the largest and one of the weightiest body organs. Apart its cosmetic and camouflage properties it performs the function of a protective barrier - keeping body fluids from leaking out as well as of a shield against the irritants/dangers of the outside world (infection, injury, UV-rays, wind etc).
In order to beat off the toxic effect of ultraviolet irradiation our skin produces melanin and vitamin D3… and the latter, in turn, contributes its important mite in the formation of vitamin D – guarantor of strong, healthy and well-shaped bones.
Not mentioning the scattering of nerve endings all over our skin – this is how we recognize cold, heat, touch and pain.
Skin temperature regulating abilities
Normal temperatures outside accelerate the flow of blood through the skin (it starts running up to 10 times faster than necessary in order to provide skin with essential nutrition).
In hot temperatures the speed of blood flow exceeds seven times the “normal” mark.
In a very cold climate the flow drops to a barely measurable rate.
This is how body heat is conducted to the skin and furtherly processed through convection and radiation processes.
The body temperature is also influenced by means of millions tiny sweat glands studded all over the skin surface. These glands secrete water, lactic acid, salt and waste protein products - commonly and altogether referred to by the name of “Sweat”. Once appearing on the skin, the perspiration starts to evaporate and cool down the surface along with the blood flowing underneath.
Skin protective abilities
The skin also contributes it’s mite in resisting micro-organisms invasion. Such natural immunity defense manifests itself through ordinary dryness, regular scaling of the skin, fatty acids –containing sebum and lactic acid –containing perspiration.
The role of your protective membrane is to shield the inside of your body from the outside world. Our surroundings are so full of germs and various infections… Our skin blocks them at the very entry with its 3 layers – epidermis, dermis and hypodermis.
- Epidermis - the on-surface and thinnest layer of the skin responsible for “bouncing off” environmental intruders. It houses millions of tiny cells that can be divided into a few different cell-types each performing a specific task. For instance, keratin-producing cells provide the skin with one of the strongest proteins – Keratin. Pigmentary cells give your skin colours and shades. Langerhans cells compose the outer germ- and infection-proof coating.
- Dermis – is the main collagen- and elastin- protein supplier. Collagen is the essential (75%) skin building material. It supports our skin’s vital activity while Elastin endows it with stretching/destretching properties. Dermis is the middle, in-between layer of the skin where blood vessels, oil glands, hair follicles and tons of nerve endings are located.
- Hypodermis – is the fat-containing skin layer composed mostly of collagen, sweat glands and fat cells. It performs the heat-conserving and organ-protecting function.
Our skin is a regenerative organ that renews itself approximately every 27 days.