Your skin is the largest living breathing organ. Just like your kidneys, heart and lungs your skin also has basic functions. One of its major functions is to breathe. What you put on your skin determines whether you block your skin from breathing properly and eliminating toxins.
Your body is 18 square feet of skin and weighs 5-8 pounds. The other functions of the skin are protection, temperature regulation, sensation and secretion. Each square inch of skin contains 65 hairs, 95-100 sebaceous glands, 78 yards of nerves, 20 yards of blood vessels, 650 sweat glands, 9,500,000 cells, 1300 nerve endings which records pain, 19,500 sensory cells, 78 sensory apparatuses to record heat, 13 sensory apparatuses to record cold. The skin, as you can see is a very active organ.
The appearance of your skin is determined by intrinsic aging and actinic aging. Intrinsic aging is only about 10% of the visible signs of aging. This aging process is hereditary. You age 5-10% due to your family background and your family history. The darker the skin the less visible aging will appear. The lighter the skin the more visible signs of aging will appear. The thicker your skin the less signs of aging are noticed and the thinner, more fragile your skin the more noticeable signs of aging will appear.
Actinic aging, on the other hand, is 90-95% of visible signs of aging. Actinic aging is due mainly to the sun and the environment. These signs include wrinkling, sagging, brown, red and white discolorations, pigmented spots. Spider veins and lack of color appear on thinner skin. You can combat actinic aging.
As you age, changes in your skin are inevitable. Naturally you age each day and this includes your skin. You are matter and matter deteriorates. So, what can you do? Prevention and protection is the KEY. You first need to start with a comprehensive skin care system that addresses all the aging factors. We talked about the thickness of your skin. The thicker the skin the less signs of aging but, our skins thickness decreases 6% every 10 years.
Collagen and elastin are words often heard when talking about preventing wrinkles. Collagen is like the glue that holds your skin in place and elastin is the ability to stretch and come back, like elastic. Let me compare collagen and elastin to a fish net. The weave of collagen and elastin together make the net. If the net is in water it stays strong. If the net is out of water it becomes broken, dry and brittle. Our skin needs to stay hydrated to keep a strong net of collagen and elastin. Our collagen and elastin slows down a whopping 65% between the ages of 20 and 80.
In your 20’s you will see the first signs of wrinkles around the eyes and lips. In your 30’s your skin is less resilient because elastin is declining and gravity starts showing itself. In your 40’s skin starts losing its memory and is less able to snap back. You begin to form the first permanent wrinkles with repetitive movements like frowning, squinting or smoking. In your 50’s gravity is not kind and a decrease in collagen and elastin causes skin and muscles to sag. As you continue to age your ears can become elongated and the tip of your nose can droop.
As your skin ages we lose the ability to retain water and our skin becomes rough in texture. Hydrating and moisturizing the skin topically can help lessen the aging appearance of your skin.
Basic skin health should include these few steps daily. All your products should be pH balanced as to not disrupt the acid mantle layer of the skin. Cleanse, do not use soap or harsh products. Cleanse without stripping and drying the skin. Use a toner, to remove excess dirt or makeup after cleansing and maintain the pH of your skin. Moisturize to protect against water loss. You will want to masque to draw out impurities of the skin and address dehydration, dryness, redness and oiliness. You will want to use an exfoliant to remove dead skin cells.
Your skin does a great job for you. Take care of your largest living breathing organ it has a lot of work to do daily. The major functions of the skin are protection, temperature regulation, sensation and secretion. By understanding your skin you can understand how important it is to use the right products to help prevent the aging process and allow your skin to function properly. Know what ingredients are safe and effective for your inner and outer health.
Sondra Betz Gralike, Independent Consultant, Executive Regional Vice President
http://www.aboutarbonneskincare.myarbonne.com Your health is your most precious possession. Learn more about your inner and outer health needs.
Tags: aging, collagen, elastin, prevention, protection, skin care, wrinkles
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