Anatomy of the Skin
The skin is a complex organ that we are all obsessed with but at times seem to be lost about its care. It really is something we should understand and know more about to be able to appropriately care and highlight its beautiful properties.. It can be ravaged by scars, devastated by age and injured by the outside environment.. Your skin changes with age. The skin becomes thinner, loses fat, and loses many of its youthful glow and resilience. Skin is the largest organ in the body and covers the body’s entire external surface. It is mainly made up of two layers, the epidermis and dermis. These layers vary significantly in their anatomy and function. The skin’s structure is made up of an intricate network which serves as the body’s barrier against pathogens, UV light, chemicals, and mechanical injury. It also regulates temperature and the amount of water released into the environment.
Epidermis: The Epidermis is the outer most layer of the skin. It is what we present to the outside world. It serves as a barrier to water loss, invasion by microorganisms, mechanical and chemical trauma, and damage from UV light.
Layers of Epidermis
The layers of the epidermis include (going from superficial to deep layers) the stratum corneum, the stratum lucidium, the stratum granulosa, stratum spinosum and the basal layer. Now you don’t have to know all these layers but just understand it is a complex structure that provides continuity and defense to your body. The basal layer also contains melanocytes that produce melanin which in turn give the skin its color. The more melanin the darker the skin pigment.
Dermis:
The dermis is the layer beneath the epidermis and sustains and supports the epidermis.. It is composed of 2 layers, the more superficial papillary dermis and the deeper reticular dermis. The papillary dermis is thinner, containing capillaries, elastic fibers and collagen. The deeper reticular dermis consists of a thicker layer of dense connective tissue and contains larger blood vessels, elastic fibers, and bundles of collagen fibers.
