Skin Care - Tricking You, Not Your Skin

Your skin is a very clever organ. No matter which in the arsenal of
developments in anti aging skin care products are proudly emblazoned on the
bottle and in the marketing literature, your skin knows the truth. And whilst it
may play the game for a little while, plumping up nicely to give the
appearance of looking younger, more even, and less lined, this is only a
temporary, somewhat cosmetic ruse. It is actually a biological trick of
the light, a chimeraic nod to the quest for youth. Don't be fooled.

Skin care is big business. And there's nothing wrong with that. But whilst
its highly entertaining to browse through the shelves and try out the latest
pedigree of skin cream, these foot soldiers in the war on wrinkles meet a
somewhat tenacious and uncooperative foe in our skin.

Our skin. This multi-layered emissary to the outside world, bearer of our
expressions, our joys, our grief. Guard against the invisible tide of
micro-organisms that seek to infiltrate our body's first defence against disease
and infection. This complex array of cells that every month regenerate and shed,
within the constraints of age and the quality of our diet. Our skin is a hard
worker and much unappreciated. Often barely nourished despite the money spent on
technological promises, we still hope the dream of youth slipping away will be
restored.

There is a way to slow the process of aging. But not by applying high tech
anti aging creams. By understanding exactly what our skin is, we can find better
ways of giving it what it needs. And consequently, we will find ourselves with
what we want - more youthful skin.

Our skin is composed of 3 main layers. The outside layer that we apply our
anti aging skin care products to is the epidermis. This in turn has 4 to 5
layers, depending on where it is in the body, and whether there is a lot of hair
on it. The top layer of the epidermis, the stratum corneum, serves as a barrier.
This is where the cells are continually shedding and where new cells are
ultimately pushed up to. These cells have no blood supply, and hence no
nutrients or oxygen carried in the blood reach these cells. They are essentially
dead in that they cannot engage in the metabolic processes that living cells do.
But they do serve very important functions. By creating an impenetrable barrier,
they keep out bacteria and other micro organisms, and are thus part of the
immune system. But this very function also serves to keep out most of the
expensive ingredients in anti aging treatments. And no matter how well an
ingredient performs in a laboratory test tube, that does not necessarily
translate to reaching the deeper layers of your skin, where the real anti aging
work takes place. Most skin care products work only on the stratum corneum, and
that is their downfall as anti aging secret agents.

The next layer down from the top is the dermis. This is the layer where
wrinkles develop. The dermis consists of living cells, and they are responsible
for the structure, integrity and elasticity of the skin. Here collagen is
regenerated whilst existing collagen is broken down in the monthly cellular
cycle. The production of collagen slows with age and factors like smoking, sun
exposure, stress and inadequate nutrition. Other skin nutrients like elastin and
hyaluronic acid are found here. Hyaluronic acid for example, helps hold water.
As the dermis is composed of living cells, it has a blood supply, which
transport nutrients and oxygen to the cells. These capillaries also transport
cellular wast like carbon dioxide away. Here you'll also find lymph vessels,
sebaceous and sweat glands, hair follicles, and nerve endings for heat and
cold.

Fibers from the dermis extend down and into the next main layer, the
subcutaneous layer. They anchor the skin to it. The subcutaneous layer in turn
attaches to organs like bone and muscles underneath. Here are nerve endings that
are sensitive to pressure, blood, lymph vessels, fat cells, collagen and
elastin. The subcutaneous layer thins as we age, which creates a more angular
appearance.

Moisturizers achieve their temporary effect by trapping water already in the
skin. They essentially act as a seal, they do not provide additional water or
'moisture'. The few products that actually work on the deeper layers of the skin
are the Retin-A skin care treatments. Vitamin C, though popular, has not
conclusively demonstrated that it can reach the deeper layers, the dermis. And
even if it did, there is not enough evidence that it actually does anything
there.

But the news is not all bad. We can do something, and its not rocket science.
If we supply the skin with the nutrients it needs, with good, fresh fruit and
vegetables, and good quality fats and protein, or even supplements as a boost.
Then, and only then, will we stall the clock at a more agreeable hour.

References: 1. Tortura & Grabowski, Principles of Anatomy and Physiology,
7th Ed. (Harper Collins)
2. E Angyal, Gorgeous Skin (Lothian Books)

Acne sufferers, href="http://www.vitaminstohealth.com/acne-natural-cure.html">read
this acne natural cure article for a great insight into Traditional Chinese
Medicine and how they view skin conditions. And if you want a deeper
understanding of why we get sick, href="http://www.vitaminstohealth.com/supplements.html">check out
this article on supplements and herbal medicine.

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