BSC Skin Care System Step 1
BSC System of Skin Care & Renewal
Learn about your skin
Skin - we all have it and we all want it to look and feel better!
But what is skin? Human skin is our body's largest organ just like your liver or heart, but it's the one the whole world sees.
Its functions are to:
- Regulate body temperature
- Let's us feel heat, cold & pain (touch)
- Prevent excessive water loss
- Protect us from infections (healing)
- Protects us from the sun with a specialized pigment (melanin)
- Involved in the production of Vitamin D
The skin is much deeper than what you see on the surface though.
Skin has layers:
Epidermis - the outer most layer of our skin. Contains sub-layers of different skin cell types.
Stratum corneum - Very top layer of the epidermis.
- Is a protective layer of dead skin cells - fully mature kerantinocytes - that contain fibrous proteins known as keratins
- Is thinner than tissue paper
- Helps to hold in skin moisture and oil
- Continuously sheds (exfoliates) but this shedding slows with age
Keratinocytes layer - (Squamous cells)
- Lies just beneath the stratum corneum
- Contains living kerantinocytes
Basal Cell Layer - lowest level of the epidermis.
- Continually divides to produce new karatinocyte skin cells
Melanocytes - not really a layer but part of the epidermis
- Produce melanin (skin pigment)
- The amount of melanin your skin has determines the color of your skin.
- The amount of melanin you have is genetic.
Dermis - your middle layer of skin.
- Made up of almost 70% collagen
- The dermis also consists of:
- fibroblasts
- sebaceous gland
- blood vessels
- hair follicles
- sweat glands
- nerve endings
- immune system cells
Fibroblasts - are responsible for secreting collagen, elastin and ground substance - all of which give support and elasticity to the skin.
Elastin Fibers - wrap around collagen to give support to your skin.
Sebaceous Glands - produce sebum, which is an oily, waxy material that helps keep skin supple.
Subcutaneous Fat Layer - lies under the dermis layer
- Gives skin it's plumpness
Now let's break this down a bit further and relate it to skin aging.
The Stratum Corneum layer of dead skin cells is sloughed off constantly with "new" dead skin cells taking its place. Unfortunately, this process slows way down as we age. This is the reason our skin begins to look rough and dull. Think of light reflecting off a smooth surface. The light reflects cleanly and shows the surface's evenness. Now think of light reflecting from a rough surface. The light reflects at different angles showing the roughness. This is why our skin looses that "fresh" look!
Basal Cells are at the bottom of the Epidermis. Basal cells generate new skin cells that move to the top die and become the stratum corneum. Poor nutrition, sun exposure, bad general health habits, free radicals and normal aging all slow the process of new skin growth making the skin look older.
As we naturally age, the entire epidermis loses its' translucency and does not retain moisture as well. This is why older or mistreated skin looks dry and not as plump. Also, the overall thickness of the epidermis decreases making skin look thin and more fragile.
Below the Epidermis, the Dermis is about 90% of your skin's
thickness.
The Dermis contains the all important collagen and elastin fibers
which are responsible
for the form and strength of our skin. The plump, taut skin of youth
comes from plenty of healthy
collagen and elastin. As you probably have figured out by now, natural
aging, sun exposure,
poor health habits along with free radicals also decrease collagen and
elastin production in the skin.
The Sebaceous Glands produce Sebum, an oily substance that lubricates
and protects our skin.
An important function until there is too much sebum and dead skin
cells, and then breakouts occur.
As related to aging, the Sebaceous Glands lessen in size and number
(especially in woman)
and generally produce less oil that can add to skin dryness.
Under the Dermis, lies the Subcutaneous Fat Layer. This fatty tissue
insulates and
cushions your organs. It also helps to keep your skin smooth and
plump.
Thankfully, this layer is not too affected by aging.
The Two Types of Skin Aging - Intrinsic & Extrinsic
Intrinsic or chronological aging
is the natural passage of time and inevitably, will happen to your skin. Heredity plays a big part in intrinsic aging so take a look at your parents for some clues as to what will come for you.
Extrinsic or environmental aging
is your skins exposure to the environment. Repeated exposure to the sun's UVA and UVB rays (photo damage) is responsible for most of the extrinsic skin damage you will have in your life.
Do you think I have mentioned the sun and its damaging effects on our wonderful skin enough?
Well this one fact can't be stressed enough.
skin sun damage
THE SUN'S UVA & UVB RAYS TRIGGER YOUR SKIN TO AGE PREMATURELY!
If you want to really understand the difference between Intrinsic and Extrinsic aging - just compare your face, back of hands, upper chest to your backside or any place on your body that does not see much sun. This should give you an idea of how much damage your skin receives from the sun.
That's it for Step 1.
See I told you it was a short lesson on skin.
But hopefully it has given you a basic understanding that will make finding your right skin care system much easier.
Learn your skin type in step 2 => Step 2
