Apr 4, 2023
We perform daily rituals to take care of our skin. These rituals include washing, buffing, and applying creams.
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However, our knowledge about the skin's structure may be limited. The skin is a complex structure that covers our entire body.
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the top or outer layer called the epidermis; the second layer called the dermis, and finally the subcutaneous fat layer.
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When our skin gets dry, it often feels rough and flaky. The top layer of the epidermis, the stratum corneum, plays a key role in helping contain moisture within the skin.
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Water is an important component of the stratum corneum, it usually contains up to 15% water.
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When the moisture content of the stratum corneum decreases below 10%, the skin becomes dry and flaky. As the skin becomes even drier, it can lose flexibility and crack.
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In the epidermis, the spaces between cells contain various components including lipids and fats.
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A mixture of amino acids and salts are present within the cells and help the cells hold in their moisture and are known as "natural moisturizing factor".
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This process helps the stratum corneum regulate natural water loss by preventing water from evaporating from deeper layers of the skin.
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When we use strong soaps, detergents or are exposed to solvents, these useful components are washed out and the skin loses some of its ability to keep water.
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When the skin components lose the ability to keep water, it then becomes dry and will start to crack. The skin continuously sheds dead cells and generates new cells.
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The epidermis has natural enzymes that remove old skin cells, but they require moisture to function effectively.
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