What Is the Skin?
Your skin is the largest organ of your body. It's made up of several different substances, including water, protein, lipids, minerals and chemicals. The average adult's skin weighs about 6 pounds. Its job is crucial — to protect you from infections and germs. Throughout your life, your skin changes constantly, for better or worse. In fact, your skin regenerates itself approximately every 27 days. Proper skin care is key to maintaining the health and vitality of this crucial organ.
Functions of Skin
The skin has many more functions than you might imagine. Here are some of them:
Protective barrier. This is the most obvious function. The skin protects your body against water loss, invasion of bacteria and other germs, physical injuries, chemical damage, and UV light.
Immune defense. Your skin helps your immune system fight off infections by producing substances that kill bacteria and fungi. Your skin contains cells that alert the body’s immune system to threats.
Keeping your body in balance. That means regulating your body temperature and its water balance. Sweat glands and blood vessels in your skin try to make sure you don't get too hot or too cold.
Production of Vitamin D. When exposed to sunlight, your skin produces vitamin D. This vitamin is important for healthy bones and helps the immune system fight off infections.
Sensory function. Your skin has sensors that can detect touch, heat, cold, and pain. This helps protect you against harm and allows you to interact with your surroundings without injuring yourself.
Health indicator. From looking at your skin's color, firmness, or texture, you or your doctor can gather clues about your overall health.
Layers of Skin
There are medical terms for various parts of your skin. Here's a rough guide to what those terms mean.
Stratum corneum: The outer layer of dead skin
The stratum corneum contains dead skin cells that have been shed from the epidermis. Using facial scrubs and some other skin products helps remove or thin this layer.
Epidermis: The outer layer of the skin
The epidermis is the thinnest layer of your skin, but it's responsible for protecting you from the harsh environment. The epidermis has five layers of its own. It also hosts different types of cells. Keratinocytes produce the protein known as keratin, the main part of the epidermis. Melanocytes produce your skin pigment known as melanin. Langerhans cells prevent foreign substances from getting into your skin.
Dermis: The middle layer of the skin
This is the layer responsible for wrinkles. The dermis is a complex combination of blood vessels, hair follicles (skin structures that form hair), and sebaceous (oil) glands. Here, you'll find collagen and elastin — two proteins that are necessary for skin health because they offer support and elasticity. Fibroblasts are the cells you'll find in this layer because they combine collagen and elastin. This layer also contains nerves that sense pain, touch, and temperature.
Subcutis: The skin's fatty layer
Reduction of tissue in this layer is what causes your skin to sag as well as wrinkle. This layer hosts sweat glands, fat, and loose connective tissue. The subcutis is responsible for conserving your body's heat and protecting your vital inner organs.
Collagen in Skin
Collagen is found in the dermis and is the most abundant protein in the skin, making up 75% of this organ. Often referred to as the "fountain of youth," collagen wards off wrinkles and fine lines. Over time, environmental factors (such as air pollution) and aging diminish your body's ability to produce collagen and can also break down existing collagen.
How to improve skin collagen
Take collagen. A review of studies on collagen and the skin suggested that collagen, either taken orally as a supplement or applied topically as a cream, helped improve skin elasticity, reduce wrinkles, and increase hydration.
Get enough vitamin C. The vitamin is necessary for your body to make collagen. It also acts as an antioxidant, protecting you from free radicals. Free radicals are compounds that damage cells and are linked to aging and some diseases. You get vitamin C from citrus fruits and juices, red and green peppers, broccoli, and strawberries. Adults should get about 75-90 milligrams per day.
Protect your skin. Too much exposure to UV radiation (from sunlight) is bad for your skin. Experts note that the parts of your body regularly exposed to sunlight (face, arms, neck) tend to show more visible signs of age than other body parts. Wear sunscreen and sunglasses regularly and cover up those body parts that often get exposed to the sun.
Elastin in Skin
When you hear the word elastin, think elastic. This protein is found with collagen in the dermis and gives structure and support to your skin and organs. As with collagen, elastin is affected by aging and environmental factors. Lower levels of this protein cause your skin to wrinkle and sag.
How to increase elastin in your skin
Wear sunscreen. The sun damages the elastin in your skin over time.
Use retinoids. These come from vitamin A and are often found in anti-wrinkle creams. Retinoids stimulate the production of collagen and improve skin elasticity by removing damaged elastin fibers and enhancing the production of new ones. Foods containing high amounts of vitamin A, such as beef liver, sweet potatoes, spinach, and carrots, also help your skin health.
Try light therapy. Studies show that low levels of red light and infrared light stimulate the production of collagen and elastin.
Keratin in Skin
Keratin is the strongest protein in your skin. It forms the structure of your skin. It helps heal wounds and keep your nails, hair, and skin healthy. Keratin is also in your glands and organs.
How to improve skin keratin
Studies haven't yet shown that taking keratin supplements is good for your skin. More research is needed. However, many foods help with the production of keratin in your body. These are foods containing nutrients such as biotin, protein, and vitamins A and C, including:
- Eggs
- Onions
- Salmon
- Sweet potatoes
- Garlic
- Mango
- Beef liver
Common Skin Disorders
Here are just a few of the conditions your skin may experience:
Acne
When oil (sebum) and dead skin cells plug your skin's pores, hair follicles under the skin can get clogged. This results in pimples on your face, and sometimes on your back and chest. This mostly affects teens and young adults though some people have acne until their 40s.
Eczema (atopic dermatitis)
This is a chronic (ongoing) condition that often begins in childhood. Your skin becomes very itchy, leading to scratching. Scratching leads to cracked, red, crusty skin that sometimes oozes a clear fluid. No one knows what causes eczema, but scientists do know that your genes, immune system, and the environment all play a role. The condition can come and go.
Rosacea
Your face gets red, and pus-filled pimples may break out. The rash is usually on your nose and cheeks. The reasons for getting rosacea are unknown, but genes may play a role. Mostly middle-aged and older women get it. The condition flares on and off.
Hives (urticaria)
These are red itchy, bumps that flare up from an allergic reaction to food or a drug. Some people get them from stress. They usually go away on their own.
Alopecia areata
Your immune system attacks your hair follicles, causing hair loss. You can lose hair from any part of the body, but it's mostly from the face (such as eyelashes) and the scalp. Some immune diseases, as well as having a family member with alopecia, may increase your chance of getting this condition. Most people with alopecia don't have any other health problems beside hair loss.
Psoriasis
Your immune system is overactive, causing skin cells to go into overdrive. The result is patches of inflamed red skin with silvery scales on your body. These are found mostly on the scalp, elbows, and knees, though they can appear on other body parts. The cause of psoriasis is unknown but has to do with genetics and the environment. Having psoriasis may put you at greater risk for more serious diseases such as psoriatic arthritis, heart attack and stroke, some cancers, diabetes, liver disease, and kidney disease. Anyone can get psoriasis.
Vitiligo
This is another autoimmune disease. Your immune system cells attack your body's healthy tissue, destroying your melanocytes (skin cells that make skin color). Milky-white patches of skin appear, usually on both sides of the body, such as your hands and feet, but you can also see them on your face and other body parts. Anyone can get vitiligo, but it's more noticeable on people with dark skin.
Skin cancer
This is the most common type of cancer. It affects mainly areas of your body exposed to the sun, such as your face, arms, and legs. Skin cancer occurs when mutations or errors in the DNA of your skin cells cause them to grow and form a mass (tumor). Ultraviolet light from the sun and tanning beds damages your skin cells. But you can also get skin cancer in body parts not normally exposed to the sun. This means that there are other factors at work too, such as a weakened immune system and/or your environment. You may get lesions, bumps, or moles on your skin as a result of this cancer.
Aging and Skin
Certain things may cause your skin to age, such as:
- Time
- Sun damage
- Smoking
Time refers to the natural aging process. As you get older, your skin is more likely to:
- Become thinner
- Lose fat and elasticity
- Become drier
- Bruise easier
- Wrinkle
This is because you lose sweat and oil glands as you age, which makes it harder to keep your skin moist. You may develop health problems, such as diabetes and kidney disease, which dry out your skin. You also lose fat and collagen in your skin, which makes your bones and wrinkles more prominent. After age 30, you begin to lose muscle mass and this goes down about 5% per decade unless you build up your muscles and exercise.
In addition to nature, your skin can become damaged from spending too much time in the sun, whether from working outdoors, lying on the beach, or using tanning beds. UV light is good in small doses (it's how we get vitamin D), but too much exposure can be harmful. UV light penetrates all layers of our skin and affects fibers like collagen and elastin that normally make your skin look plump and smooth. UV light also damages DNA in the skin and can cause precancerous cells to form.
Some of the possible side effects of sun damage include:
- Age spots or liver spots (these are signs your skin is trying to protect itself from more sun damage)
- Wrinkles
- Rough skin
- Spider veins (broken capillaries) around your nose or chest
- Blotchy or red skin
- Skin cancer
Smoking may lead your body to produce an enzyme that breaks down collagen. Less collagen in your body leads to skin that is wrinkled, dry, and sagging. In particular, smokers get wrinkles around their mouths and eyes. The eye wrinkles are likely due to squinting as the smoke rises in the face, while the mouth wrinkles are from sucking on cigarettes continually.
You can't completely stop the effects of time on your skin. But there are things you can do to lessen them. For instance:
- Wear sunscreen. SPF 15 or higher is best.
- Limit your time in the sun. Avoid going out at peak times if possible.
- Wear protective clothing when in the sun such as a hat or sunglasses.
- Don't smoke. Smoking ages your skin.
- Take vitamin C. This vitamin helps your body make collagen. Plus it has antioxidants. You can get vitamin C from citrus fruits and some vegetables.
- Wash your face every night and moisturize it.
Some people turn to cosmetic procedures, such as chemical peels and filler injections, to help their faces look younger.
How to Keep Your Skin Healthy
Here are some ways to keep your skin looking its best:
Cleanse thoroughly. You should wash your face twice daily. At night, remove all your make-up and cleanse your face before going to bed. Washing your face helps unclog pores and removes pollutants.
Use a gentle soap without fragrance. This prevents your skin from reacting if you are allergic to a scent.
Eat a balanced diet. Most fruits and vegetables have nutrients that prevent cell damage and help your skin look younger.
Moisturize. Do this even if you have oily skin. There are plenty of moisturizers on the market that are oil-free. Apply moisturizing lotions and creams to your face and body every day.
Wear protective clothing. That includes a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, or long sleeves or pants.
Apply sunscreen. This is probably the most important thing that you can do for your skin. Even in the winter, on cloudy days, and on days when you're mainly indoors, you should wear sunscreen. Look for a sunscreen that says "broad spectrum" (or that it protects against "UVA and UVB"). Use SPF 15 or higher and put it on 15-30 minutes before going outside. Reapply every two hours or more often if you're swimming or sweating.
Limit your time in the sun, especially between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Drink plenty of water. This keeps your skin hydrated.
Don't start smoking. Or quit smoking if you've already started.
Reduce your stress level. Stress can cause psoriasis and eczema to flare up. Stress hormones also break down collagen and elastin. Try to get exercise and a proper night's rest to cut down on your stress levels. Meditating or praying can help too.
Check for skin changes. Know your skin well so you'll notice any changes, such as moles or patches that might indicate skin cancer. Whenever you have a question or concern, make sure you see your doctor.
Takeaways
Your skin is the largest organ of your body. It protects you from infection and physical injuries, and regulates your body temperature and water composition, among many other functions. As you age, your skin ages too, becoming more wrinkled and sagging. To improve skin health, wear sunscreen, eat a healthy diet, moisturize, and avoid smoking.
Skin FAQs
What causes skin tags?
Skin tags are growths that form on your skin when it rubs up against itself, clothing, or jewelry. They look like small bumps that are either your skin's color, red, pink, or dark brown. People who are overweight, pregnant, or have loose skin are more likely to have skin tags. The growths are harmless and you don't need to do anything about them unless they start to itch or irritate you.
What helps your skin repair itself?
The skin has a remarkable ability to heal itself when wounded. You can help by keeping your wound clean and covered, and not picking at scabs.
What does skin cancer look like?
Depending on the type, you may see bumps, flesh-colored lesions, flat lesions, brown spots with speckles, or moles that change color or size or that bleed. That's why it's important to know your own body and what growths are there normally. Not every mole that appears is cancerous, but you should let your doctor examine you annually or if something worries you.
Is coconut oil good for the skin?
In some ways, yes. It is very moisturizing, which is a bonus if you have dry skin. It's also chemical-free, can treat minor scratches or razor burns, and smells great. But don't use it on your face as it can clog your pores and cause acne to break out. The best way to use coconut oil is to rub it on your body or lips. Try a little at first to make sure it doesn't cause your skin to react.
