Layers of the Skin – Epidermis – Dermis – Hypodermis
In biological terms, your skin is the single biggest organ in your body, and like every other organ (e.g., heart, liver, lungs, etc), skin is composed of many types of tissues, all doing different jobs. These tissues are then made up of various cells. There are three layers of the skin called the epidermis, dermis and hypodermis.
In simple terms, the skin acts like an umbrella, protecting your body. The skin is a barrier, keeping everything that you need to live in, and everything else out, including bacteria, rays of the sun and other harmful particles, while simultaneously taking care of the release of waste products and protecting your internal organs from injuries.
The skin is made up of a number of layers, but the deeper layers are not visible. While wrinkles and acne are common, visible skin problems, they are actually the result of what is going on deep below the top layer of the skin.
If you have ever seen a cross-sectional diagram of the skin, you would know that it is made up of three main layers: the hypodermis, dermis and epidermis. What exactly does each layer of skin do?
Diagram Showing Three Layers of Human Skin – Epidermis – Dermis – Hypodermis
Outer Skin Layer – Epidermis
The epidermis is the skin layer that is visible, covering the entire body from head to toe.
The epidermis is in itself made up of three separate layers, which are all comprised of millions of connecting tissues of different thickness woven together.
The epidermis under your eyes is very thin, whereas it is thick on your heel.
It acts as a barrier, and because of this it takes a constant beating and is always being shed.
New skin is constantly being made in the bottom layer of the epidermis to replace the top layer.
The epidermis is scattered with pores and shafts that contain hairs, and also holds melanin, which is what gives your skin its color or pigmentation to protect from the UV light produced by the sun.
Middle Layer of Skin – Dermis
The dermis is the hub of all operations in the skin where a lot of action takes place. The dermis is tucked away between the epidermis and hypodermis.
It is the layer that holds all the blood vessels, nerves, hair follicles, collagen and sweat glands.
Capillaries (tiny blood vessels) supply nutrients to the skin and the nerves give our sense of touch, while tiny muscle fibers control the raising and lowering of hairs and goose pimples.
The dermis is also responsible for catching, trapping and dealing with any stray bacteria that has been able to travel through the epidermis.
Inner Layer of Skin – Hypodermis
Temperature control is the main job of this deep layer of skin, the hypodermis. This is because fatty deposits and collagen are found here, which insulate our bodies and make sure that we stay warm.
The hypodermis is also where adipose tissues are found. Adipose tissues are all the connective tissues that form this layer of skin, and the hypodermis acts like a shock absorbing mechanism to reduce impact from outside and keep us free from injury.
Skin care for combination skin can be a tricky business and relies on a careful balance between various products for the varying types of skin
Dry sensitive skin can be caused by over use of strong soap, which clears out the glands, over exposure to the sun, and can even be genetically determined
It is the immediate reaction of many oily skin sufferers to try to get rid of those nasty oils that block the pores, but this is the worst thing they can do
If you have combination dry or dehydrated and oily skin at the same time, certain parts of the face may be oily, while other areas are dry and flaky
Sensitive skin is not a medical condition but rather that the skin can become swollen, itchy or irritated, due to the environment or certain skincare products
Pregnancy skin care involves keeping your skin moisturized and not allowing it to dry out or become too oily. Avoid dying hair in pregnancy since the chemicals come into contact with the skin
Newborn baby skin is very sensitive as well a sometimes being dry and flaky. Here are some tips on how to take care of newborn baby skin
All skin care is not created equally and women's skin care differs from that of children and men, and among women at various stages of life
Quite often, men feel that they do not need to care for their skin in the same way that women do but that could not be further from the truth
We all shudder at the thought of getting older and developing wrinkles and it is possible to slow down their appearance but not completely get rid of them
A debate rages on whether skincare products containing all natural ingredients are really better than those containing synthetic ingredients
In the same way as you wear different clothes to shelter your body from different types of weather, you need to look after your skin properly and adjust your skin care in different seasons. Skin, being the largest single organ in the body, is much harder...
Healthy natural skin care is all about preventing the skin from drying out due to over exposure to the sun and keeping the skin moisturized and hydrated
Essential oils for skin care are great because they are natural and gentle on your skin, do not contain any chemicals and have natural healing properties. They also absorb easily into your skin
The saying of not getting enough beauty sleep could not be more appropriate when it comes to how sleep affects condition of your skin
Cellulite is controllable although usually not preventable, but it can be kept low-level with strict control of your diet and lifestyle
Dry cracked skin can be very painful and that pain can get a whole lot worse whenever you move or stretch. However, cracked skin treatment is something you can carry out at home
Taking care of our skin is the most important step in skin cancer prevention. A single coating of sun block significantly reduces damaging UV rays from the sun and can help prevent skin cancer
Acne skincare involves maintaining the health of the skin by keeping it clean and protecting it from sources of damage such as the sun and harsh cosmetics
Skin eczema refers to a group of skin disorders that can affect folks of all ages. There are several forms of the skin disorder ranging from mild to severe
Psoriasis is a chronic lifelong skin disorder, with no known cure, in which scaly pink patches form on various areas of the body
Avoiding sun skin damage is important for anybody who wants to grow old gracefully as well as being an absolute must for anybody who wants to limit his or her risk of developing skin cancer
