Aging Skin: How Your Skin Plays a Role in Protecting Your Body

The skin is the largest organ in the human body—and just like everything else it changes as you age, making aging skin care an important topic to know about. Skin plays a key role in protecting our bodies against harmful organisms and excessive water loss. It also performs many other important functions.

Functions of the Skin

The skin also:

• Insulates the body from the elements and protects it from bacteria and other pathogens.
• Supports the immune system by regulating the bacteria and fungi that reside on the skin.
• Helps regulate body temperature.
• Aids in controlling evaporation of fluids from the body. The skin provides a relatively dry and semi-impermeable barrier to fluid loss. Loss of this function contributes to the massive fluid loss in burns.
• Acts as a storage center for lipids (fats) and water.
• Serves as a method of excreting urea. The skin has a concentration of 1/130th of urine, hence excretion through perspiration is secondary to temperature regulation.
• Interprets sensation such as heat, cold, touch, pressure and vibration.
• Performs synthesis of Vitamin D through exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays.
• Absorbs oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide and can diffuse into the epidermis in small amounts.
• Provides a surface area to which medicine can be administered by means of ointments or adhesive patches.
• Acts as a water-resistant barrier so essential nutrients aren't washed out of the body.

Proper Skin Care & Hygiene

A good skin care and hygiene regimen is important to promote the proper functioning of the skin. The functions of the skin are disturbed when it is excessively dirty; it is more easily damaged, and dirty skin is more prone to developing infections.

In general, the differing bacteria and fungus keep one another in check and contribute to the functioning of healthy skin. However, when the normal balance of the bacteria and fungi that live on your skin is disturbed, there may be an overgrowth and infection. This often occurs when antibiotics kill bacteria, resulting in an overgrowth of yeast.

Sunlight, water and air also play an important role in keeping your skin healthy. Be sure to wear clothing that permits the evaporation of sweat when you are active or are in a warm environment, and if you wear cosmetics, choose products that don’t cause allergies, block pores or otherwise prevent proper skin functioning.

Caring for Oily Skin

Oily skin is caused by overactive sebaceous glands. This excess causes thickness and oiliness that can result in shininess, blemishes and pimples. There are pros and cons to oily skin. Oily skin is less prone to wrinkling and other signs of aging, because the oil helps keep needed moisture locked into the epidermis (outermost layer of skin). On the other hand, oily skin is especially susceptible to clogged pores, blackheads and buildup of dead skin cells on the surface of the skin. Oily skin can lose it softness and this skin type is associated with large pores. Following are a few tips for caring for oily skin:

• Be careful not to remove too much of the sebum when cleansing your face. Don't be rough with your skin.
• Use a natural face cleanser made especially for oily skin. Choose one that contains minimal oil and waxes but has hydroxyl acids, which help remove superficial dead skin cells.
• Use a light moisturizer to obviate drying effects.
• Don’t use a clay masque more than once a week.
• If you use a toning lotion, make sure it is acidic and designed for oily skin. This will help balance and hydrate oily skin.

Caring for Dry Skin

As we age, our skin becomes drier. Many seniors suffer from dry skin. Milder cases of dry skin can be managed with a moisturizer used immediately after bathing, while the skin is still damp. Petrolatum is a good moisturizer. Many moisturizers contain chemicals such as urea, alpha hydroxy acids, lactic acid, or ammonium lactate to reduce scaling and help the skin retain moisture. Some of these chemicals can irritate the skin, however. Bathing less frequently, using milder soaps or a soap substitute, and/or soaking in a tub of warm water without soap are all effective methods of helping to relieve dry skin. Also remember: hot water is more irritating to dry skin than warm water. After bathing and drying off, apply a moisturizer such as petrolatum or lanolin immediately, while the skin is still damp, to seal in moisture.

Epidermis

Your skin is composed of three primary layers: the epidermis, the dermis and the subcutaneous area. The epidermis is a dynamic, protective layer. Because it is waterproof, it acts as a barrier to infection. It is supplied with nutrients only by what seeps up from the underlying layer of skin known as the dermis. As cells mature, they migrate to the surface of the epidermis, and eventually are sloughed off.

Dermis

The dermis is the layer of skin beneath the epidermis that consists of connective tissue, and which cushions the body from stress and strain. The dermis allows you to sense touch and heat. It contains the hair follicles, sweat glands, sebaceous glands, sweat glands, and drainage vessels. The blood vessels in the dermis provide nourishment and waste removal to its own cells as well as to the epidermis.

The dermis is structurally divided into two areas: a superficial area adjacent to the epidermis, called the papillary region, and a deep, thicker area known as the reticular region. The papillary region pushes up into the epidermis and supplies it with blood. In the fingers and feet, the dermis forms the friction ridges (aka fingerprints) that are unique to each of us. The deeper part of the dermis, the reticular region, is very strong and binds the superficial layers of the skin above to the underlying subcutaneous tissues. The roots of the hair, sebaceous glands and sweat glands are located in the reticular region.

Subcutaneous Area

The primary functions of the subcutaneous area are to attach the skin to underlying bone and muscle and to supply it with blood vessels and nerves. The subcutaneous area consists of loose connective tissue and elastin, and contains 50 percent of one’s body fat, additionally serving as padding and insulation for the body.

Further Reading

Your skin is a major organ that protects your body against harmful organisms and contaminants. However, as the largest organ in the human body, it is prone to disorders and disease as well. Click through to read Aging Skin Care: What You Need to Know Now to Avoid Wrinkles and Sun Damage and Aging Skin Care: How to Treat Common Skin Disorders of the Elderly.

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Author's Note: References include Wikipedia, The American Academy of Dermatology, Web MD and the Mayo Clinic.

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Posted in Senior Health, Understanding Aging Skin Care

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