What are the 3 layers of the skin?
The skin is the largest organ of the body and made of mostly water, proteins (collagen and elastin), and fats (lipids). The skin regenerates every 28 days (takes longer as we age) giving us newer and stronger skin. It’s not visible to the naked eye, but humans shed around 30,000-40,000 dead skin cells every minute. That equates to approximately nine pounds of skin a year!
The skin serves three primary functions:
- Blocks bacteria and microbes from entering the body
- Helps regulate body temperature
- Enables the sensation of touch, heat, and cold
There are three primary layers that make up the skin. The outermost layer is the epidermis. The epidermis is a waterproof protective barrier of the skin and keeps the bad things out. It gives us our skin tone and protects us from the sun. The epidermis is the thinnest layer of the skin and 90% of the protein keratinocyte.
The middle layer of skin is the dermis. The dermis contains tough connective tissue, sweat glands, and hair follicles. It gives skin its structure with the two proteins elastin and collagen. Collagen makes up to 80% of the skin and as we age, our body produces less collagen and elastin which leads to more wrinkles.
The final, and innermost layer of the skin is the hypodermis. This layer is composed of fat tissues that provide insulation for our body keeping us warm. The hypodermis functions sort of like a cushion to absorb shock to protect the surrounding organs.
Keep in the mind the following for proper skin health:
- Limit sun exposure. The sun’s UV rays is damaging to our skin and causes wrinkles, dark spots and discoloration
- Stay hydrated. Skin needs water to function properly, drink at least eight glasses of water daily
- Moisturize daily. Using a cream will help your skin retain moisture throughout the day
- Don’t over exfoliate. Be cautious of over exfoliating as this may cause the skin barrier to weaken
To learn more about strengthening your skin barrier and keeping skin moisturized browse our collection of Creams to find the perfect one for you.