7 Skin Facts

7 Skin Facts

1. It Weighs 20 Lbs

For the average adult, your skin probably weighs around 20 lbs.Wondering exactly how much 20 pounds is? Well visualize 20 lbs. of butter! That’s right! It is quite heavy and up to 70% of it is water!
Therefore, hydration is crucial in skin care; it is the staff of life for your skin!

2. 90% of Its Wrinkles Are Caused by the Sun

Wrinkles are something that many want to avoid, but those same people still love sitting in the sun, desiring that deep, dark tan! Unfortunately, you don’t see the damage that is caused from sitting in the sun all those hours in your 20’s, and 30’s, but you will sure see it in your 50’s!

It is vital that people understand the importance of sunscreen to help block the damaging UV rays, and prevent premature aging of the skin and sun damage.

Sunscreen needs to be worn throughout the year, as the sun’s UV rays are just as damaging in the winter as they are in the summer.

Even on a dark, cloudy day, UV rays are still able to penetrate into your skin, meaning that sunscreen should definitely be a part of your morning skin care ritual every single day.

3. Stress

There are several skin problems that are brought about by stress.

• Lack of sleep leads to fluid build up underneath the eye
• The cortisolhormone that is released into the body when stress is experienced can lead to acne on the face and body
• There is several hormonal or chemical changes that occur in response to stress which can trigger blood vessels to expand and leak, causing rashes or hives.
• Stress aggravates existing skin conditions, such as eczema, rosacea and psoriasis

4. Air Pollution 

Increasing number of clinical studies done have shown  the ways in which air pollution can cause the skin to age prematurely. 

A frightening fact for those who live in cities and cannot really escape the pollution. 

Fortunately, there are ways in which you can counter their damaging effects:

• Use all-natural skin care products that contain antioxidants, as these will help to protect your skin from environmental toxins.
• Be sure to cleanseyour skin at the end of the day
• Apply a moisturizer that can help to strengthen your skin’s natural protective barrier

5. It Is made Up of 3 Layers

Many people believe that there is just one layer to their skin, but there are three main layers:

• Subcutis –also known as the hypodermis, is the innermost layer of the skin and is made up of fat and connective tissues that house larger blood vessels and nerves. It acts as an insulator to help regulate body temperature.
• Dermis– this is your skin’s middle layer and is responsible for around 90% of your skin’s thickness and is made mostly of collagen. This layer gives the skin its flexibility and strength. It is where sweat is made, grow hair, make oil, and supplies the blood to the skin.
• Epidermis– the outermost layer of skin, the epidermis protects the skin from the environment, while retaining moisture. This is where your skin makes new skin cells and makes melanin, which is what gives your skin its color.

6. It Regenerates Every 27 Days

Though you can’t see it happening, every minute of the day we lose about 40,000 dead skin cells off the surface of our skin. That is almost 9 lbs of cells a year! Our wonderfully created body comes to action though and our epidermis makes new skin cells that rise to the top to replace the old ones. In fact, your skin will regenerate itself approximately every 27 days! However, keep in mind that the skin regeneration process begins to slow down as we get older.

Approximately 95% of the cells in the epidermis work to make new skin cells. The other 5% make melanin.

Melanin gives skin its color. The darker your skin is , the more melanin your have. When you go suntanning these cells make extra melanin to protect your from getting burned by the sun’s UV rays. That is why you get darker when you spend a lot of time in the sun.

7. Your Cellphone Can Cause Breakouts

For some of us our cellphones are practically glued to us 24/7! So, most of us don’t think about the dirt, grime and bacteria our screens are infested with as much as we should.

Your cellphone is dirty, and full of bacteria, and your touching it non-stop! Either against your cheek, or with your fingers, which then touch your face to scratch or rub!

This means you are exposed to all the germs and bacteria, everywhere you go, as well as on every surface that you place it on.

The type of skin to screen contact has developed its own unique strain of acne, and anyone with a cellphone is susceptible to it! It’s called acne mechanica! It is caused from “skin friction”, heat, and “pressure to the skin” that results in blocked pores and pimples.

Dermatologist are now looking  into the skin damage that is caused by the blue light from your cellphone. They have been noticing dullness and pigmentation in people who use their phone regularly.(i.e. taking selfies!)