The skin we live in. Part 1

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Cosmetology is serious science. It’s a far cry from the days when a small, poorly illuminated room could be referred to as the “cosmetology center”. Now, most medical centers and beauty salons use the whole range of new dermatological products. In modern cosmetology, there is a wide variety of techniques for body and facial rejuvenation.

In the search for new treatments and innovative miracle "nano-technology" creams and lotions, many of us are ready to move mountains, but, oddly enough, in modern aesthetic medicine, the word "innovation" is often fraught with the greatest danger. We are told about stem cells and PRP therapy in commercials, but what do we know about it? And all too often, some cosmetologists sing the praises upon one methodology, and others immediately conduct research questioning the adequacy of this particular technique.

Scientists have proved that the condition and appearance of the skin directly impact the psycho-emotional state. As a result, it determines success and self-esteem in the social sphere and communication with other people.
Proper care and protection of the body without outside interference is possible only if one possesses the necessary knowledge and a complete and competent view of the structure of the human body. Improper beauty treatments can disrupt the delicate balance in the entire organism and cause skin problems and severe internal diseases. We invite you on an exciting journey through the "inner space" of the human body. Let it tell you that beautiful skin results from the internal and external balancing of the entire system.

Every day we prove by our own experience that the human body's resources, inherent in its' very nature, with properly integrated care, eliminates the need for injections and scalpels. The human body is more intelligent than we are. It knows its capability precisely, and our main task is not to interfere. Any surgical intervention should be dictated by an urgent need, namely, the immediate risk to human life or health. In all other cases, only one small but conscious intention can activate a genuinely unique process of rejuvenation and regeneration in the body.

However, for each of the human body organs - as well as the entire system as a whole - to remain healthy, it is necessary, at least in general terms, to learn to understand how it works and what it consists. We do not set the task of teaching our readers a short course of the medical institute on the specialty "dermatologist". The amount of knowledge required in this area is genuinely enormous - physiology, cytology, histology, molecular biology, how you can act on the skin with the available therapeutic agents.

So what is the skin?

The skin comprises three different layers, which are radically different in structure and functional load. It’s essential to understand upon which layer, or layers, cosmetic effects are directed.

Mother Nature provided our skin with the magical property of self-renewal and regeneration, enabling it to improve its' condition and appearance. Everyone has to understand the mechanism of these effects and learn how it works.

Not a single cell of our body exists in isolation from other organs and systems. Everything in the human body is interconnected. If our skin has any problems, they can affect the entire body. If something is wrong, for example, in the digestive system, it is very likely it would also affect the skin condition. Therefore, it is impossible to solve one problem without solving the others.

The skin is the main decoration of our body and a multifunctional organ responsible for the body's connection with the environment, protection from external influences, and much more. Therefore, in pursuit of aesthetic perfection, you need to follow the main principle - "not harm!"

Yes, we are so used to this "universal spacesuit" for our body, which is given even before birth and accompanies us throughout our lives. It is complex and unusual for us to perceive our skin as something separate. Nevertheless, it is so. Skin is a complex and multifunctional shell that separates our fragile "inner space" from the hardships and dangers of the changing external world.

The skin area in an adult reaches 1.5 - 2 sq.m. The mass can be about 15% of a person's weight.

Here is a list of those functions that such a thin and such firm skin performs for our body.

• Barrier
  The skin protects the body from the penetration of dangerous microorganisms, harmful substances, and excessive ultraviolet radiation from outside prevents moisture evaporation, protects internal organs from injuries and bruises.

Collagen and elastin fibers protect the skin from mechanical injuries, the first of which are stretched along the tension axis, and the second returns the skin to its original state. Excessive elasticity of the skin is caused by a violation of the structure of collagen fibers.

• Thermoregulatory
  The skin is a kind of natural "conditioner" for the human body: the fatty layer reduces heat loss, and the system of blood vessels and sweat glands regulates heat transfer.
• Breathing
  The skin can absorb oxygen and emit carbon dioxide directly, without the involvement of the general respiratory system.
• Endocrine
  The skin synthesizes all necessary hormones for the successful operation of its internal needs.
• Excretion
  Salts, fat-like substances, and products of cellular metabolism are derived out of the body with sweat, sebum, and dead horny scales.
• Receptor
  Nature has provided the skin with unique sensors capable of recognizing temperature and pressure, assessing the severity of external actions, and interpreting them as pleasant or painful.
• Social
  The skin color and texture, features of how the subcutaneous mimic muscles work give uniqueness to your appearance and let every human being visually distinguish one person from another and transmit emotions. Healthy and beautiful skin plays a vital role in shaping the social status of the individual.

The skin is the only organ that can renew itself in a brief period. The composition of the human skin changes entirely for 28-30 days. For infants, this process runs even more quickly, in 72 hours.

Human skin is an outpost, a fortress wall, and a signaling system of the body, which steadfastly takes on all the blows of the external environment and reacts to possible dangers. It is a single functional system involved in metabolic processes and maintaining balance throughout the body, allowing the internal organs to rest. Such a complex applicable determined the evolutionary development of the skin as a structure that combines a collection of living cells, intercellular substances, and dead cells. It is the secret of skin endurance.

Human skin consists of three layers: epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous fatty tissue. In cosmetology, it is possible to influence one or another layer of the skin, achieving a particular effect when carrying out aesthetic procedures. Based on knowledge of the skin structure, a cosmetologist must clearly understand which system is the target for cosmetics and know how to activate and support skin cells. In the following article, we will talk about the structure of the skin in more detail.