on our skin
The human skin is a complex organ. It consists of several layers, which are involved in a variety of functions, from defense against external pathogens to temperature regulation. The skin is the largest organ in the human body and is renewed every 28 – 30 days.
In a previous article, I provided a detailed description of the various functions of each of the layers that make up the skin, so I won’t discuss them here. However, this article will look at the potential problems that dead skin cells can cause if a proper skin care regimen is not followed.
Review of the structure of the skin
The structure of the skin is basically divided into two general layers, the dermis (link to previous article) and the epidermis. The latter is in turn divided into 5 layers. The layer on the very surface of the skin is called the stratum corneum and consists mainly of dead skin cells.
dead skin cells
The body sheds these dead skin cells of its own accord, however exfoliation by using skin brushes, luffah or exfoliating skin care products helps stimulate new cell growth and reduces the accumulation of dead skin cells.
So how do dead skin cells affect skin health? As dead skin cells accumulate on the skin’s surface, they have the potential to act as a barrier to the absorption of nutrients from nourishing creams and lotions; they also have the potential to block sweat glands, which can lead to whiteheads, blackheads, or acne.
Of course, you need a certain amount of dead cells to cover your skin, however, it doesn’t need to be very thick to perform its function as a barrier. If the rate of skin cell production/death is higher than normal, as in psoriasis, for example, the body cannot get rid of old cells fast enough for new cells to replace them. As new cells work their way to the skin’s surface, the old cells create a buildup of dead skin, which appears as raised patches.
Under normal circumstances, every minute of the day we lose about 30,000 to 40,000 dead cells from the surface of our skin, that’s about 4 kilograms per year of dead skin cells. In fact, much of the dust in a house is largely due to our dead skin cells.
Effective regulation of dead skin cells.
There are basically two reasons to use a daily skin care regimen. The first is to keep the skin clean and the layer of dead skin cells to a healthy minimum. The second reason is to provide the skin with nutrients and nourishment for optimal functionality.
As mentioned, using a natural exfoliating skin care product is a great option to gently remove some of the dead skin cells and provide some nutrients at the same time. Following the exfoliation with a cleanser to remove deep-seated dirt and stale oils from pores and skin wrinkles is the next necessary step. This is not only to remove dirt etc. but also helps to control microbes as many of the natural skin cleansers use essential oils which are antiseptic in nature and therefore help to reduce the possibility of skin infections.
Once the cleaning is finished, it is time to close the pores of the skin to prevent dust and other environmental particles from entering through the open pores. This is where a natural toning lotion is ideal. Formulated to contain astringents and other nourishing ingredients, toners will prepare skin for the final step: moisturizing.
Skin hydration is essential. Moisturizers provide essential nutrients to the skin while helping the skin retain moisture, preventing dehydration of the skin and accelerating skin cell death.
Implementing a good daily skin care regimen will not only help remove excess dead skin cells, but will also provide the skin with moisture, nutrients and aid in its defense against microbial infections.
