Skin TypeNot sure of your skin type? Or maybe you know what type of skin you have but are of a particular age—teen, looking for anti-aging help—or circumstance—looking for information on men's skin care or African-American skin care or care for your baby or pregnancy skin—that needs particular consideration? You have come to the right place. A Month in the Life of a Skin Cell Remember that skin, in general, is created in the same way and plays the same types of roles in all our lives. First, how skin is created. 
In essence, skin has three layers: the outer epidermis layer which has the ability to become hard and tough and thus protect the underlying dermis layer, as well as a subcutaneous layer or hypodermis of adipose or fatty tissue. The dermis layer is elastic and strong; it is what holds your body together. While the lower subcutaneous layer is not "officially" part of the skin, it does supply padding and insulation, gives a level of protection for underlying tissue, and supplies contour and shaping for the dermis and epidermis. The hypodermis also anchors the skin to underlying organs. The dermis is made of dense but, relative to the epidermis, soft connective tissue. Both the adipose tissue of the hypodermis and the dense tissue of the dermis layer give rise to the curves and fullness that make up the outer appearance of skin. A skin cell's life starts at the lowest layer of skin, the basal layer of the dermis, which is supplied with blood vessels and nerve endings. The cell migrates upward for about two weeks until it reaches the bottom portion of the epidermis, the outermost skin layer. Some of those cells will become collagen or elastic fibres, both extremely important in the health and appearance of skin. Collagen fibres contribute to the toughness of skin and, as well, hold moisture. Collagen, therefore, is an important factor in keeping skin hydrated. As the name implies, elastic fibres—which contain, among other things, elastin proteins—give the skin its elasticity or pliability. Both collagen and elastic fibres decrease as we age. That decrease, along with a reduction in the amount of adipose or fatty tissue in the subcutaneous layer, contributes to wrinkling, sagging and general aging of skin. Cells continue to move upward to the epidermis, a skin layer that has nerve endings but is not supplied with blood vessels (thus the ability to shave the face or legs and literally scrape off several layers of skin cells without producing any bleeding). For another two weeks, the cells undergoes a series of changes in the epidermis, gradually flattening out and moving toward the surface. The cell then dies and through flaking, is naturally, slowly and steadily shed. As the cycle repeats itself on an ongoing basis, this means individuals have a totally new epidermis or outer skin covering every 25-45 days, an exciting thought when one is dealing with skin problems and would like to see new skin! Skin's Functions Secondly, a reminder of the roles skin plays. As mentioned in the sections on skin healthy food and skin problems, there are specific nutrients needed by the skin to reach and maintain health and there are some very important roles skin has in our overall wellness:
As our skin goes about regulating all these essential functions, however, its appearance may differ, depending upon the skin type a person has genetically inherited, the variety of nutrients provided to the skin, the sort of digestive or other health challenges a person may have as well as the kind of skin care products used on the skin. While it would be nice if we all had "beautiful skin" written into our DNA, the reality is that once we correct nutritional deficiencies, bring balance to gut challenges and use skin type appropriate natural skin care and beauty products, we should be able to spell "beautiful skin" regardless. Classic Skin Types For starters, let's look at the classic skin types or profiles: balanced skin, dry skin, oily skin, and sensitive skin. At our core, and regardless of additional skin challenges such as acne, wrinkles or rashes, all of us have one of these skin types. I like Miessence Certified Organic Skin Care's skin profile descriptions so will share them here. Balanced (Normal or Combination) Skin Type
Dry (Mature/Needing Rejuvenation) Skin Type
Oily (Problem/Needing Purification) Skin Type
Sensitive (Needing Soothing) Skin Type
Each of these skin types will need to look for nutrients and natural and organic body care products that cleanse, nourish and appropriately moisturize their skin. Beyond the attention we need to pay to our foundational skin profile, there are particular seasons of life (i.e. baby, teen, mature) and factors (i.e. male, African-American, pregnancy) that will need to be given additional consideration in order to reach optimal skin health. Return from Skin Type to Homepage
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