A guide to how it works

The formation of wrinkles and other undesired effects of aging are, with time, the skin gradually loses its ability to function properly. The reasons and the processes are not well known and the effects of aging skin vary dramatically. However, supplementation of potent anti-oxidants can repair and preserve the skin from further damage.

Your skin is the largest organ in the body and one of the most important, as it works really hard to protect you from the external ravages of the world outside and is the first barrier of defense against, germs, bacteria and other unwanted organisms. 

what is your skin

The epidermis

The epidermis is the outer layer of skin that you can see. New skin cells are formed at the base of the epidermis. As each new layer is made, the previous layers are pushed upwards until they reach the surface. Here they form a thin layer of dead cells called the stratum corneum. Dead cells from the stratum corneum continuously slough off and are replaced by new ones coming from below. The skin completely renews itself every 3 - 5 weeks. The condition of epidermis determines how "fresh" your skin looks and also how well your skin absorbs and holds moisture. Wrinkles, however, are formed in lower layers.
Another significant group of cells in the epidermis are melanocytes, the cells producing melanin, which is the pigment responsible for skin tone and color.

The dermis

The dermis is the middle layer of the skin located between the epidermis and subcutaneous tissue. It is the thickest of the skin layers and comprises a tight, sturdy mesh of collagen and elastin fibers. Both collagen and elastin are critically important skin proteins:

• collagen is responsible for the structural support
• elastin for the resilience of the skin.

The key type of cells in the dermis are fibroblasts, which synthesize collagen and elastin.

The dermis also contains capillaries (tiny blood vessels) which oxygenate and nourish the skin, and lymph nodes (depots of immune cells). The lymph nodes protect the skin from invading micro organisms. Finally, the dermis contains sebaceous glands, sweat glands, hair follicles and a relatively small number of nerve and muscle cells.
Sebaceous glands, located around hair follicles, are important for skin health as they produce sebum, an oily protective substance that lubricates and waterproofs the skin and hair. When sebaceous glands produce too little sebum, the skin becomes excessively dry and more prone to wrinkling. Conversely, overproduction of sebum, often leads to acne.
The dermis is your skin’s support system, and is the layer responsible for the skin's structural integrity, elasticity and resilience.

Subcutaneous tissue

Subcutaneous tissue is the innermost layer of the skin located under the dermis and consisting mainly of fat. This is a layer of fat cells that keeps you warm and cushions the whole dermal structure against injury.