The skin is an ever-changing organ that contains many specialized cells and structures. It functions as a protective barrier that interfaces with a sometimes hostile environment. It is also very involved in maintaining the proper body temperature. It gathers sensory information from the environment, and plays an active role in the immune system and protecting us from disease.

Beautiful, healthy skin is achieved through healthy structure and proper function of components within the skin. To maintain a beautiful skin, and slow the rate at which it ages, it must be supplemented and protected. In order to know how to supplement and protect the skin, it is important to develop a general understanding of the 3 layers of the skin: the epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous tissue.

The epidermis, the top most layer of skin, is only 0.1 to 1.5 millimeters thick and is made up of five layers. Working together, these layers continually rebuild the surface of the skin from within, maintaining the skin’s strength and helping thwart wear and tear. This layer also contains melanocytes, which are specialized cells responsible for producing a pigment called melanin. Melanin protects the skin against sun damage. The more melanin produced in the skin, the darker the skin appears. Exposure to the sun causes the melanocytes to increase melanin production to protect the skin from the sun’s damaging ultraviolet rays; the resulting effect is a suntan. Freckles, birthmarks, and age spots are also caused by patches of melanin within the skin.

The dermis, which lies just beneath the epidermis, is I.5 to 4 milli¬meters thick. The dermis is home to most of the skin’s structures, including sweat and oil glands, hair follicles, nerve endings, and blood and lymph ves¬sels. But the main components of the dermis are collagen and elastin.
Collagen is a tough and insoluble protein that is found throughout the body and holds muscles and other organs in place. In the skin, collagen supports the epidermis, giving it its durability.
Elastin is another similar protein that keeps the skin flexible. This is the substance that allows the skin to return into place when stretched. The properties of collagen and elastin fade with age, which reduces the ability of the dermis to absorb moisture and makes this layer tight and dry, giving rise to wrinkles and sagging skin.

The subcutaneous tissue, hypodermis, is the deepest layer of the skin. It acts both as an insu¬lator, conserving body heat, and as a shock absorber, protecting in¬ternal organs from injury. It also stores fat as an energy reserve in the event extra calories are needed to power the body. The blood vessels, nerves, lymph vessels, and hair follicles also cross through this layer.