Most of us go about our day not realising just how much our skin protects us and what a major role it plays in our lives. We look at someone and think that they are looking a little bit pale and maybe that means they are not feeling very well. We flush with embarrassment and when we exercise, and we get goose bumps when we are cold or have strong emotional experiences.
Our skin, the malleable layer that encloses our body might seem soft to the touch but it is in fact very tough and resilient. It is the biggest organ that we have, spanning around two square meters if laid out flat.
Our skin is generally made up of three main layers and has different types of cells within, each with its own functions working for our wellbeing.
Listed below are seven ways your skin is working hard for you all the time:
1. First and foremost, your skin is your outer envelope and it is holding all of you in. As a physical barrier, It is cushioning your inner body from external damage and without it, you would dry out from moisture loss.
2. Your skin is full of nerve cells that act as your sensors, and therefore help you learn and interact with the outer world. It is constantly feeding your brain information that you need for your survival.
3. Your skin is full of blood vessels that help your body regulate its temperature. They work by increasing or decreasing blood flow to the surface of the skin, allowing your bodies to release or to conserve heat.
4. When you are in the sun for a long time, your skin starts to produce a pigment called melanin, and it does so as a protective measure. This pigment that gives your skin a ‘tan’ spreads between and surrounds your skin’s cells in order to absorb the sun’s rays as they pass through your skin.
5. Your skin is one of your body’s most important tools for the elimination of toxins and waste products and that is done through the process of sweating. The toxins stored in fat cells mainly leave your body in this manner… another reason to keep working out.
6. Within the outer layer of your skin you practically have a roaming police force on alert for any invaders. These specialised cells, named Langerhans, are cells with tentacle-like arms that capture foreign particles and transports them to your lymph system so they can be moved and eliminated from your body.
7. And finally, on the outside surface of your skin you have bacterial colonies and they play a part in your immune system. Any imbalance of this microbiome weakens your skin’s immunity and leaves you vulnerable to infections.
As you see, your skin is working very hard for you every single second of your life and it deserves the best care you can provide.
