Today, we are taking a shift from the usual skincare advice and talking about skin facts. We are going to learn about our skin!
There are a lot of things many women do not know about their skin. Most times, the knowledge of our skin starts and ends with skincare.
Your skin has different qualities that will surprise you. Some are fun facts, some are not so much fun.
The main thing, though, is that you get to understand your skin better and know why it acts the way it does. This will also help you appreciate your skin and probably push you to take your skincare more seriously.
So, without wasting any second, let’s get started.
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Your skin is the largest organ in your body
Yes, this is absolutely true!
If you are doubting this, just remember that your skin covers your entire body. Unlike other organs, it is not just sitting in one place, it is everywhere. It covers an area of 2 square meters, that is, 22 square feet.
An average adult has about 8 pounds of skin which accounts for 15% of your body weight. It also contains 11 miles of blood vessels. Let me know when you find anything that can beat that.
Now, you understand why I keep reminding you to take good care of your skin. Tell me again, why don’t you have a skincare routine you follow?
The worst thing you can do to your body is to neglect its largest, widest, and biggest organ.
2. The skin you can see is just one layer of your skin
The skin you can see is just a layer of your skin.
Your skin is way deeper than what your eyes can see. We only see the surface layer of the skin. Your skin has three layers.
There is the epidermis, which is the topmost layer, the one you can see. Next is the dermis. It is the middle layer. It contains connectives tissues, glands, and hair follicles.
Finally, we have the last and innermost layer called the hypodermis. This is mostly made up of connective tissues and fat. These tissues attach your skin to your muscles and support your skin’s structure.
So, next time you look at your skin, remember that it is just a part of your skin you are looking at.
3. Your skin is home to thousands of bacteria
This is one of the skin facts that might make you cringe. But chill, it is not as bad as you think.
Your skin houses a microbiome that contains more than 1000 types of bacteria including microbes, viruses, and pathogens. These bacteria are almost as many as your skin cells.
Before you begin to fear, these are mostly friendly bacteria and they do more good for your body than harm. They work with your body system to do things like reducing skin inflammation and helping your immune system fight against infection.
4. Sweat glands in your skin prevent your body from overheating
So, you know how your car can start overheating if there is not enough water in the radiator? Your skin would also have that kind of experience if you didn’t have sweat glands. Not nice, right?
You have two types of sweat glands and both of them are located in the dermis. Your Eccrine glands are found all over your body. They produce sweat directly through the pores in the epidermis.
Your Apocrine glands produce sweat along the hair follicles. This is why your apocrine glands are usually found in the hairiest places of your body – places like your armpit, head, and your groin.
Your sweat glands help to regulate your body temperature. When the weather is hot, your sweat glands release fatty liquids and water to help cool the skin. Without that, your body will overheat and you might suffer from a heat stroke.
5. Your skin renews itself every 28 days
Your skin renews itself every 28 days, which means your skin becomes brand new.
How?
Your skin cells have a life cycle that lasts for 28 days for most people. These skin cells are generated at the bottom of your epidermis and they move upward as they grow older. Dead skin cells lie on the outer layer of your skin.
Your epidermis sheds them off every 28 days when they die. You do not notice this because every skin cell has a different cycle. All your skin cells do not shed at once.
This is one of the reasons why you should exfoliate at least twice weekly. It helps to clear all the dead skin cells from your skin.
6. Your skin starts aging in your 20s
Contrary to what most people think, your skin does not start aging in your 40s or 50s. You only begin to see the results of the gradual aging process when you are that old.
Your skin starts aging when you are in your 20s, more specifically when you are 25.
You do not notice it because the changes are gradual. Your collagen production begins to reduce, and your skin cells defenses begin to weaken, especially with attacks from free radicals. Your skin’s ability to fight off skin damage begins to decrease. Also, your cell renewal rate starts to slow down naturally.
It gets worse as you grow older. So, by the time you are in your 40s, the results of these changes begin to manifest as aging signs.
So, the best time to start taking good care of your skin is now. If you do so, you delay the appearance of aging signs and you look younger than your age.
Your skin is not just a covering for your body. There are a whole lot of interesting facts about your skin that you should learn. And these are just six out of many!
Now, over to you…
If you know a skin fact you will like to share, please leave a comment. I always love to hear from you. Also, if you have a question, leave a comment and I will answer as soon as I can.