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Skin
care
We all was born with a soft & smooth skin, but not many
of us can boast of finely glowing skin while we grow. This is because, most of
us take our skin for granted either we neglect it or apply synthetic cosmetics,
or alkaline soaps over your skin, day after day. Like any other living tissue,
if our skin is not looked after properly, it will get tired and it will respond
to tender care & attention. So it is essential to know about your skin, how
full of life your skin is and understands how it performs its various functions.
Then logically you will take care of your skin. Knowledge about your skin will
enable you to make an active use of your skin in relating more positively to
your environment.
Skin structure
Skin consists of three layers the epidermis, the dermis and the
subcutaneous tissue. The surface epidermis is a relatively thin layer. Beneath
the epidermis is the thicker & much stronger dermis. The subcutaneous tissue
or the fat containing layer lies below the dermis.
The epidermis
The epidermis is a fairy thin
layer. Its thickness varies around the body, depending on the special needs of
that area. For instance, the epidermis over the eyelids is particularly thin,
while that over the palms & soles is very thick.
The epidermis is itself make-up of several layers. On the
surface is the horny layer the stratum corneum. This layer is made up of dead
cells, which are continuously being shed. The cells are shed
off as small aggregate which are normally
too small to because sometimes, however these aggregates
become larger and are then visible as scales. This is exactly what happens in
dandruff and when our skin is deprived of moisture.
Below the layer of dead cells are stakes of living cells
comprising the stratum malpighi. This layer produces the main skin protein known
as epidermio. The inner most layer of the epidermis or the basal layer is where
new cells are produced. These new cells take about a month to travel to the
surface. In some diseases, however, the movement of the cells to the surface is
speeded up and this also results in scaling.
The skin pigment, melanin, is produced by special cells
called melanocytes, melanin is very important for the protection of the skin
from the sun, this is precisely the reason why melanocytes are stimulated on
exposure to the sun, resulting in darkening of the skin.
The dermis
The dermis is a much thicker layer
than the epidermis. It is made up of a connective tissue frame work in which are
embedded blood vessels, lymph vessels, nerves, several types of glands, hair and
a whole variety of cells. The connective tissue of the dermis is made up
predominantly of a protein called collagen. Presently this protein is being
popularly used for the treatment of a variety of skin problems like wrinkles and
scars. Elastin or elastic fibers are the other type of protein fibers in the
dermis.
The dermis also contains a complex system of blood &
lymph vessels & a highly complicated nervous system. The nerves receive
& pass on an endless stream of valuable information to the body. Any type of
skin massage is thought to facilitate the drainage of lymph glands and also
enhance the circulation of blood. Similarly, it has been suggested that massage
soothen the nerves in the skin
The subcutaneous tissue
The subcuetaneous tissue: -below the dermis is the fat
storage bank of the skin. The amount of fat stored varies in different parts of
the body. In some part of the body, it has been given fancy names like collulite".
This tissue has been a source of considerable controversy in scientific and
cosmetic circles.
The skin glands
The dermis has three types of
glands; the apocrine glands; the eccrine sweet glands and the sebaceous glands.
The apocrine glands are present in association with hair
follicles. They are found mainly in areas where there is obvious body hair such
as in the armpits and around the genital area. These glands are under hormonal
control. A large part of the body odor can be traced to the apcorine glands. By
them selves, the secretions of these glands are odorless, but bacteria act on
the secretions to produce the characteristic body odor.
The apocrine sweat glands are distributed widely over the
skin and produce a much larger amount of secretions. These glands are concerned
with the regulation of body temperature. Under normal circumstances, the sweat
glands produce about half a liter of sweat in a day. In very hot climates, the
generation of sweat is increased tremendously and as the water is lost, the body
cools down.
The dermis also contains sebaceous glands. These are present
throughout the entire surface of the skin, except on the palms and soles. They
are particularly numerous in the scalp & on the face secrete an oily
lubricant the sebum. This contains cholesterol, proteins, fatty acids, and
waxes. Sebum forms a film, which lubricates the them soft & shiny. When
sebaceous secretions are inadequate, the epidermis becomes dry & dry
wrinkled and when the glands secrete heavily, the skin becomes oily & shiny.
Skin
functions
The functions of the skin are
truly a puzzle. Skin is both a barrier surrounding & protecting your body
from innumerous external assaults and at the same time, it is the means of your
constant contacts with the environment. One of its main jobs is to regulate
temperature. Another is to prevent the loss of body fluids, as it forms an
almost waterproof barrier. Simultaneously, it also functions as an active organ
of excretion, helping to rid the body of wastes in the form of sweat.
Skin is the most active link with your surroundings. Quite
apart from its role in your personal appearance, the skin is vital in conveying
the sense of touch and forms the principal organ of sexual attraction &
communication. It is of utmost important to know about the ‘look’ and
‘Feel’ of your skin to know what type of skin you have. Skin types fall into
four major categories normal, oily, dry and combination.
Normal
skin
This skin type is neither oily nor dry. It
has a soft, velvety texture. Colour glows under its translucent surface.
Beautiful as it is, it needs care, it is to last. People with normal skins
start showing signs of age and wrinkling sooner than others, if they tend to
neglect their skins. Daily cleansing, toning & nourishing is adequate care
for normal skin.
Oily skin
In this kind of skin, the sebaceous
(oil-producing) glands is over active. They produce more oil than is needed,
which oozed up, giving the skin a greasy shine. The pores are enlarged and the
skin has a coarse look. It is also prone to black heads, pimples and acne.
Oily skin need special cleansing to keep the pores unclogged. The flow of
sebum (oil) increases during adolescence and starts decreasing with age and at
other times of life, like pregnancy and menopause. Hormonal imbalances can
also upset the oil balance and increase sebaceous gland activity.
Dry skin
The skin lacks both sebum and moisture. It looks
fine textured, transparent, patchy and fragile. There may be tiny expression
lines and there may even be crepyness. It flakes and chaps easily. There are
many factors, which affect dry skins and make them, even more dry. For
instance, washing with soap and water not only removes grime but also the
natural oils that protect the skin. Exposure to the sum, air conditioners and
heaters also take their toll.
Combination skin
This type of skin has a greasy area, while
the rest is dry or normal. The forehead, nose and chin, i.e. the T-zone, may
be greasy & the rest dry. Combination skins are very common and are one of
the most frequently misunderstood and mistreated skins. This type of skin
requires separate treatment for each area. However, both the dry and greasy
areas need moisturizing.
Our scientifically tested unani herbal formulas not only
enhance beautiful skin but tackle problems such as premature aging. Balding,
skin disorder, acne, dandruff & burns areas many women are often too
embarrassed to talk about.
AGE AND YOUR SKIN
As a small child grows, his weight increases; so the skin has
to stretch to Accommodate this gradual, albeit massive increase in mass. At
times, especially when there is a spurt in the growth, the growth of the skin
fails to cope up with the growth of the body; the stretch then forces the
elastic fibers in the skin to rupture, resulting in stretch marks or striate.
These marks can develop at any time of life, but there are two occasions when
they are particularly likely to develop.
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During the adolescent growth spurt, about half of all children develop
stretch marks. Marks usually show up in parts of the body where the elastic
fibers of the skin are put under the greatest stress. Varying in length,
they are pink to start with & in variable fade to white scars as years
go by they finally become wrinkled and papery and are then barely
perceptible. Adolescent boys usually develop striate on their backs, buttocks
& abdomen, while girls develop the marks on their breasts as
well.
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Women also develop stretch marks on the tummy & breasts during
pregnancy
Though there is no certain way to prevent stretch marks from
developing scores of preparations are available in the market. All claims to do
just many of these contain exotic additives like collagen, vitamin 'A' allantoin.
These creams are as good as or as bad as plain moisturizing creams in preventing
stretch marks and nothing better. Gentile exercising of the abdominal muscles is
suggested as away to prevent stretch marks during pregnancy. Wearing a good
maternity bra can minimize stretch marks on the breasts.
Once the marks have developed, the most effective way to deal
with them is by using unani herbal preparation. Many patients want to know about
the efficacy of surgery. Surgery is definitely not advised, because the scars of
surgery may eventually be more noticeable. Applying herbal remedies is the best
available solution to treat stretch marks.
Skin changes with
age
As we grow older, several changes become apparent on the
skin.
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The natural oil production is reduced adding to the dryness of the skin.
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The connective tissue beneath the skin loses its natural elasticity,
because the elastic fibers break down.
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In case of woman the breasts begin to sag, loose or shrink.
All these changes combined with the effects of the different
environmental factors like the sun, winds & chemical, produce wrinkling of
the skin. Smoking has often been mentioned as a reason for the early development
of wrinkles. This is probably because smokers tend to screw up their eyes
against smoke and the wrinkles then develop along these lines. It is
possible to slow down the process by natural healings.
There are countless remedies available for wrinkles most of
them are actually useless. The popular anti wrinkle creams are nothing but
masking creams they just camouflage wrinkles. Vitamin 'E' enriched creams have
been used extensively with doubtful effect. Special electric treatments &
exorbitant rates though there seems to be little benefit from these and they any
actually even harm the skin. Specials diets & anti wrinkle pills are also a
waste of money. Vitamin supplements also do not help wrinkles. Only unani
herbals effectively remove wrinkles. This is widely & wisely used for more
than a thousands years.
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