The human body as a whole is pretty darn incredible, but our skin is even more amazing than most give it credit for. It can reflect our character, lifestyle, diet, exercise regimen (or lack thereof in my case), and is the canvas of what we want to present to the world. When you dig deep, it can be downright fascinating.
Here are 15 awesomely amazing facts about your skin.
1. Multi-Layered:
Our skin is made up of three separate layers: the epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis. The epidermis, which is the outer layer, provides a barrier. The dermis, or the middle of the human skin sandwich, lies directly beneath the epidermis and is home to the sweat glands, connective tissues, and the hair follicles. The innermost layer, the hypodermis, is made up of fat.
2. Adding to your weight:
Your skin, being the largest organ, makes up 15% of your body weight. I absolutely understand this to mean that I am 15 lbs lighter than what the scale says.
3. EWW:
You have 14+ different types of fungi living in between your toes, and anywhere from 50 to 500 million bacteria on each and every square inch of your skin (the highest end of the spectrum being on your face!). Yikes.
4. Take a chill pill:
Stress can be detrimental to your skin health! Not only is it one of the most common causes of acne, but it also can affect the surface and flexibility of your skin, aging you much quicker. So for the health of your favorite human wrapping paper, sit back and relax!
5. Can be an indicator of health issues:
More than a few very serious illnesses can first present by way of the skin. Liver failure, for instance, causes jaundice, a yellowing of the skin and it is usually one of the first symptoms.
6. Scar tissue:
Scar tissue is formed when the skin heals from trauma (cuts, wounds, etc.). It becomes calloused and has no sweat glands nor will it grow hair.
7. Regenerative properties:
Your skin goes through a regenerative cycle. You are continuously shedding dead skin cells and your wondrous casing regenerates every 28 days! Knowing this, it's important to eat a diet rich in antioxidants if you want glowing, healthy skin.
8. Lipids:
Lipids (natural fats) are meant to keep your outermost skin layer, the epidermis, healthy. These naturally occurring protectors can be destroyed by certain detergents as well as alcohol.
9. Acne is sexist:
While many teens suffer from acne, when it comes to adults, it can get a bit sexist. 1 in 20 women suffers from adult acne, while only affecting about 1 in 100 adult men. Acne seriously needs to get with the times!
10. It provides a wide range of services:
Your skin has a bigger role than just being beautiful, it offers quite a bit of protection against some diseases, illnesses, and infections. It also controls temperature regulation for your body.
11. A part of you is always left behind:
As stated earlier, we are always shedding dead skin, over 30,000 per minute to be exact, and more than 9 lbs in just one year! The saying is true, wherever you go, there you are. You always leave a little something behind.
12. Cold time is the right time to moisturize your legs:
The skin on your legs does not have as many oil glands as other places on your body. During the winter, this can mean that your legs can get much drier and will need to be moisturized more frequently.
13. Dogs are different:
Dogs are unable to sweat through the skin, unlike their human counterparts. We sweat from almost everywhere, but dogs can only sweat through their paw pads.
14. Fingerprints:
We all know that no two people have the same fingerprints. Everyone has their own individual unique set of ridges and those little ridges serve another purpose as well, they help to grip things!
15. Cancer risk:
Ending things on a more serious note, one in five Americans will end up battling skin cancer in their lifetime. Regularly using at least an SPF 15 sunscreen can almost halve the risk of squamous cell carcinoma. To take it a step further, opt for a natural sunscreen that is zinc-based. Never forget your sunscreen! If you do, however, buy a sunscreen facial mist that you can keep in your purse or bag and mist on.
Our skin is such a versatile part of our anatomy. It has so many purposes. It can be one of the very first things noticed and can set the tone for a first impression. Love your skin, care for it, it truly is one of our most prominent features, after all, we are kind of stuck with it for life. Adore the incredible (it really is) skin that you're in!
