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| Epidermis |
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The outer layer of the skin, also the thinnest |
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Composed mainly of dead cells |
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| Dermis |
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Provides a cushioning support for the epidermis |
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Composed mainly of collagen and elastin fibre, and contains blood vessels, nerves, sensory organs, sebaceous glands, sweat glands and hair follicles |
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| Sub-cutis |
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The layer beneath the dermis that consists of fat cells |
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Protects inner organs and is an insulating layer to protect against the cold |
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Acts as a protective layer against UV rays, germs, mechanical damage, toxic substances |
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Helps regulate our body's temperature |
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A sensory organ |
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Produces Vitamin D which is vital for the growth and structure of our bones |
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Transmits sexual and social messages through its colour, texture and smell |
| As we get older, our skin undergoes several changes: |
| Fine lines and wrinkles |
The elastin fibres in the dermis gradually become lumps of fibre and of poor quality, causing skin to lose its elasticity resulting in fine lines and wrinkles.
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| Sagging skin |
| Skin loses strength as collagen fibres start to diminish and degenerate. |
| Rough skin |
| Occurs as new skin does not regenerate as quickly. |
| Dry skin |
| Results from a gradual decline in the activity of the sebaceous glands. Lesser sebum is produced, causing more water to be evaporated from the skin. |
| Bigger pores |
| Especially on the nose, when sebaceous glands increase in size. |
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Solar exposure of skin causes uneven pigmentation problem and significantly increase the risks of skin cancer. |
| 90% of skin aging is due to cumulative sun damage, which can occur even without getting sunburned. |
| The sun produces UV rays (UVA and UVB) that are harmful to the skin with overexposure. |
| UVA, the more lethal one, is responsible for premature "Aging" of the skin, including cancer. |
| UVB is responsible for sun "Burn" which affects you only when you are under the sun. |
| What are free radicals? |
- Atoms or groups of atoms with unpaired electrons
- Causes the disruption of a living cell
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| How are free radicals produced? |
| They arise: |
- During metabolism
- When cells of body's immune system deliberately create them to neutralize viruses and bacteria
- Due to factors like pollution, radiation, cigarette smoke and UV light
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| How do free radicals damage our body? |
- By damaging important cellular components like DNA or the cell membrane.
- They play a role in the development of cancer, obstructed arteries, causing numerous diseases, as well as the aging process itself.
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| How do antioxidants fight against free radical activity? |
- Antioxidants are found naturally in a variety of food and plants, including many fruits and vegetables.
- They circulate in the blood and through every organ, destroying free radical activity.
- They safely interact with free radicals before vital molecules are damaged.
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