The skin is the body's largest organ. In addition to serving as a protective shield against heat, light, injury and infection, the skin also regulates body temperature, stores water, fat and vitamiin D and senses pain.
It is made up of 3 layers - epidermis, dermis and subcutaneous - each layer performing specific functions.
A child's skin looks so healthy because the epidermis is highly translucent and because it works very efficiently and easily retains water. As we age, the collagen in the dermis of our skin gradually loses water, causing the skin to lose elasticity. This process is compounded by the decreasing activity of the oil producing sebaceous glands and the water producing sweat glands.
These factors, along with the loss of fat from the subcutaneous layer, results in the formation of lines and wrinkles. This process is further aggravated by environmental stress factors and lifestyle, such as nutrition, smoking, sun damage and pollution, which cause inflammation.
Inflammation causes the skin function to become impaired and inturn leads to common skin complaints such as acne, pigmentation, melasma and rosacea as well as premature ageing.