What is our skin?

The skin on a person's face is seen by people that person interacts with. For some people, therefore, facial skin care is of particular importance, and they often use cosmetics to deal with the appearance of the face and condition of the skin, such as those for pore control and black head cleansing.

The outermost epidermis is consists of stratified squamous epithelium with an underlying basement membrane. It contains no blood vessels, and is nourished by diffusion from the dermis. The main type of cells which make up the epidermis are keratinocytes, with melanocytes and Langerhans cells also present. The epidermis can be further subdivided into the following strata (beginning with the outermost layer): corneum, lucidum, granulosum, spinosum, basale. Cells are formed through mitosis at the innermost layers. They move up the strata changing shape and composition as they differentiate, inducing expression of new types of keratin genes. They eventually reach the corneum and become sloughed off (desquamation). This process is called keratinization and takes place within about 30 days. This layer of skin is responsible for keeping water in the body and keeping other harmful chemicals and pathogens out.

The main cell types of skin are fibroblasts, adipocytes (fat storage) and macrophages. Sebaceous glands are exocrine glands which produce sebum, a mixture of lipids and waxy substances: lubrication, water-proofing, softening and antibactericidal actions are among the many functions of sebum. Sweat glands open up via a duct onto the skin by a pore.

The dermis can be split into the papillary and reticular layers. The papillary layer is outermost and extends into the dermis to supply it with vessels. It is composed of loosely arranged fibres. Papillary ridges make up the lines of the hands. The reticular layer is more dense and is continuous with the hypodermis. It contains the bulk of the structures (such as sweat glands). The reticular layer is composed of irregularly arranged fibres and resists stretching.

The skin supports its own ecosystems of microorganisms, including yeasts and bacteria, which cannot be removed by any amount of cleaning. In general these organisms keep one another in check and are part of a healthy skin. When the balance is disturbed, e.g., by antibiotics which kill bacteria, there may be an overgrowth and infection by yeasts. The skin is continuous with the inner epithelial lining of the body at the orifices, each of which supports its own complement of flora.

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Weight loss as fight with yourself

Obesity is defined as having an abnormal increase of body fat which is also called adipose tissue mass. An obese person is 20 percent or more above desirable weight. In the last decade obesity has been on the rise in both women and men.

As much as 50 to 75 percent of obesity has genetic influences. Just what those genetic influences are that affect body weight have not been identified.

Medically supervised fasts are very low calorie diets which provide from 400 to 800 calories per day. While most of these diets are low in calories, the protein provision is very high. The purpose of these diets is to promote fat loss, not muscle loss. The high protein content helps prevent large losses of muscle tissue. Electrolytes, vitamins and minerals are also supplemented.

During the holidays or when celebrating, many of us have overeaten. But some people have problems controlling their appetite and end up eating non-stop until eating is interrupted.

During a binge, 10,000 to 20,000 calories can be consumed throughout the day. Binges usually consist of foods like cookies, candy, chips, ice cream and many other high calorie foods. Binges are often done in secret. After a binge, many of the feelings that caused the binge, like stress, may have subsided only to be replaced with feelings of guilt and lack of self-control.

Many people are motivated to diet by wanting to be thin and attractive like the models we see everywhere - on TV and in magazines. What is far more important is that a leaner body reduces the risk for certain diseases.

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Menopause and sex

Sleep often is disturbed by nighttime hot flashes. A long-term lack of sleep can lead to changes in moods and emotions. The chemical changes that happen during menopause do not increase the risk of depression. However, many women experience major life changes during their middle age including menopause and sleep disturbances, which can increase the risk of developing depression.

Before menopause, women have lower rates of heart attack and stroke than men. After menopause, however, the rate of heart disease in women continues to rise and equals that of men after age 65.

Because women can still become pregnant while they are perimenopausal, doctors may do a pregnancy test when a woman's periods become irregular, infrequent or light. In some cases, a blood test for levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) may be recommended. FSH levels are normally high in menopause, so high FSH levels can help to confirm that a woman is in menopause.

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