SKIN
SCIENCE
Your skin is made of 3 primary layers: the epidermis,
dermis, and subcutaneous.
The epidermis is made up of 5 sublayers. Starting from the outside
and working in, there is the stratum corneum, stratum lucidum, stratum
granulosum, stratum spinosum, and stratum germinativum or basal layer.
The stratum corneum consists of tightly packed, scalelike cells which
are continually being exfoliated and replaced. The stratum lucidum
consists of small, transparent cells through which light can pass.
The stratum lucidum is only present on the palms of the hands and soles
of the feet. The stratum granulosum consists of cells that look like
distinct granules. The stratum spinosum is often classified with the
stratum germinativum to form the basal layer. The stratum germinativum
is composed of a single layer of cells. The stratum germinativum (basal
layer) is responsible for the growth of the epidermis and is where
your skin produces melanin.
When your
skin looks dry and dull it is often due to an accumulation of dead
skin cells from the stratum corneum. By eliminating this dead
skin cell buildup and providing the nourishment your skin needs through
using Visual Changes® Designer Peels®, Visual
Changes® Designer
Depigmenting Treatments®, and Visual
Changes® Home Care Products,
your skin will look and feel younger, healthier, hydrated, and radiant.
Clogged
pores are partly due to a condition called retention hyperkeratosis
whereby the pores become clogged with dead skin cells and oil (sebum)
which can lead to blemishes such as blackheads, pimples, and/or cysts.
Visual Changes® Professional Treatments and Home
Care Products help eliminate dead skin cell buildup and oil and provide antibacterial
and immune-stimulating ingredients to help keep your skin healthy and
blemish-free.
The basal
layer of the epidermis is where your skin produces melanin. Melanin
is a brown pigment that gives your skin color. When stimulated
by ultraviolet light or other inflammatory stimuli, your skin produces
more melanin. From a medical point of view, the extra melanin is used
to protect your DNA, thereby helping to prevent skin cancer and premature
aging. However, over-exposure to ultraviolet light may cause skin cancer
and pre-mature aging. From a cosmetic point of view, accumulations
of melanin become unsightly brown spots and are referred to as hyperpigmentation.
Visual Changes® has developed Designer
Depigmenting Treatments® and
Home Care Products to help fade existing areas of hyperpigmentation
and inhibit new areas from forming, thus resulting in a more even-colored,
younger-looking complexion.
Underneath
the epidermis is the dermis. Unlike the epidermis, which is made
mostly of cells, the dermis is comprised primarily of connective
tissue fibers called collagen and elastin. This strong network actually
supports the epidermis. Through its many blood vessels, the dermis
also nourishes the epidermis. Collagen is what keeps your skin plump
and wrinkle-free. Elastin is what provides elasticity to keep your
skin firm. Fibroblasts synthesize collagen and elastin. As you age,
fibroblasts diminish in size, slow in metabolic activity and have a
low turnover rate. If you damage your skin with sun exposure, the fibroblasts
often grow erratically large and produce defective collagen. Aging
and sunlight also have a direct effect on collagen and elastin by causing
them to break down leading to early signs of aging. Using Visual
Changes® Designer
Peels® and Visual
Changes® Home Care Products, helps fibroblasts
begin to produce new, healthy collagen and elastin in the dermis improving
skin firmness and diminishing wrinkles.