Dry Cracked Skin on Top of Hands
A lesson about your skin.
When you think of your skin you probably think that it’s all the same all over the body and that it can get by with little effort - but even your skin needs love and attention.
The skin is the body’s largest organ. It protects your body from being invaded from bacteria and viruses; it permits the sense of touch, and regulates your body temperature. Your skin has 3 major layers that function differently from one another. Each layer is made up of a unique set of cells, essential proteins and glands.
Firstly, the epidermis.
It is the skin’s most outer layer and it is your body’s protective barrier. When this thin but tough layer is healthy and undamaged it is relatively waterproof and it will prevent most bacteria and viruses from entering the body. This layer is also made up of the cells that give our skin its color.
The second layer is the dermis.
This thick layer is made up of fibrous and elastic tissue and it is where you can find some of our nerve endings, sweat and oil glands, hair follicles and blood vessels. Our nerve endings are extremely sensitive and act like reactors in the skin, letting our body know about pain, pressure, temperature and other forms of touch. Your sweat glands help regulate your body’s temperature and your oil glands secrete sebum to help keep your skin soft. These hair follicles are not only filled with hair that helps with body temperature but they also contain stem cells that can assist with healing the epidermis.
The third innermost layer of skin is your hypodermis.
This layer is made of fat and connective tissue. It helps insulate the body from heat and cold and it will vary in thickness.
Keeping your skin healthy and functioning properly is essential to your overall health. For example, having dry cracked skin on top of your hands can cause the skin to crack and bleed which can then permit viruses and bacteria to enter the body and lead to skin infections that can cause cellulitis or a skin abscess. A key factor in keeping your skin healthy is keeping it moisturized. Using a shielding lotion like Gloves In A Bottle will not only moisturize the skin but it will help with protecting your skin. Shielding lotions bond with the outer layer of skin to create a protective barrier that helps lock moisture into the skin and helps keep outside irritants from damaging the skin.