Hutchins Library News Blog

November 2020 Spotlight is on National healthy skin care month

As we approach the holiday season, your skin begins to feel the dehydrating effects of the cool, dry, winter air. This is a great time to start thinking about the health of your skin and how you can help protect and maintain it. As such, November has been designated as National Healthy Skin Month by the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), a time when everyone is encouraged to learn about the functions of the skin and how to keep it working and looking its best. The goal is to raise awareness about the importance of keeping your skin fresh and hydrated, not only during the winter, but all year round.Your skin is your body's largest organ, so it's important to take good care of it. November is National Healthy Skin Month.

According to Christian Millett, a board-certified dermatologist with Forefront Dermatology in Tyson’s Corner, Virginia: “Educating yourself about the skin is important for a number of reasons. Changes in the skin may be a sign that there is a problem with your overall health. Itching or a rash could indicate a number of conditions, such as an allergic reaction, an infection, or an autoimmune disease. A new growth or changing mole could turn out to be a type of skin cancer. Paying careful attention to your skin can provide important clues to the health and wellness of your body as a whole.”

Skin Facts

• The average adult has approximately 16 – 22 square feet of skin, which weighs around 9 – 11 lbs.

• Skin accounts for ~15% of your body weight.

• The skin has three layers: epidermis, dermis, and subcutis.

• The thickness of the skin varies between different parts of the body

• Skin is thickest on the palms and soles and thinnest on the eyelids.

• The skin completely renews itself every 28 days by constantly shedding dead cells.

• Skin sheds around 30,000 cells per minute.

• A large part of the dust in your home is actually made up of dead skin cells.

• Your skin is home to millions of bacteria, from over 1,000 different species.

• Skin that is damaged can heal itself by forming a scar.

• Unlike normal skin, scar tissue lacks hair and sweat glands.

• Skin that is exposed to repeated friction or pressure can become thicker, forming a callus.

• There are different types of receptors and nerve endings in the skin that respond to pressure, pain, and temperature.

• The skin serves as a protective barrier that helps to keep water in the body and harmful chemicals and pathogens out.

These are just a few of the many fun and educational facts about your skin. National Healthy Skin Month is a great time to learn about normal skin, but it is also a time to keep educated on a variety of skin problems, such as eczema, psoriasis, acne, and skin cancer.

Description from:

“November Is National Healthy Skin Month!” Forefront Dermatology, Forefront Dermatology, 25 July 2019, forefrontdermatology.com/november-national-healthy-skin-month/.

The Look You Like

Call Number: 616.5 S371L

Publication Date: 1989-10-10

Hair: Facts and Basic Care Hair Loss Alopecia Other Hair Problems Hair-Coloring Products Hair Waving Straightening Other Hair Products The Face: Basic Care and Common Problems Facial Creams and Other Facial Products Aging Skin Shaving Advice for Men Excess Hair-Hirsutism The Body: Basic Care Problems Hands and Feet: Care and Problems Nails: Care Problems Perspiration and Body Odor Allergy and Irritation Insects and Bugs Nutrition and the Skin Miscellaneous Skin Problems Sports-Related Skin Problems The Sun and Skin Acne Psoriasis Herpes Infections Nevi and Pigmentation Problems The Skin and AIDS Skin Cancer

 

 

Dermatology and Skin Care by John A. Parrish

Call Number: 616.5 P261d

Publication Date: 1975-01-01

Dermatology and Skin Care by John Parrish, MD, is a relatively small (288 pages) dermatology text containing concise and lucid descriptions of the major skin lesions seen in practice. I found chapter 4, "General Pathologic Descriptions and Mechanisms," to be especially useful in helping me to describe and assess any lesions I might see. The book, as a whole, is well-organized and, above all, workable. It fills the need for primary dermatologic instruction in an area that most practitioner training programs leave incomplete. Description from: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamadermatology/article-abstract/535909

 

 

 

Skin by Charles B. Inlander; Janet Worsley Norwood

Call Number: E-Book

Publication Date: 1998-01-01

Great skin is about much more than looking good. As the body's largest organ, the skin is an important part of the immune system, and helps keep out harmful bacteria and other organisms. Skin also helps regulate body heat and focuses the sense of touch. Unfortunately, the skin is vulnerable to the effects of aging, sun damage, hormone fluctuations, and a host of diseases, as well as to reactions to certain foods, medications, and chemicals. Too often, popular magazines, salon attendants, and advertisements are me main source of advice on skin care -- despite me fact that their conclusions may be contradictory or even wrong. Now, the People's Medical Society has sorted through the mass of conflicting information to bring you a complete, authoritative guide to skin health. In this easy-to-read book you'll find a valuable collection of skin care advice backed up by scientific studies and expert, professional opinions on the most effective products, the latest "miracle" drugs, the newest laser procedures, and much more.