The skin is a large organ that covers our body entirely. While it protects us from the outside world, it also puts us in contact with that world, especially by touch. Our skin has an average surface area of 1.7 m2, and weighs 3 kg.
The skin is comprised of 2 main layers:
The DERMIS is the deep layer of the skin. Its average thickness is 1 to 2 mm. It provides nutrition for the epidermis and is at the source of our perceptions as it contains the nervous system. Its cells produce collagen and elastin fibres, which provide resistance, firmness, suppleness and elasticity to the whole skin.
The EPIDERMIS is the layer at the surface that is constantly being renewed. It reflects the condition of our skin. Its average thickness is 0.2 mm. Its main mission is to produce the stratum corneum made up of about 30 layers of dead cells. It's our essential barrier against external factors.
We asked our Lancôme researchers.
The answer is definitely no. Simply because the ageing process is the result of two different factors.
On the one hand, there's the natural ageing process. This is written in our genes and unavoidable. Around age 30, some women just seem more fortunate than others. This is why we can look at our mothers to get an idea of what we will look like later in life.
Then on the other hand, there is the self-inflicted ageing process. This is great news because today's cosmetics give us the means to thwart it. The effects of this process are due to our lifestyle and environment. As a result, we can protect our skin conscientiously with skin treatments and by not exposing it to too much sun, so that it stays young for a long time. Reassuring, isn't it?
Did you know?
The skin behind your ears, which is protected from the sun and pollution, looks 10 years younger than the skin on the rest of your face. What better reason to use a protective cream every morning?