In particular, the reason why the skin on the face becomes flaky is because, for example, the ultraviolet rays contained in the sunlight hit the skin, where they produce hydrogen peroxide, an oxidative stress substance. This causes inflammation of the skin cells, which leads to skin aging.

What is the structure of the skin?

In the first place, the skin is composed of

1: Epidermis
2: dermis
3: Subcutaneous tissue

The skin is made up of these three layers.

1: Role of the epidermis

The epidermis is about 0.2 mm thick of the skin, which can be touched by hand.

Within this 0.2 mm, there are

Stratum corneum
Stratum granulosum
Stratum spinosum
Basal layer

These are the four layers of the skin.

The stratum corneum is probably the most commonly heard of.

The stratum corneum serves as a barrier to protect the skin from external stimuli.

Newly born cells in the basal stratum, the lowest layer of the skin, replace the stratum corneum through the stratum spinosum and stratum granulosum. This is the “turnover” process, which takes about four weeks.

The old stratum corneum becomes plaque and peels off.

2: Role of the dermis

The dermis is about 2 mm in diameter, and the majority of the skin is made up of the dermis.

The dermis is the source of the skin’s strength, and it is the dermis that makes the skin strong and tough.

The dermis contains a lot of collagen, elastin, hyaluronic acid, and other cells called fibroblasts.

There are also lymphatic and blood vessels and sweat glands, which determine the elasticity of the skin.

3: Role of the subcutaneous tissue

The subcutaneous tissue supports the epidermis and dermis with “subcutaneous fat”. It contains blood vessels and nerves, and maintains nutrition and body temperature.

Skin and Oxidative Stress

The major cause of skin aging is due to ultraviolet rays. When exposed to ultraviolet rays, hydrogen peroxide, which is an oxidative stress, is produced and causes inflammation and damage to the skin cells, resulting in cellular aging.

If we can protect ourselves from UV rays and prevent inflammation caused by hydrogen peroxide and hypochlorous acid, which are the causes of oxidative stress, we can protect our skin cells and improve the skin’s ability to retain moisture, resulting in smooth skin.