Issue link: https://www.ascpskindeepdigital.com/i/120653
Improving Skin Texture Long-term solutions for deep-seated problems by Dave Waggoner What do you think of when you imagine skin texture? I think of very visible problems: keratinized skin with a rough, leathery look, or pitted acne scarring. Clients may not use the word texture when describing their goals and problems, but skin texture is at the top of the list of what the critically thinking esthetician should consider when addressing how to improve the client���s appearance. The stratum corneum is where we can see the telltale signs that there is something going wrong within the skin���s deeper structure, whether the changes come from natural aging or other factors. To fully address our clients��� concerns, we must understand the myriad layers and the cells and systems that work in unison there. Achieving a beautiful, even surface texture is what most clients really want from their esthetic services. You owe it to your loyal clients to assess their skin texture issues and see what you can do to improve them. What���s Visible on the Outside? When performing your professional skin analysis during a client���s first visit, look for these conditions: ������ A buildup of dead, keratinized corneocytes. ������ Hyperpigmentation. ������ Loss of pigmentation, especially in mature, sun-exposed skin. ������ Open or closed comedones. ������ Skin that looks rough and dry, or feels that way to the touch. ������ Skin that looks dull, lifeless, or sallow. If you want to make any kind of lasting difference to your client���s skin texture, you need to know what specific factors are contributing to the problems. Of course, aging is natural and our heredity affects how we age. But external factors have an impact, with the three biggest ones being alcohol consumption, smoking, and sun exposure. (See ���Smoking and Skin Health,��� ASCP Skin Deep, March/April 2013 to learn more about how smoking affects the skin.) Skin exposed to the sun starts undergoing a loss of structural integrity, not only on the surface but in the epidermis and dermis as well. Sun-damaged skin shows quite a change in the quantity and organization of its elastin and collagen, and, most notably, the dermis becomes thinner as a response to chronic sun exposure. The stratum corneum becomes rougher and more pigmented, and the visible result is leathery skin with blotchy or irregular distribution of pigment, fine lines, and, eventually, deeper wrinkling. 30ASCP Skin Deep May/June 2013 What���s Happening on the Inside? It is essential to consider the whole depth of the skin when addressing texture. Transepidermal water loss harms the epidermal enzymes responsible for promoting proper desquamation (the stratum corneum���s ability to shed dead skin cells). If the desquamation rate is compromised or reduced in any way, hyperkeratinization and/or comedones can manifest. Finally, the collagen and elastin fibers, which are formed in the papillary and reticular dermis, are responsible for the overall appearance of the skin. Let���s take a refresher look at these cells and systems, and what they do for the skin���s texture.