Issue link: https://www.ascpskindeepdigital.com/i/1517908
74 ASCP Skin Deep Spring 2024 DEFINING THE IMMUNE SYSTEM Our immune system is designed to protect us from intruders like viruses, bacteria, foreign substances, and even cancer cells. When the system works correctly, protective antibodies are formed by immune cells called lymphocytes; they eliminate any threats to our health. We should be aware that there's a fine balance this system must maintain to function at the level needed for our bodies to be protected. When the immune system is underactive and unable to provide an adequate immune response, even a minor infection can be dangerous. At the other end of the spectrum, when the immune system response is overactive, it loses its ability to discern healthy cells from rogue cells and it turns on the healthy cells, eliminating the natural protection our bodies rely on for good health. This can lead to the development of autoimmune diseases. WHAT ARE AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES? There are more than 100 autoimmune diseases that affect more than 23.5 million Americans. They are sometimes called "invisible disabilities" since people may not "appear" ill despite internally experiencing significant discomfort and even painful physical and mental conditions. An autoimmune response does not necessarily indicate an autoimmune disease. It may be a healthy, temporary response where the body produces autoantibodies that are specifically responsible for cleaning up debris after an infection. In the case of autoimmune diseases, the reactions cause inflammation and collagen and vascular tissue damage beyond the initial damage of healthy cells. Differentiating Autoimmune Diseases Autoimmune diseases can affect a single organ or multiple organs. Each disease is characterized by unique antibodies that detect and target specific proteins in cells called antigens. Some of these antigens reside on a single organ (causing an organ-specific autoimmune disease), while others exist on many organs (causing a systemic or generalized autoimmune disease). Systemic autoimmune diseases can bring about many issues throughout the body, including systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and Sjögren's syndrome. It's not uncommon to see some of these conditions pair up. Overall, about 25 percent of people who have one autoimmune disease will develop another.2 This can be related to a genetic predisposition or a common trigger. Rani, the client mentioned at the beginning of this article, has a condition known as multiple autoimmune syndrome, a term used when people have three or more autoimmune diseases. Often, one of the three conditions is skin-related. Psoriasis