Best Face Forward

By Madeline Balletta
Founder, Bee-Alive, Inc.

CBN.com – Your epidermis is showing!

That used to be a neat trick to pull on someone when I was a kid – there was always a moment of hesitation . . . my WHAT is showing?!

These days, we all are very familiar with our epidermis, the largest organ in our body – our skin.

According to National Geographic, if you took off your skin and laid it flat, it would cover an area of about 21 square feet (1.9 square meters). It is less than one millimeter thick (0.04 inch) in places, and is composed of three layers. The outermost layer is the bloodless epidermis. The middle layer, the dermis, includes collagen, elastin, and nerve endings. The innermost layer, subcutaneous fat, contains tissue that acts as an energy source, cushion, and insulator for the body.

Skin also provides us with our most mysterious sense: touch. We can live without seeing or hearing — in fact, without any of our other senses. But imagine life without a sense of touch!
For instance, leprosy, a bacterial disease that was quite prevalent in Jesus’ time (and is not yet totally eradicated – though we rarely hear about it), causes lesions on the skin that lose their sensation, so lepers don’t notice if they have burned or damaged skin on their body. Imagine ... what if you couldn’t feel boiling hot water? We take touch for granted – yet it is the one sensation we cannot live without.

Skin is also the first line of defense against germs, harmful chemicals and damaging UV rays. It also is permeable – helping to keep a balance in our body by sweating when we are overheated, shivering when we are cold, and “puckering up” when we have been exposed to water for too long.

Your skin also creates oils that help soften your skin, reduce the growth of bacteria, and minimize fluid loss. (Holly believes skin naturally has an acid mantle to protect the skin from bacteria).

So much about our health is seen in our skin. When we are healthy, our skin glows; when we are sick, it is sallow and pale. When we have a fever, it reflects the increase in temperature; when we are cold, it makes us shiver to create some heat.

Doctors have found that patches of medication can be absorbed through the skin, making the delivery of some medications truly painless and easy.

What a miraculous organ!

Too often, we don’t think about caring for skin the way it deserves. Sure, we worry about wrinkles, and no doubt we all have had a sunburn or two!

It used to be that we all worked on getting a “healthy” tan – but in reality, a tan is just your body trying to defend itself against the sun’s harmful rays. Your skin works overtime to protect you – it’s time to return the favor.

The best way to protect your skin from sun damage is to stay inside – but who wants to avoid God’s creation? The next best thing is to wear protective clothing – but then, covering up your skin in the nice weather is not always practical (not to mention fashionable!).

So using a sunscreen when you are outside is important to protect the skin that protects you every day of your life. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15, and it should be on every part of your skin that is exposed to the sun.

It is also important to check your skin for any changes on a regular basis. It’s easy to do on your face, as we look at our faces everyday – but don’t forget to give your entire body a look over every month or so. Your skin will thank you for it!

Your skin needs to be cleansed gently and regularly. It also needs to be nourished and revitalized – through protection, proper diet, lots of water and gentle moisturizing products.

Bee-Alive has an entire collection of skin care products to cleanse, moisturize and help protect your skin to keep it healthy-looking and vibrant. Visit www.beealive.com for more information.

If you purchase Bee-Alive Royal Jelly products, part of the proceeds support CBN ministries.

(Sources: National Geographic, CDC, Encarta, familydoctor.org, beonthesafeside.com)

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. As with any natural product, individual results will vary.