Developmental Aspects of Skin and Body Membranes

What is lanugo?

downy type of hair that covers a foetus during the 5th-6th months of development, it’s usually shed by the time baby is born

What is the vernix caseosa?

white, cheesy looking oily coating that covers and protects the baby’s skin while it’s floating in the water-filled sac inside the mum, it replaces the lanugo

How is vernix caseosa made?

produced by the sebaceous glands

What happens to skin thickness during childhood?

new-born skin is very skin and blood vessels are easily skin, as the baby grows the skin becomes thicker and more sub-cut fat is deposited

What happens to skin during adolescence?

Skin and hair become oilier as sebaceous glands are activates, acne may appear

What happens to skin in adulthood?

acne usually subsides, skin reaches optimal level of appearance in out 20s-30s

Visual changes occur as skin is assaulted by abrasions, chemicals, wind, sun, etc. and pores become clogged with air pollutants and bacteria, meaning pimples/scales/dermatitis are more common

What happens to skin as adults age?

decreasing amount of sub-cut tissue leads to sensitivity to cold

decreased oil production means skin becomes drier and itchy

skin thins so is more susceptible to bruising and injury

decreasing elasticity allows bags to form under the eyes and jowls to sag

What helps delay the aging process of skin?

good nutrition, plenty of fluids, cleanliness

What happens to hair as adults age?

it loses lustre, number of hair follicles decreases, many men become bald, may become grey

What causes grey hair?

usually genetic - caused by a delayed action gene

amount of melanin in hair decreases or becomes entirely absent

what non-genetic factors can cause greying hair and hair loss

anxiety, protein-deficient diets, therapy with certain chemicals, radiation, excessive vitamin A, certain fungal diseases

is hair loss and greying hair permanent?

not usually if the causes are not genetic