This module aims to instil a deep understanding of how and why we age, understanding how therapies and products interact down to a cellular level. With an ageing population more susceptible to skin disease and disorders there is an increasing demand for prevention and corrective treatment. While intrinsic ageing is inevitable for all of us, extrinsic ageing is often the greater influence making us look older than our years actually are. Exposure to ultraviolet light, smoking, excessive drinking, decreased mobility, and environmental factors all take their toll. As our understanding and technology increases, we are better able to control and even reverse many of the visual signs of ageing. Making a few lifestyle changes can also significantly impact physiological effects, providing the best chance to live longer, while lowering our chances of skin disease.
The skin is the largest organ of the human body. It is a complex epithelial and mesenchymal tissue comprising a multilayered stratified epidermis, adnexal structures such as hair follicles, sweat glands and sebaceous glands, a dermis containing collagen and elastic fibres, and underlying subcutaneous fat. More than 1000 disease entities involving the skin have been described and up to 20% of all patient referrals to general practitioners involve skin pathology. Diseases such as psoriasis, eczema, urticaria and melanoma impose a considerable burden on healthcare resources and impact significantly on patients’ quality of life. Knowledge of the structure and function of the skin and its appendages is therefore paramount to understanding the biology of healthy skin and the pathophysiology of skin diseases.
