Exploring skin anatomy, function and site-specific treatment options

The skin is the external surface covering the human body and the immediate interface to its surrounding environment. It acts as a protective barrier from infection, injury, light and heat. To aid consultation and enable correct assessment of the skin, aesthetic practitioners need to possess an in-depth understanding of skin anatomy and function, and skin changes due to lifestyle, age, gender and disease. Having this base of knowledge ensures that aesthetic practitioners can both prescribe and provide the most appropriate treatments. This article explores skin anatomy and function, offering a brief overview of non-surgical aesthetic treatments in relation to the areas discussed. It is hoped that the information in this paper will increase aesthetic practitioners' understanding of anatomy and function in relation to the treatments they perform. It also aims to encourage practitioners to carry out further self-directed reading to enhance their existing knowledge about the effects of the treatments offered in their clinics.