The Skinny on Scrubs: Exfoliates and Oils

a. more than skin deep

Your skin is a remarkable organ, the largest one you have. Weighing an average of nine pounds and equipped with about 300 million cells and 11 miles of blood vessels, your "casing" regulates body temperature, manufactures vitamin D and is your first defense against germ invasion, ultraviolet light and harsh weather. The next time you hear the expression "skin deep" or something "makes your skin crawl," consider that a square inch of your hide is only 0.07 inches thick but contains 72 feet of nerve fibers that fire off electrical impulses in excess of 250 mph.

Since you shed roughly 50,000 skin cells every 60 seconds and grow a whole new outer layer every 28 days without effort, it's clear that your skin is an organ of elimination and regeneration. Unfortunately, as time marches on, it tends to do so across your face, while stamping a few more creases on your birthday suit as evidence of each passing year. But with a little TLC, you can keep your outer crust from becoming crusty. In addition to a healthy diet and lifestyle, the occasional use of a skin scrub will exfoliate dead cells and stimulate cell turnover – and result in a glowing new you.