Adnexia, or anatomy of the skin around the eyes to put it plainly, is unique compared to skin on the other parts of the body. A deeper understanding of the underlying structure, and skin care renewal of this area is needed to fully comprehend the type of care and maintenance to be applied.

Several layers make up the eyelids. The subcutaneous layer, the deepest of all contains a find layer of fascia, that on top of the orbicularis muscle. This muscle is responsible for the movement of the eyes. Another layer acts as the support layer of the skin, which is the dermis. The dermis is made up of threadlike proteins including elastin and collagen, fibroblasts, nerves and vessels. The top most layer containing basal cells, melanocytes, Langerhans cells, and keratinocytes, is what’s responsible for skin appearance of color, suppleness, texture, and health.

Cells in the outer layer of the skin, known as basal cells reproduce every few days. As new cells are produced, the aged cells more upward and become drier and flatter until they are considered as corneocytes or dead skin cells. This is the natural process of skin renewal called Desquamation. For your people, it is an ongoing process, taking only two weeks, but gets significantly longer as we age.