Glossary

A description of the cosmetic/skin terms used in this dermaroller treatment guide.

A

Acne A skin condition which affects a large percentage of the population especially teenagers. It causes spots, pimples and black/white heads develop on the face, chest and back due to overactive sebaceous glands.

Age spot Also known as a ‘liver spot’: these are brown spots on the skin which occur due to an excess accumulation of melanin in an area of the skin.

B

Blood vessels A vital part of the body’s circulatory system: these slim tubes transport blood around the body. There are three types of blood vessels: veins, arteries and capillaries.

C

Cellulite A characteristic dimpling of the skin (‘orange peel’ effect) in which fat pushes against connective tissue causing it to bulge outwards. This has the effect of stretching this tissue thus causing the dimpling effect.

Cellulite affects 95% of women.

Collagen The name given to a protein found within the connective tissue which is one of the building blocks of the skin. This protein is responsible for the strength and durability of the skin.

Connective tissue One of four tissue types in the body which acts as a support mechanism. It is comprised of collagen fibres and is found in the lower layer of skin (dermis).

Crow’s feet A colloquial term for the small lines which form around the eyes as part of the ageing process.

D

Dermaroller A cosmetic handheld device which consists of a roller (containing 192 micro-needles) and a handle which is used to treat a range of skin conditions. It is applied to the skin where it stimulates the body into producing collagen and elastin as a repair mechanism.

Dermis Inner layer of skin which lies between the epidermis (outer layer) and the subcutaneous fat layer. The dermis contains sweat glands, sebaceous glands and nerve endings.

E

Eczema A type of skin irritation which appears as red, scaly or crusty patches of skin which are prone to itching, blistering and bleeding.

Elastin Another type of protein, found in the middle layer (dermis) of the skin which is responsible for its elasticity. Elastin and collagen are responsible for the growth of new skin.

Epidermis The medical name for the outer layer of skin: this top layer consists of five sub-layers which include squamous cells and melanocytes (produce melanin). The top layer is shed every two weeks.

Hair follicles protrude through pores on the outer layer of skin.

F

Fibroblast A cell which helps produce collagen.

Fitzpatrick Scale A classification system used to denote skin colour and how to reacts to sun exposure. For example, a type 1 skin always burns when exposed to sunlight whereas a type 6 skin always tans and never burns.

Follicle The name given to the cylindrical shaft of hair which protrudes through the outer layer of the skin. This is lubricated by sebum from the sebaceous glands.

G

Glabellar creases These are also known as ‘frown lines’. They are the lines which appear over the forehead as part of the ageing process.

H

Hypertrophic scar A thickened raised type of scar which develops on the surface of the skin. A keloid scar is one example of this type of scar.

I

Inflammation A medical term used to describe a reaction in the skin to a disease, illness or injury.

J

None at present.

K

Keloid A large, irregular shaped, raised scar which extends beyond what is considered a normal sized scar. This occurs due to excess amounts of collagen produced during the healing process. A keloid scar can develop following surgery.

Keratin A protein found within cells in the outer layer of skin (epidermis) which is also found in the nails and hair. An excess of this can cause rough textured skin known as ‘keratinisation’.

L

Laughter lines Another colloquial term used to describe the formation of lines between the cheeks and mouth. This is caused by a reduction of fatty tissue as part of ageing.

M

Melanin A pigment in the skin which gives it and your hair their colour. The more melanin a person has the greater the change in their skin colour when exposed to the sun, e.g. tanning ability.

N

Nodule Another name for this is a cyst: this small pus filled lump often develops as a severe form of acne.

Nutrient dense A term used to refer to skin care products such as creams or lotions which contain high levels of antioxidants, vitamins, e.g. C and E and minerals. These products are often prescribed following dermaroller treatment.

O

Oral commissures A medical name for the deep lines which form either side of the mouth.

P

Photoageing This term refers to skin damage caused by excessive exposure to sunlight. External signs of this are wrinkles and age spots.

Post-inflammatory hyper-pigmentation A skin discolouration which occurs following a rash, cut, graze or infection. It also occurs after dermaroller treatment but settles down within a couple of days.

Psoriasis A chronic skin condition in which hard, itchy, scaly clumps appear on the skin.

Q

None at present.

R

Rosacea Another chronic skin condition which is similar to acne and affects the chin, forehead, cheeks and nose. These areas of the face take on a flushed appearance and are sore and inflamed to the touch.

S

Sebaceous gland A slim, pear shaped gland which lies in the dermis next to the hair follicles. This gland produces sebum which helps to grow new hair and moisturise the skin.

Sebum An oily substance released by the sebaceous glands into the hair follicles. This substance is a mixture of fat, dead skin cells and keratin.

Skin The largest organ in the human body: the medical name for the outer covering in humans. The skin performs a range of functions which include temperature control, protection against the elements and fluid loss.

Stretch marks The name given to fine lines which appear on the skin when it is excessively pulled or overstretched. An example of this is pregnancy.

Subcutaneous layer The bottom layer of skin which lies beneath the dermis which is also known as the hypodermis. This layer is comprised of fat cells and connective tissue.

T

Topical gel A type of gel which is applied to the skin, e.g. a local anaesthetic.

U

Ultra violet (UV) rays An invisible type of radiation emitted by the sun which changes the colour of the skin, e.g. tanning. Prolonged exposure to this results in sunburn and skin damage. It also ages the skin.

V

None at present.

W

Wrinkles A long indentation in the skin which develops due to ageing or tiredness.

X

None at present.

Y

None at present.

Z

None at present.