Skin Care Related Terms that begin with the letter D

dehydration – excessive loss of water from the body or an organ or body part

dermatitis – inflammation of the skin.

dermatology – branch of medicine concerned with the study of the skin.

dermatologist – a medical doctor specializing in the study of the skin.

dermis – the skin layer below the epidermis. The dermis contains nerves, blood vessels, sweat glands, sebaceous glands, and hair follicles. The dermis is responsible for the body’s heat regulation and it controls the pH (acid-base balance) of the skin. It is divided into 2 layers the papillary dermis and the reticular layer.

desmosomes – site of adhesion between two epithelial cells

desquamation – the shedding of skin cells from the stratum corneum

detergent – A cleansing or purging agent that acts similar to soap but is made from chemical compounds rather than from fats and lye. Detergents are usually salts of long-chain aliphatic bases or acids.

dimethicone – a silicone oil consisting of dimethylsiloxane polymers, often found in moisturizers.

dimethylaminoethanol – see DMAE

DMAE – dimethylaminoethanol, a nutrient that improves skin tone and lifts sagging eyelids

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