The skin structure and function changes throughout the human lifespan. The changes described in this section should be seen as inevitable biological processes, although it may be possible to slow down ageing, no one has yet worked out how to stop it happening altogether! Table 2.3 shows some terms which may be used to describe skin growth and skin death.
| | | | | | Table 2.3 Skin growth and skin death. | | Skin death | Definition | | | Atrophy | Skin shrinking or reducing due to loss of cells either in size or number. This can be either through lack of use (disuse atrophy) or old age (senile atrophy) | | | Necrosis | Premature, pathological death of tissue caused by trauma, infections or toxins | | | Gangrene | Tissue necrosis resulting from insufficient blood supply | | | Skin growth | | | | Hyperplasia | Multiplication of cells | | | Hypertrophy | Enlargement of existing cells | | | Neoplasia | Tumour composed of abnormal non-functional tissue | | | | | | | |
