Archive for May, 2008

Marketing ESP

Thursday, May 29th, 2008

By Marcus Schaller Success in business isnt about always knowing what will work ahead of time. Its about taking action, paying attention to what does work, and being flexible enough to adapt and change. When it comes to marketing tactics like direct mail, print advertising and telemarketing, the harder you try to pick a guaranteed winner, the longer it will take you to actually get your marketing off the ground and where it belongsout into the world. Planning is critical, of course, but analysis can too easily replace action. A sales letter is never quite perfect enough, a mailing list never as long and accurate as it could be. In the search for perfection, for guaranteed results, nothing happens. You overanalyze your options, hoping to choose the one right approach. When you finally pick the sure thing, you put all your resources into that one tactic. If you get really lucky, it hits. But that approach is closer to gambling than it is to running a business. No matter how perfect you try to make your marketing tactics and materials, youll never know how good they are until they are released into the wild. The point to marketing is not a perfect ad, but your response and sales from that ad. Until you actually test each marketing tactic, you will have absolutely no idea what will work. Think of yourself as a marketing scientist. Your job is to discover a successful marketing mix by trying a lot of different approaches, tracking results, and keeping what works. You start with a hypothesis (target market, target message, offer, etc) and test it using as many variations as you reasonably can, depending on your budget and schedule. Before you fall in love with any one approach, list as many tactical options as possible. Include basics like direct mail, telemarketing, email, etc., and then continue with more cutting edge approaches. Now, run down the list. Which options are inexpensive or free? Since they are less risky, you have nothing much to lose by trying them. A few good examples would be telemarketing (cold-calling), sales letters, speaking, submitting articles to local media, etc. These are relatively easy to implement, take little or no money, and can at least start getting the word out while you work on more complex marketing tactics. Next, group the choices that may be more expensive or time consuming. Of these, which have the greatest potential for sales and can be rolled out quickly and in small tests? Your experimental marketing plan will have most or all of the tactics from group A, and as many from group B as possible, starting with the least expensive to test. The point here is to avoid blowing your entire budget on 1 or 2 tactics without having first considered all your options and tested as many methods as possible. Of course, the results from some approaches, like writing articles, will be very hard to measure in the short term. But, since these tactics take so little time and money, you can afford to automatically include them as part of a much larger long-term marketing plan. A direct mail test, on the other hand, should generate concrete measurable results almost immediately in order to justify rolling out a larger campaign. By Marcus Schaller, Managing Editor of Purple Dot Magazine (http://www.purpledotmag.com), a free online publication covering marketing, sales and public relations for small businesses and self-employed professionals. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marcus_Schaller http://EzineArticles.com/?Marketing-ESP&id=131552 personal paycheck calculator instant bad credit personal loans car loan companies for bad credit check loan wiki hold check until payday

Want Power Before Will Power

Monday, May 26th, 2008

By Kathryn Martyn, M.NLP The problem isn’t that you don’t have enough will power to achieve what you want. You have will power, but it’s not will power you need, it’s want power. You have to first want You must want to change your habits, want to lose some weight, want to give up your evening snacking before your will comes into play. Once you want a thing badly enough, you will do whatever it takes. If you think you want something (to make a change in your eating habits perhaps), but then find it difficult to follow-through with your plans, most likely you simply want your current reality (your current habits and patterns) more than you want your goals (less weight, better health, etc.) I can hear you all the way over here, telling me I’m wrong: “No, that’s not right! I want this more than anything, I just don’t have any willpower!” Round and round you go, but the truth is, you will get what you really want. Think back, has there ever been a time when you really wanted something? A certain piece of clothing, a certain house, car, job, spouse? Hum… Yes, we go after what we want, if we really want to acquire or achieve it we do. Nothings going to fall in your lap, you’ve got to go get what you want. What’s Going on? Put another way, you may want to avoid the pain (breaking old habits, avoiding some favorite foods, simply not overeating…) more than you want to gain the pleasure (losing some weight, gaining new habits, eating favorite foods in moderation …) Since losing weight takes time, from weeks to months to years, it’s easy to fall off the path. It’s always easier to get back into our old habits of eating, eating, and more eating. There’s always more food. Unless you are too poor to purchase it, there’s plenty food in America - in fact, too much food, and so it becomes even more necessary to keep the longer-term goals in mind. How do you keep the longer-term goals in mind, when the short-term food is staring you in the face? What about all the treats offered, what about the commercials, the billboards, the signs everywhere that say EAT? Wanting, in fact, is the “W”, the first step in the W.H.A.C.K approach. See it in the free e-book, Changing Beliefs, Your First Step to Permanent Weight Loss. Think back to when you last really wanted something. Wanted it more than anything, had to have it, would do just about anything to get it. To want is a mighty powerful motivator, but surprisingly we aren’t all motivated by what we want. Some of us are motivated by avoiding what we don’t want. What is your Motivation Strategy? Motivation comes in two (or more) flavors. You can be motivated towards something (what you’ll gain) or you can be motivated away from something (what you’ll lose). This desiring to avoid can be confusing. I’m saying you must want something, and you’re thinking, but I don’t want to be fat. I can’t think about my future, only what I don’t want. Here is what’s going on: Motivation: Toward If you are motivated by what you’ll gain you find it easy to look ahead and see your future shapely body, you’ll see people around you with admiring glances, you’ll hear their compliments, you’ll smell the good food and feel good knowing you can eat enough to be satisfied, and then say you’re full. You’ve had enough, thank you. You’ll be in control of your life. You’ll want what you visualize more than anything, and you’ll do whatever it takes to get it. If asked what movie to go see, they’ll have a few ideas, and tell you why. Motivation: Away If you are motivated by what you’ll lose you’ll focus on what you want to avoid. For example, you want to avoid dying, you want to avoid being too heavy to enjoy playing with the kids, you want to avoid gasping for breath when you climb a flight of stairs. You want to avoid the embarrassment, the humiliation of other people’s remarks and rude glances. You don’t want any of that anymore, and you don’t want it to the extent that you’ll do whatever it takes to avoid these things. If you ask them what they want for dinner, they’ll tell you they don’t want Chinese, or pizza. It can be difficult to get someone motivated this way to actually say what they do want! Knowing your motivation strategy makes it easier to find methods that support your preferred strategy. If you are motivated toward, you may enjoy cutting our pictures of people in great shape with similar body types to yours. Find models wearing clothes that would look good on you, pictures of swimming pools, holiday places you’d enjoy; the types of things that go into a dream board. If you motivated away, then make a list of what you want to avoid and elaborate on that list. Why don’t you want these things? The more detailed you are, the more likely you’ll truly do what it takes to avoid them. Hopefully these ideas will get you thinking, and much about making changes in our lives comes down to thinking it through. Realizing what we really want can get us past the hurdles of what we already have. To affect change isn’t necessarily comfortable, until you’ve worked at it for awhile, and then suddenly your changed behavior has become your new behavior and the effort is over. Kathryn Martyn, is a Master NLP Practitioner, EFT counselor, and author of Changing Beliefs, Your First Step to Permanent Weight Loss. Visit OneMoreBite-Weightloss.comto see how she gave up 80 pounds over 20 years ago and how you can do the same. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kathryn_Martyn,_M.NLP http://EzineArticles.com/?Want-Power-Before-Will-Power&id=899 personal loan comparison cash thru payday shoob payday loans chicago baton rouge car company loan online

Plants To Grow Old With or The Constant Battle

Saturday, May 17th, 2008

By S. Johnson Following are a few paragraphs about the on going battle I had with some of my plants! Way back when I was just starting to garden I excitedly gathered starts from here and there, and several times, when I asked people for a particular start, they, with raised eyebrow, would ask me if I was sure I wanted that plant as it could be invasive. Naively, and just so thrilled to get a new start (I had garden fever bad Ha!), I said that wasn’t a problem. Wow! Was I ever clueless! I had a lot to learn as to just how INVASIVE some plants could be and how hard some were to kill out. Following are a few short tales of the battles I waged with those wonderful starts I collected years ago. Horseradish will be the first I’ll mention, as it was one of the first starts I acquired. I found it to be a very worthy opponent. In some book about companion planting I read that horseradish was good to raise by potatoes, so I rushed out and found a start of it! Well, Ive long since quit raising potatoes, but I still have a thriving supply of horseradish. Slow spreading, but, as far as I’m concerned, impossible to get rid of. When you dig it up any tiny pieces of root that remain will start new plants. I tried covering it with black plastic for two years and it just sent out shoots to come up in other places. I guess we will grow old together. Wild Blackberry is the next opponent. I love blackberries, so I asked a friend who lives in the country for a start of hers. With raised eyebrow she asked me “Are you sure you want this? I assured her, “Oh yes, I’m going to train it to a trellis. she just said ok with more raised eyebrows. (Are you laughing yet?) Train wild blackberry to a trellis, no such thing for me. For two years I had delicious berries but the thorns (from Hades) ripped me to shreds, and the underground runners were sending up new shoots in my tomato patch, my carrot patch, and in my neighbors yard, to their delight and mine. NOT! The more I cut them down the more they ran. It finally took cutting them to the ground (with ripped up body parts to accomplish this) and covering them with black plastic for four years to finally kill them out. This is one battle I won!! Mint, of which I have three varieties, is sure to be another plant that I’ll grow old with. I got the Apple mint and Lemon mint from the same friend that gave me the start of blackberry, with an even stronger reaction. She warned me how aggressive and invasive mint could be. I purchased the Peppermint from a retailer. I was sure I could contain the mint with some mulch and some of those four-inch barriers. I planted it by the walkways in my flower and herb gardens, as I thought the fragrance that would be released, as people brushed against it would be nice. That part of my plan did work. These plants do smell good when crushed, but believe me no four-inch barrier and mulch is going to hold mint in check! The Apple mint and the Peppermint spread by runners that just hopped over or dove under the barriers and through the mulch and ran wherever they choose. Each year I spend considerable time pulling it up out of the flower and herbs beds. Last year I turned my back on it for a while to long (as I was distracted with this computer) and ended up taking a weed eater to it, because it had completely taken over one flower bed. Then I had to get down and pull up the underground roots and runners. How it got into that bed is a mystery. That bed was at the opposite end of the garden. A word of warning! Any little piece of stem or root can and probably will start a new plant. The only way I would recommend raising mint is in escape proof containers. The Lemon mint self-seeds itself prolifically. I have it popping up in all the beds each spring. Wild Passion Flower Vine, with its sweet fragrance and exotic blooms, is also one of those plants that spread by underground runners. When I got the start to this beauty I planted it by my front porch and set a trellis so it could climb it. I thought this would be a nice place for visitors to view the lovely bloom and enjoy the sweet smell of its blossoms. The problem here was that the vine wasn’t content with staying by the trellis. It comes up in the shrubs, hedges, hostas, and hibiscus. It has spread to the neighbors yard again to their delight and mine NOT! It has spread all the way around to the other side of the house. God only knows where it will show up next. Honey Locust Tree, I can’t forget this one. This tree has lovely clusters of pinkish-lavender blooms, but it also has a devilish habit of sending underground runners that pop up just where you usually don’t want them. I’ve dug starts out of my horseradish, iris, comphrey, thyme, etc. Oh well, it does have lovely blooms… S. Johnson is the owner of Azeche Co. and creator of ShopAzeche.com and LetMeOutDoors.com. ShopAzeche.com is a popular home and garden website featuring products for every corner of your home including Quality Furniture, Cedar Trunks, Plush Pelt Throws and so much more. LetMeOutDoors.com features Patio and Garden Furniture, Decor, Yard Carts, Oilcloth Aprons, and Gardening supplies. Please visit both sites for your entire home and garden needs. http://www.shopazeche.com http://www.letmeoutdoors.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=S._Johnson http://EzineArticles.com/?Plants-To-Grow-Old-With-or-The-Constant-Battle&id=52869 hard money loan application christmas quick cash advance loan cash advance in georgia no credit check mortgage

Internet Dating - The Keys To Writing A Profile That Will Get You Dates

Friday, May 9th, 2008

By Lara Lopez When you are creating a profile, you have to pick and choose which parts of yourself to reveal. Identity theft, after all, is one of the biggest problems in cyberspace. The fact is, while you need to be honest, there’s no reason to spill the beans on every last detail about yourself to meet some nice people. It’s important to include the most basic information: You are a male looking for a female or a female looking for a male; the town where you live; whether you have kids; whether or not those kids live with you. You are usually presented with the following options: Married. Most online dating sites dates ban married members from looking for dates - but not all. A few sites are specifically designed for people with “open marriages” or who are interested in swinging, Separated. Some states grant married people legal separations. But the overwhelming majority of people who describe themselves as separated are still married and are either thinking about divorce or are somewhere in the legal process. If you choose this category when creating your profile, be prepared to explain exactly what this means, either in an essay or an email exchange: Anyone interested in your profile will probably ask how long you have been separated, the nature of your contact with your spouse, and so on. Divorced. Only choose this option if you are really, truly divorced and you have the piece of paper to prove it. The actual status matters to most people. Single. This term is vague, and you should choose a more specific option if one is available, such as “Divorced,” “Never Been Married,” or “Widowed.” Widowed. If your spouse is deceased, choose this option. These designations make a big difference to many online daters. Some would advise to be cautious with separated prospects as they may eventually reconciles with his or her spouse. On the other end of the continuum, those in their 40s or 50s who designate themselves as “Single Never Been Married” may not be interested in a long term serious relationship, but rather just to have fun The Age Question Many consider it important to designate your exact age rather than only providing an age range keeping in mind that your real age will come out when you meet someone in person. Men often seek women who are younger than they are, especially if they are hoping to start a family. Increasingly, however, women are also interested in younger dating partners. So, although there is an incentive for people to claim to be younger than they are, do not be tempted to lie. By the some token, you should be aware that many of the profiles you read online might not be entirely accurate in the age department. If you have kids, they are an important part of your life. If you’re using a site that doesn’t provide a mechanism for detailing whether your kids live with you or not, its a good idea to talk more about your kids in your essay. Remember, you’re looking for a person who will accept how much time you have to devote to your children and to potential relationships. Do you want kids? Almost every dating site asks this question. If you know the answer for sure, it’s good to respond. Otherwise, I’d suggest treating the subject as optional. Your Personal Appearance All profiles ask you to describe your physical characteristics. The overwhelming majority of sites start with questions about your height, weight, eye color, hair color, and other things that people notice immediately when they see you for the first time. It can be surprisingly difficult to answer questions about how you look physically. if you’re a lifeguard or a personal trainer, you’ll probably have no problem coming forth with the vital statistics. Anyone else can be excused for wondering about the necessity for answering every single question and for puzzling over exactly what answer to choose. Does it really matter if there’s a little gray in your hair or if your eyes are hazel rather than plain brown? Why don’t the questionnaires get you to describe the little things that make you special, such as that dimple on the left side of your chin, or the fact that one eye is a slightly different color than the other? You can point out such endearing characteristics in the common “describe yourself in your own words” essay that many sites include. Height and weight run a close second and third behind age as profile options most likely to elicit a falsehood. Women frequently want men to be taller; men generally want women to be slim and athletic (a goal shared by women too, of course). How do you confess your height and weight if you’re not feeling good about them? Look for dating sites that ask you to specify a range rather than an exact number. Also provide a general description of your body type; most sites enable you to choose between words such as fit, athletic, slender, overweight, etc. You get the most latitude if you use one of these options rather than entering exact numbers, but you should expect to be prepared to provide statistics when someone talks to you on the phone or by email. Describing Education, Income, and Other Basics There hasn’t been any scientific information gathered on how much education online daters have. There is a degree of self selection that already exists, in that participants know how to use computers and are comfortable with the Internet. However, all sites ask you to specify how much education you have and you should answer accurately. Again, you’re not going to be able to fudge your education for long, and many who date online consider this an important consideration. Dont feel you necessarily have to specify your exact income in your profile. Save such information for after you get to know someone. However, for many people, income is very important, so exercise your own judgement. Of course, instead of specifying your exact income, you can hedge with a generic answer such as “I’ll tell you later”. But if you can truthfully list a high figure, it’s to your advantage to do so. An income of more than, say, $100,000 can make up for other qualities that aren’t so commonly desirable. You might also want to specify your income if you are looking for someone whose professional situation is similar to your own. Do’s and Don’ts Part of creating a good profile is simply avoiding some obvious mistakes that you see online all the time. Common profile no nos are: - The profiles contain spelling and grammar mistakes - Users mention their ex spouses or companions - Photos contain other people along with the profiler - Photos obviously attempt to cut out other people - Users choose the incorrect gender preference A full 51% of respondents complained about spelling and grammar mistakes. It’s surprising because such errors are easy to correct. Even if you do make a typo, you can edit your profile to undo the damage. Take time when typing your profile, and be the first to visit your profile online to make sure you haven’t mode a mistake. It is important to talk about your past relationships when getting to know someone, either on the phone, by email, or in person. There is no reason to bring up your breakups when you are putting yourself out there for the first time however. Concentrate on your strong points, your hopes, and your desires not on the past. Automate Your Profile If you are trying out a variety of dating websites or if you just want to sign up for two or three different venues in order to maximize your options, you’ll have the opportunity to create multiple profiles. While you don’t have to create a profile just to join a site and check it out, you won’t get anyone on the site to communicate with you unless you have a photo and a profile online. If you want to save time or just speed up the process of applying for trial memberships, consider automating the process of writing essays and answering questions that require judgment or reflection on your part. You can do it by writing down some answers to common questions in a word processing document so that you can use them over and over again, or use a software program to speed up the process. About: www.hispanicinternetdating.com is an internet dating site for hispanics looking for a relationship. Register for free and create your profile on Hispanic Internet Dating. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lara_Lopez http://EzineArticles.com/?Internet-Dating—The-Keys-To-Writing-A-Profile-That-Will-Get-You-Dates&id=370008 poor credit loan with co-signer kosters cash loans documents fax payday loans apartment private money loans

Combating Piracy

Sunday, May 4th, 2008

By Andrew Nielsen The copyrights on info-products sold on the internet are often violated, resulting in a financial loss for the copyright owner. In this article we discuss how to limit the extent to which this can hurt your business. Most info-products sold of the internet have copyrights stating that the product is for use by the purchaser only and that it may not be modified, shared, sold or distributed in any way. Simply stating such copyrights does however not prevent purchasers from sharing their copy of the info-product with friends and family or from sharing it using file sharing services. Some copyright violators may even use all or part of the copyrighted material in their own publications. There are however ways to limit the amount of piracy that will take place. Clearly state the copyrights of your productIf you will not allow that your product is shared, distributed, sold or modified by those who purchase it from you, clearly state this in the document. State that all rights are reserved and that violators will be pursued to the full extent of the law. Urge reader to report piracyYou can also state in the product, that if it was not bought directly from your website or from you on an auction website, then the seller violated the copyrights. You can urge the reader to report where he or she purchased the product. This may deter potential copyright violators from selling or distributing your product. Format of your documentIf you choose to sell your info product formatted as HTML or in a Word document, it is fairly easy for your customer to modify your product or copy and paste from it. A copyright violator may for example change the name of the author to be his own and start selling the product. To avoid this, the info product can be formatted as a PDF document. With PDF documents, the rights can be set, so it is not possible to modify the document or even to perform copy and paste from it. Personalize the productIn the document you sell to your customers, you may ad a personal greeting with the name, email address and even postal address if this is available to you. This way, if your customer sells the document to someone else, the name of your customer will appear in the copy sold. As the violators name, email address etc can be seen by all his or her customers, this may deter him or her from selling or distributing the product. Flood file sharing services with fake copiesIf your product is named My Product you may place a number of documents called My Product, My Product Full Version, My Product Unprotected, My Product complete etc on file sharing services. Such copies could contain part of your copyrighted document or something completely different as well as a message to visit your website to buy the real product. By flooding file sharing services with such documents, a real complete copy of your product may drown in the amount of fake copies available. SummaryPreventing piracy by the means described above can help reduce financial losses for your business. If you find out that the copyrights of your document has been violated you need to take actions against the violator. A simple warning threatening with lawsuits, reporting of the violation to hosting companies or auction websites can be effective and is sometimes all it takes. The copyrights act of 1976 forms the basis for the United States copyright law. You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated. About the author:Andrew Nielsen is the author of “The Online Business Builder”. He is an internet entrepreneur and is currently helping small businesses and individuals making money online. Visit http://www.i-want-to-be-rich.com or mailto: an@i-want-to-be-rich.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andrew_Nielsen http://EzineArticles.com/?Combating-Piracy&id=152901 no teletrack payday loan phoenix rental homes no credit check lafayette car company loan online best payday loan

Structure, Function and Care of Human Skin

Thursday, May 1st, 2008

By Danny Siegenthaler The human skin consists of two major structures: * Epidermis * Dermis The Epidermis The Epidermis is further subdivided into 5 Layers (from deepest to most superficial layer): * Stratum basale * Stratum spinosum * Stratum granulosum * Stratum lucidum * Stratum corneum The Stratum basale (also called Stratum germinativum): This is the deepest layer of the epidermis and it is here that new cells are generated for the renewal of the epidermal layers of the skin. A process of cell division referred to as mitotic division is responsible for the generation of the new epidermal skin cells. After the mitotic division (cell division leading to the formation of a new cell) a newly formed cell will undergo a progressive maturation called keratinisation as it migrates to the surface of the skin (1). The Stratum spinosum: The cells that divide in the stratum germinativum soon begin to accumulate many desmosomes (structures that join adjacent cells together) on their outer surface (1). The Stratum granulosum: As keratinocyes (these are the basic cell of which the epidermis is composed) progressively mature they accumulate a protein called keratin (this process is called keratinisation). In addition, the cells of the stratum granulosum accumulate dense basophilic keratohyalin granules (Granules found in living cells of keratinizing epithelia) (1). The Stratum lucidum: This is the second layer of the epidermis and varies in thickness throughout the body depending mainly on frictional forces and is thickest on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet (1). The Stratum corneum: This layer consists of primarily dead skin cells. As a cell accumulates keratinohyalin granules, it is thought that rupture of lysosomal membranes (membrane covering lysosomal enzymes) release lysosomal enzymes (Lysosomal enzymes are those enzymes which are responsible for breaking down complex chemicals within a cell which have expended their useful life) that eventually cause cell death (5). The dead and dying cells filled with mature keratin form the stratum corneum . Skin Renewal Process In the Epidermis The epidermis is composed of stratified squamous epithelium (cells) and contains four principal types of cells. About 90% of the epidermal cells are keratinocytes (i.e.: cells with finger-like or ‘horny’ projections). They produce the protein keratin. Keratin helps waterproof and protect the skin and underlying tissues (2). Keratinocytes in the stratum basale of the epidermis can undergo mitosis (cell division). The formation of new cells in this basal layer gradually pushes previously formed cells upward through the stratum spinosum. As keratinocytes approach the surface of the epidermis, they accumulate intracellular keratin and secrete a waxy material into the intercellular space; these changes are visible in the stratum granulosum, a distinctive layer which is diagnostic for a keratinized epithelium. As maturing keratinocytes seal off the intercellular spaces through which they receive nutrients, they eventually die and form the stratum corneum, a tough and relatively impermeable layer of hardened, dead cells. Eventually, as cells reach the surface, they are sloughed off. The entire epidermis above the basal layer is replenished (replaced by new cells) within about two weeks (3). Epidermal cells There are several cells that make up the epidermis. Although the keratinocytes are by far the most common, they are just one of the cells found in the epidermis. Others include: Melanocytes: The main function of melanocytes is to produce melanin, which is responsible for the colour of our skin (4). Langerhans Cells arise from bone marrow and migrate to the epidermis. Langerhans cells interact with white blood cells called helper T cells in immune responses and are easily damaged by UV radiation (2). Merkel Cells: Merkel cells are located in the deepest layer (stratum basale) of the epidermis of hairless skin, where they are attached to keratinocytes by desmosomes. Merkel cells make contact with the flattened portion of the ending of a sensory neuron (nerve cell), called a tactile (Merkel) disc, and are thought to function in the sensation of touch (2). Dermo-epidermal Junction The Epidermis and Dermis are separated by the Dermo-Epithelial Junction. This junction holds the epidermis and dermis together and this is achieved by various fibers including collagen and desmosomes. This prevents the two layers becoming separated in areas of high shearing stress such as fingertips, palms of the hands and soles of the feet. The Dermis The Dermis consists of two sub-layers: * The Papillary dermis and * The Reticular dermis The Papillary dermis (sub-epithelial layer) includes areolar connective tissue, dermal papillae (finger like projections that increase the surface area) and ridges that extend into the epidermis. These nipple-shaped structures protrude into the epidermis, and many contain loops of capillaries (very small blood vessels). Dermal papillae cause ridges in the overlying epidermis. It is these ridges that leave fingerprints on objects that are handled (2). The Reticular dermis consists of dense, irregular connective tissue containing interlacing bundles of collagen and coarse elastic fibers. Within the reticular region, bundles of collagen fibers interlace in a netlike manner. A small quantity of adipose tissue, hair follicles, nerves, oil glands, and the ducts of sweat glands occupy spaces between the fibers. Varying thicknesses of the reticular region contribute to differences in the thickness of skin. The combination of collagen and elastic fibers in the reticular region provides the skin with strength, extensibility, and elasticity. The Hypodermis The reticular region is attached to underlying organs, such as bone and muscle, by the subcutaneous layer, also called the hypodermis or superficial fascia. The subcutaneous layer also contains nerve endings called lamellated or Pacinian (pa-SIN-e-an) corpuscles that are sensitive to pressure. Nerve endings sensitive to cold are found in and just below the dermis, while those sensitive to heat are located in the middle and outer dermis (2). Skin Care of the Epidermis, Dermo-Epithelium, Dermis and Hypodermis Exfoliation Exfoliation of the skin affects the epidermis. The primary function of exfoliation is to: a) Remove dead skin cells b) Promote new skin cell growth c) Promote blood circulation Exfoliating the skin’s surface is an important step in the maintenance of healthy, vibrant looking skin. Products such as the Skin Renewal Gel, from Wildcrafted Herbal Products, utilises natural ingredients that gently remove the dead skin cells and nourish underlying layers. Keeping dead skin cells to a minimum, allows the skin to be able to breath better, absorb nutrients from moisturisers more easily and reduces the risk of infections such as Ring Worm and other pathogens. In addition, removal of dead skin cells will reduce the potential for sweat glands to become blocked thus reducing white heads, blackheads and acne. Cleansing Following exfoliation, cleansing will remove more deep seated dirt and help free pores of possible obstruction from the stale, natural skin oils and environmental particles that become lodged in the skin’s folds, wrinkles and pores. Toning Once the dead skin cells have been removed and the skin cleaned it is important to prevent pores from remaining open. Toning, utilises skin care products that contain astringent ingredients which will close opened pores and prevent particles from entering the pores while they are wide open. Natural skin care products should be used at all times, as there is increasing evidence suggesting that some non-natural skin care products contain ingredients that may be harmful to your health, as they are absorbed by your skin into the blood stream. Natural skin care products such as moisturisers and masks target the Dermo-epithelium, Dermis and Hypodermis. Moisturisers Moisturisers penetrate the epidermis as they are absorbed into the deeper layers of the skin and the nutrients from the herbal extracts and essential oils in these moisturisers have the ability to promote cell growth and collagen production. Moisturisers are an important final step in your daily skin care regime. They moisturise and help protect your skin, they hydrate your skin and nourish the cells and other structures outlined above, thus helping in maintaining the health of your skin. Clay masks Once or twice a week, a deep cleansing mask should be used on your facial skin and neck. These masks not only help to deeply cleanse your skin, but provide important nutrients to the tissues of your skin and help to remove dead skin cells from your skins surface. References: 1. www.meddean.luc.edu/lumen/MedEd/medicine/dermatology/skinlsn/stspin.htm 2. Tortora, G.J. & Grabowski, S.R. (1993) Principles of Anatomy and Physiology (7th Edition). HarperCollins College Publisher, New York. [ISBN0-06-046702-9] 3. www.siumed.edu/~dking2/intro/skin.htm 4. medic.med.uth.tmc.edu/Lecture/Main/integ1.htm 5. www.ggc.org/Diagnostics/Biochemical/lysosomal_enyzmes.htm 6. www.ggc.org/Diagnostics/Biochemical/lysosomal_enyzmes.htm Danny Siegenthaler is a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine and together with his wife Susan, a medical herbalist and Aromatherapist, they have created Natural Skin Care Products by Wildcrafted Herbal Products to share their 40 years of combined expertise with you. Join our Natural Skin Care Newsletter its fun, free and Informative and you receive a free eBook on natural skin care. Wildcrafted Herbal Products 2006 Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Danny_Siegenthaler http://EzineArticles.com/?Structure,-Function-and-Care-of-Human-Skin&id=142451 trans union credit reports jacksonville refinance car loan bad credit bad credit car refinance states legislative decision on credit reporting