The effects on Miss Havishams Skin and Hair

When Miss Havisham was jilted a lot of this changed for her. She stopped eating and washing regularly, she never left the house and with all this her body was aging. Therefore there would be a lot of changes to her body, her skin and her health that need to be considered when creating this character.

One of the main issues that Miss Havisham would have is lack of eating as this can really effect the body. As your metabolism slows down the body will become tired. The body will have a lock of calories, making their bones and muscles weaker. They would also be malnourished which is a lack of nutrients that the body find necessary to grow. There can be different forms of malnutrition which are certain types of nutritional deficiencies. The most common being an iron deficiency but also include vitamin A, Zinc and other nutrients. There are many signs and symptoms of someone who is malnourished. This includes; Fatigue, dizziness, poor immune system, dry/scaly skin, swollen and bleeding gums, decaying teeth, slow reactions, underweight, poor growth, muscle weakness, bloated stomach, easily breakable bones, problems with organ functions and learning. Miss Havisham would have had many of these symptoms, some that I want to concentrate on in particular is the dry/scaly skin and her being very underweight.  I could achieve this by contouring the face in places such as the hollows of the cheek, the temples, the ridge of the nose and her neck and collar bones. To create the wrinkled effect I have learnt to use a product called old age stipple.

Fashions Fun editor. (No Date). Old Women Hairstyle For Thin Hair .Available: http://fashionsfun.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/old-women-hairstyle-for-thin-hair.html. Last accessed 19th February 2015.

Without sunlight our body can not obtain the Vitamin D that is necessary to survive. In a study made in June 2007 it was discovered that not enough sunlight increases the risk of cancer by up to 70%. This is because Vitamin D supports the immune system while keeping the bones strong and healthy by maintaining normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus. It is also necessary for vital production of various hormones and neurotransmitters. This can be found in food but is mostly acquired from the ultraviolet rays of the sun. When there is a shortage of Vitamin D bones become thin, soft, brittle and misshapen. This is probably one of the reasons Miss Havisham is described as frail. Other conditions associated with a lack of sunlight include alzheimers, arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, parkinsons etc. The one that most likely links to Miss Havisham would be depression as she is obviously unstable due to being jilted on her wedding day. The obvious effect on the skin would be that there would be a pale complexion.

Dias, J. (6/01/12). Shocking Proof that No Sunlight Makes You Age Prematurely. Available: http://gizmodo.com/5914862/shocking-proof-of-how-the-sun-makes-you-age-prematurely. Last accessed 19th February 2015.

Not washing has many disadvantages to different parts of your body including the hair, skin, nails and teeth. With the hair one of the main difference without brushing it would be it would become messy and knotty. Although the natural oils in the hair would begin to clean themselves, when left for a long amount of time the hair could start to get greasy. Without the necessary moisture the hair would become thin and weak so I think Miss Havisham's hair would look quite damaged, and maybe even greying at the roots.

The body would start to smell as you wouldn’t be washing away the sweat. Also by not giving your skin the moisture it needs it would start to get dry and begin to peel. This can also effect the ageing of the skin and create premature wrinkles. The areas prone to drying include the knees, elbows, lips and nose.  As well as the obvious visual effects there is health problems involved with not washing. The skin is covered in bacteria, viruses, pollutants and dirt. An oil called sebum mixes with sweat and dead skin cells to create a barrier on the skins surface that collects the external dirt. When this builds up a blockage occurs and the oils underneath will keep pushing up until it creates a breakout of blemishes. This includes forms of acne, blotchy skin, redness and irritation. If the skin is irritated enough to become itchy then the skin can become broken and infected, much like the BBC’s version of Miss Havisham who as a nervous cut on her hand.

Without proper care the nails can become discoloured and weak therefore start to crack. Teeth would start to have a build up of plaque and become discoloured. In worse cases they could start to loose their teeth or need fillings.

Courtenay-Smith, N. (26 August 2007). Six weeks without a wash: The soapless experiment. Available: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-477378/Six-weeks-wash-The-soapless-experiment.html. Last accessed 19th February 2015.

Finally one of the main changes to Miss Havishams skin would be the effects of aging. How your skin ages is effected by the lifestyle you lead, for instance stress, cleanliness, gravity and pollution. Things start to naturally change about our skin, it becomes rougher and slack, which is when skin looses its elasticity and starts to hang. It also starts to get thinner and therefore more fragile. Blood vessels thin at the walls so its common to see broken veins on the skin. The face can become more skeleton like as it looses fat and the eyes sink. Gravity sinks the face so skin starts to droop such as the eyebrows and eyelids. The most obvious is the visibility of the facial movement lines also known as wrinkles that can be seen on the forehead, round the eyes and nose, around the cheek and mouth area and on the temples.

Thomas, I. (No Date). Exoderm Peel and Lift. Available: http://www.ivanthomasmd.com/exoderm_Youthful.asp. Last accessed 19th February 2015.

Reference:

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Teens health editors. (No Date ). Hunger and Malnutrition. Available: http://kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/nutrition/hunger.html#. Last accessed 19th February 2015.

Skae, T. (March 26, 2008). The Healing Benefits of Sunlight and Vitamin D. Available: http://www.naturalnews.com/022889_vitamin_d_sunlight_supplement.html. Last accessed 18th February 2015.

Courtenay-Smith, N. (26 August 2007). Six weeks without a wash: The soapless experiment. Available: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-477378/Six-weeks-wash-The-soapless-experiment.html. Last accessed 19th February 2015.

Scheve, T. (No Date ). What would happen if you never washed your face?. Available: http://health.howstuffworks.com/skin-care/cleansing/basics/never-wash-face.htm. Last accessed 19th February 2015.

Webmd editors. (No Date). The Effects of Ageing on the Skin. Available: http://www.webmd.com/beauty/aging/cosmetic-procedures-aging-skin. Last accessed 19th February 2015.