Hi pitbull,
check out the site below.
https://www.optidigit.com/stevens/shadetut.html
This is the one of the best attempts at skin that Iv'e seen.
How this is done. I don't quite know, I found the tut a bit shorthand as I'm also quite new to shaders etc in Maya.
But, I'm very keen to have someone (anyone please!!!!!) elaborate on this tut, by making it accesible for more as I feel the technique has great potential.
Maybe ask around here at SM for someone to demystify this tech.
Hope this helps somewhat.
re Jim
Mayan elder......only in years.....