Skin-02: General Overview of the Skin

SKIN

The human skin is the natural outer layer of tissue that covers the body of a human or animal. It is also a natural protective body covering from harmful substances and is one of the five senses body for touch. By size, it is the largest organ in the body  

STRUCTURE/LAYERS OF THE SKIN 

Yes, there are so many vital organs in the body such as; the heart, intestines, lungs, and so on that most likely we see as the most important organs in the body, but the skin is the largest organ in the body, it performs various roles in the human body. The skin is more complicated than what our eyes see.
There are three different layers of the skin; EPIDERMIS, DERMIS and SUBCUTANEOUS LAYERS.

• EPIDERMIS LAYER: The epidermis layer, is the outer layer of the skin, it consists of flat cells that are scale-like in appearance and these cells are known as SQUAMOUS CELLS. The  word ‘SQUAMA’ is derived from a Latin word meaning serpent or fish scale, below the squamous cells are hundreds of tiny round cells known as BASAL CELLS. The epidermis layer also contain numerous Melanocytes.
• DERMIS LAYER: Dermis is the inner layer of the human skin, it is made up of elastic and fibrous tissues, consisting of elastin, collagen, and fibrin, combination of all these tissues gives the human skin it’s strength and flexibility.
• SUBCUTANEOUS LAYER: Subcutaneous layer is the important layer of the skin, and also known as FAT LAYER. The subcutaneous layer is found under the Dermis and it consists of numbers of connective tissues and fats. It helps to insulate the body from cold and heat, by providing the body with a protective padding and also a place to store the body’s energy. The subcutaneous layer is also where the hair follicle is located. The root of the hair follicle is found in the subcutaneous layer which it pokes through the outer layer of the skin. Interestingly to know the layers of the skin and how they contribute to make up the human skin and each role they carry out.

Now, let’s dive into the functions of the skin and how it keeps the human body fit and healthy.

FUNCTIONS OF THE SKIN 

There are various multitasking functions that the skin carry out in the human body to keep the body healthy and fit. Here are the various functions of the skin;

1. The skin protects the body from water loss, and helps sustain the water in the human body.
2. It also serves as a sensory organ, it’s a sense of touch, which sends signal to the brain when touched, or in pains.
3. It helps to regulate and control the body’s temperature, when the body is hot, the skin does it work by keeping the body cool.
4. It gives protection to the human body by preventing harmful and toxic substances or environmental aggressors from penetrating into the body and causing damage to our system.
5. The skin protects the body from harmful UV Radiation, which is very harmful to the human body.