Layers of the Skin

Maybe you’ve already heard this fact.  Your skin is the largest organ of your body.  It has a total area of roughly 20 feet. When you think about the complex abilities and job it has, it makes you appreciate this part of your body a bit more.  Our skin is responsible for regulating our body temperature.  It is through our skin that we feel temperature and the sensation of touch. It is our shell and performs a function by protecting our body.  The 3 layers of the skin work together although each serves a different function.

EPIDERMIS SKIN LAYER – Top Skin Layer

The surface layer is made up of skin cells that are dying off and coming to the end of their cycle.  The majority of these cells are called keratinocytes.  Keratinocytes form several layers

The epidermis is our barrier to outside threats.  Your outer skin help to protect you from infectious organisms.

The outer layer of skin creates the pigment of our skin. Special cells located in the epidermis produce the pigment melanin. The epidermis skin layer also holds in the body’s fluids and protects sensitive nerve endings from an over abundance of stimulation.

DERMIS SKIN LAYER – The Middle Layer

The dermis is skin layer plays a very important role in your skin’s health.  Your nerve cells, your sweat glands, and your hair follicles grow here.  This layer also is the blood supply for the skin.  The dermis contains capillaries the feed the skin cells.

SUBCUTANEOUS SKIN LAYER – The Last Layer

This layer is sometimes referred to as the hypodermis layer.  It is not really a layer of skin but it acts with the skin by keeping the skin attached to everything below.  The subcutaneous layer also contains a layer of fat.  The subcutaneous skin layer feeds as well as drains the capillaries located in the dermis.

Skin

- As you can see your skin performs a very important function.