The Human Skin and Its Layers
Skin is the largest organ of human body. It protects us from microbes and the elements permits the sensation of hot, cold and touch as it is one of our five sense organs. Basically, our skin has three layers: –
- The Epidermis: – It is the outermost layer of skin which is relatively thin but tough. It provides a waterproof barrier and creates our skin tone. This layer is known as stratum corneum. It keeps making new cells.
- The Dermis: – Dermis is a thick layer of fibrous and elastic tissues. This layer has a lot of tasks like: – producing oils and sweat, growing hair, bringing blood to the skin etc.
- The Hypodermis: – It is the innermost layer of our skin, also known as the fat layer. It controls your body temperature, stores your fat.
Fast Facts: –
- Cutaneous Membrane is the scientific name for skin.
- An average human sheds about 9 pounds of dead skin cells in a year.
- Our skin is home to more than a 1000 species of bacteria.
- Our skin renews itself every 28 days.
- Every 5 square cm of skin have around 600 sweat glands.
- Approximately half of your home dust is made up of dead skin cells.
- There are at least five different types of receptors in your skin that respond to pain and touch.
- Every hair on our skin has a small muscle attached to it.
- The colour of our skin depends on the amount of pigment melanin that is produced by our body.
