Understanding our Skin

You might be surprised to know that Skin is the largest organ of our body with an area of 2sqm approximately and weighs almost 4kgs which is around 6% of our total body weight.
To achieve healthy skin it is very important for us to understand the functions and structure of the skin.

Functions of the skin

Skin has lot of functions most importantly:

1. It acts as a barrier by protecting from mechanical, thermal, physical and chemical injuries.
2. It Helps in regulating body temperature and maintaining fluid balance
3. It allows us to feel all the sensations of cold, warmth, pressure, itch and pain.
4. It protects from harmful UV rays to penetrate inside.
5. It reflects our emotional state ; we blush, we turn pale and we feel goosebumps etc.

Structure of the skin

In order to perform all the functions, skin has 3 layers -

1. The outermost layer is epidermis which gives texture and moisture to our skin. It contains a pigment called melanin which is responsible for the color of skin.
2. Dermis is the middle layer of the skin which is responsible for thickness and also contains important proteins like collagen and elastin which maintains skin elasticity and firmness. Decrease in collagen leads to wrinkles, a prominent sign of aging.
3. The deepest layer of skin is hypodermis or subcutaneous layer which attaches to our bones and muscles. It contains adipocytes which produce fat. This fat acts as cushioning to our muscles, bones and organs against injuries.

I hope you got to know about the structure and functions of skin, let’s know more about the skin in the upcoming posts.
Keep reading and keep loving your skin.