The skin is the largest organ in the body, covering about 1.93 square meters of area and weighing around 2.7 kilograms, making it the largest organ in the human body. It is characterized by being the organ that has the most contact with the environment and for this reason, when talking about body beauty and aesthetics, one of the most relevant aspects is that which refers to the care and health of the skin.
The skin is made up of three layers, each of which performs different functions;
The epidermis , the most superficial layer, is thin and resistant and constitutes the outer part of the skin. The outer part of the epidermis consists of five layers: the stratum corneum, the transparent layer, the granular layer, the spinous layer, and the regenerative layer, which is the deepest. The stratum corneum is the largest and is relatively impermeable, preventing bacteria, viruses, and other foreign substances from entering the body. It also has the power to protect internal organs, muscles, nerves, and blood vessels from trauma. In some parts of the body, such as the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet, the stratum corneum is thicker because these areas require a more resistant stratum corneum.
The process of cell death, also known as keratinization, takes place in the granular layer. These cells then become part of the stratum corneum.
The regenerative layer is the deepest layer of the epidermis and is where the cells within it reproduce, undergoing structural changes as they move to the outside. This layer is where melanin, responsible for skin pigmentation, is produced by cells called melanocytes. The factor that most influences pigmentation is the stimulating effect of the sun on melanocytes. Therefore, the variation in skin color among different races around the world is due to the melanin content of the skin.
The dermis is located beneath the epidermis and is responsible for the elasticity and white collagen that gives the skin its consistency. It contains a wide variety of elements, such as blood vessels, which nourish the skin and help regulate body temperature ; nerve endings, which detect pain, touch, pressure, and body temperature ; lymphatic vessels and hair follicles; that produce different types of body hair contributing to a number of important physical functions such as regulating body temperature, protecting the skin from damage and accentuating sensations, in addition to being part of the follicle contains stem cells capable of renewing damaged epidermis , sweat glands that produce sweat in response to heat and stress, remember that sweat is composed of water, salt and other chemicals, likewise, these glands are specialized in the armpits and genital region (apocrine sweat glands) secrete a thick, oily substance that produces a characteristic body odor when skin bacteria digest the sweat in those areas. As it evaporates from the skin, the body cools and the sebaceous glands that produce sebum in the hair follicles. Sebum is an oil that keeps the skin moist and soft and acts as a barrier against foreign substances.
The subcutaneous tissue serves as a link between the dermis and underlying tissues such as muscles and is made up of fat, blood vessels and lymphatic vessels.
The skin has multiple functions that are vital for the proper functioning of the human body in general, below we will mention some of them:
* It serves to protect the body from trauma, providing a kind of protective shell or capsule. The skin is an elastic and resilient covering that shields us from environmental damage, prevents the passage of potentially harmful chemicals, and prevents the loss of water and other essential substances for the proper functioning of the human body as a whole.
* It is the organ responsible for transmitting messages about sensations of pain, heat, cold, burning, or other abnormalities in the human body. This message is directed to the cerebral cortex, where the impulse is interpreted, determining the degree of stimulation and thus generating a reaction or response to the event.
The skin contains sensory receptors for basic pain sensations, for the sense of touch ( Meissner corpuscles and Merkel discs) , for temperature related to the thermal sensation where cold or heat is identified, and for pressure related to the sensation of vibration.
* The skin is responsible for regulating body temperature. It allows oxygen to enter the body and carbon dioxide to escape; that is, it aids in the lungs' respiratory function.
* It is the organ responsible for receiving certain nutrients for the benefit of the body as a whole, such as vitamin D, when it receives sunlight. Remember that vitamin D is responsible for the formation and functioning of the skeletal system.
* It is responsible for maintaining the hydroelectrolytic balance in the body.
* The skin allows oxygen to pass into the body and carbon dioxide to escape; that is, it aids in the lungs' respiratory function.
* Through the sweat and sebaceous glands, the skin serves as an auxiliary to the renal system by helping to expel waste from the body. The sebum secreted by the sebaceous glands acts as a bactericide to maintain control over the bacterial flora on the skin's surface.
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