Did you know? • Your skin is the largest organ of the body. • Its role is to insulate and protect the body against invasion by bacteria and other foreign things. • As we age, skin gradually thins and becomes more sensitive to sun damage. • After sunburn, the skins collagen breaks down and free radical damage from UV rays increases skin cancer and premature ageing. • A healthy skin should have a moisture content of 30%.

Fascinating Skin Facts

The skin has a surface area of 1 to 2 square meters (m2), weighs 4 to 5 kilograms (kg), and accounts for about 7% of the total body weight in the average adult. If you were to cut away a section of your skin, you would find that it is composed of three distinct layers.

Epidermis

The epidermis is the thin outer layer of the skin. The epidermis itself is made up of three sub-layers:

Stratum corneum (horny layer)

This layer contains continually shedding, dead keratinocytes (the primary cell type of the epidermis). The keratin, a protein formed from the dead cells, protects the skin from harmful substances.

Keratinocytes (squamous cells)

This layer contains living keratinocytes (squamous cells), which help provide the skin with what it needs to protect the rest of the body.

Basal layer

The basal layer is the inner layer of the epidermis, containing basal cells. Basal cells continually divide, forming new keratinocytes and replacing the old ones that are shed from the skin's surface. The epidermis also contains melanocytes, which are cells that produce melanin (skin pigment).

Dermis

The dermis is the middle layer of the skin. The dermis is made up of the following: - • blood vessels • lymph vessels • hair follicles • sweat glands The dermis is held together by a protein called collagen, made by fibroblasts (skin cells that give the skin its strength and resilience). This layer also contains pain and touch receptors.

Subcutis

The subcutis is the deepest layer of skin and is also known as the subcutaneous layer. The subcutis, consisting of a network of collagen and fat cells, helps conserve the body's heat while protecting other organs from injury by acting as a "shock absorber."