About Our Skin

You see your skin every day, but you probably don't think or know much about it. But that is a big mistake because understanding your skin is going to allow you to care better for it. After all, the skin on your body is there to protect it from anything and everything, and it does so extremely well. Skin is the largest organ on your body, and it is there to protect your body from losing necessary fluids and drying out and from being invaded by different bacteria and microorganisms.

Keep reading to find out everything there is to know about your skin and its function.

Skin layers
There are three layers to this organ: epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis. Each of them has a unique function, and they all work in the perfect union to protect the body and keep you healthy.

The epidermis 
The epidermis is the visible, upper layer of the skin. The epidermis contains melanocyte cells, which give your skin its unique color, and it is responsible for the sensory nerves.

Some of the functions that the epidermis fulfills are:

• Passing substances in and out of the body
• Building keratin-filled cells to ensure the durability of the skin
• Renewing the skin through cycles of shedding and rebuilding

The dermis
The dermis is the thickest layer of the skin, and some of its primary functions include giving the epidermis nutrient-saturated blood and temperature regulation. The dermis is held together by an insoluble and durable protein in connective tissue called collagen. Collagen is synthesized fibroblasts, which give skin its resilient powers and its strength.

The hypodermis
The hypodermis layer of the skin is the place where fat-producing cells and collagen reside. This layer’s function is to insulate your skin and absorbs shock. Also, the hypodermis serves as the passageway for skin blood and lymph vessels, hair follicles, and nerves. 

Functions of the skin
Sadly, the skin is often left out of health discussions. Even more often, the skin is reduced to something you need to take care of when you want to escape the aging process and the signs of aging. But that is definitely not the primary function of your skin, and the other functions should not be disregarded. 

Well, what is the primary function of the skin? Creating a barrier between your internal organs and the outside environment. This protects the organs from bacteria and viruses that could cause harm if they were to enter into your body.

In addition to its primary function, your skin is also responsible for the following:

Absorbing nutrients and moisture
Apart from keeping the harmful things out, your skin also needs to bring good things in, when that is necessary. Skin it absorbs moisture from the air, which helps to keep us hydrated, it absorbs the sunlight that aids in the body’s production of Vitamin D, an essential nutrient, and it absorbs transdermal or topical treatments for different conditions and use them to heal the body from the outside in.

Maintaining body temperature
Maintaining the fluid balance in our bodies is an essential part of maintaining the proper body temperature, and skin heaps greatly with that function, by controlling the moisture loss. When you overheat internally, your body is going to produce sweat to maintain the proper internal temperature and keep you cool.

Protecting the body from injury
As we have mentioned and explained earlier, your skin is made up of three layers: the epidermis, the dermis, and the hypodermis, which is a subcutaneous fat layer. The hypodermis is made up of collagen and fat cells, and it has the role of being a shock absorber, which protects the body from injury.

Factors that impact the health of the skin
Your skin is an incredible multitasker, and it fulfills so many roles and functions. However, having so many responsibilities means having that that many weaknesses and numerous different factors can impact the health of your skin:

• Lack of sleep
• Poor Diet and Lifestyle
• Chronic Stress
• Dehydration
• Smoking
• Pollution and environmental toxins 
• Hormone Imbalances
• Medical conditions, like autoimmune diseases and diabetes