Structure & Function

The skin has been described as the body’s "cutaneous envelope" and as an envelope that both contains us and protects us from the outside world.

The skin is the body’s largest organ. Fifteen percent of the average adult’s weight is skin, and it covers a surface area of nearly 2 square meters. The importance of this complex organ to our survival is graphically illustrated by the mortality rate of people who have been badly burned. When our cutaneous envelope is destroyed, our lives are threatened.

Protection is the skin’s most important job. This covering cushions the body from physical trauma and helps guard against the entry and growth of microorganisms.

The skin acts as a barrier to harmful substances, absorbs and blocks ultraviolet radiation, and protects against damage from low-voltage electrical current.

The skin plays a vital role in regulating body temperature and protecting us from extreme environmental temperatures, both hot and cold. Our cutaneous envelope also helps maintain fluid and electrolyte balance.

The skin is an important sensory organ that transmits sensations such as pressure, touch, warmth, cold, and pain.

The skin has three main layers: the epidermis, the dermis, and the subcutaneous tissue. The epidermis is the thin, protective outer layer. The dermis is the tough, elastic second layer. The subcutaneous tissue is the layer of fatty and connective tissue beneath the dermis.

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