Which Region Of The Skin Is Highlighted?

Pare: The Human being Trunk's Largest Organ

The bulk of skin is water-proof considering of keratin, a gristly protein. (Image credit: <a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/gallery-790708p1.html">PanicAttack</a> | <a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/">Shutterstock</a>)

Skin is more than than a fleshy surface for pimples, tattoos and wrinkles. Skin is the torso's largest organ, and along with hair, nails, glands and nerves, is function of the integumentary system, co-ordinate to Oregon State University. This system acts equally a protective barrier between the outside and the inside of the body.

In adults, pare accounts for virtually 16 percent of full trunk weight and covers a surface surface area of approximately 22 square feet (2 square meters).

There are unlike thicknesses and textures of skin on different parts of the body. For example, skin is cardboard underneath the eyes, but is thick on the soles of the feet and palms of the paw, co-ordinate to the Johns Hopkins Medicine Health Library.

Three layers of tissue

Human skin is composed of three layers of tissue: the epidermis, dermis and hypodermis, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Epidermis

The epidermis is the superlative, visible layer of pare and it'southward constantly being renewed as dead peel cells are shed on a daily basis. The main functions of the epidermis include:

Making new pare cells. New pare cells course at the bottom of the epidermis. As these newer cells form, it takes them about one calendar month to accomplish the height layer of the epidermis. The new cells volition replace the old cells found on the skin surface, which are dead and continuously flake off.
Giving skin its color. The epidermis contains melanocytes, which are cells that produce melanin, the pigment that gives skin its color. Melanin is as well responsible for suntans and freckles.
Protecting skin. Keratin, a protein made by cells found in the epidermis, gives skin its toughness and strength, and protects skin from drying out.

Dermis

The dermis is the middle layer of skin, plant underneath the epidermis. It is the thickest layer of skin and contains nerves and blood vessels. It is also domicile to the sweat glands, oil glands and hair follicles. The dermis gives pare its flexibility and strength, according to the Johns Hopkins Medicine Wellness Library. Information technology is fabricated up mostly of a poly peptide called collagen that makes skin stretchy and strong.

According to the National Library of Medicine, the roles of the dermis include:

Sensing hurting and touch. Nerve endings in the dermis comprise receptors that transmit sensations, such equally pain, force per unit area, touch, itchiness and temperature to the brain.
Producing sweat and oils. Sweat glands help to cool the body, and sebaceous glands brand the oils that keep skin soft and moist.
Growing pilus. Hair follicles found in the dermis abound the pilus on your caput, face and body. That hair too helps to control body temperature and protect the torso from injury.
Bringing claret to the peel. Claret vessels found in the dermis nourish the skin and help control body temperature. When pare becomes too hot, blood vessels enlarge to release heat from the skin's surface, while cold constricts blood vessels so they retain trunk estrus.
Fighting infection. Lymphatic vessels, which drain fluid from the tissues and are an important part of the allowed system, are housed in the dermis. They help ward off infections and other harmful substances.

Hypodermis

The hypodermis — besides called subcutaneous fat — is the deepest layer of skin. This layer is made upward mostly of fatty tissue, which helps to insulate the body from heat and cold. The hypodermis also serves as an energy storage area for fat. This fat provides padding to cushion internal organs also as muscle and bones, and protects the body from injuries, co-ordinate to the Johns Hopkins Medicine Health Library.

Common skin conditions

Dermatologists are physicians who specialize in treating diseases, disorders and injuries of the skin, pilus and nails. They treat common conditions such as acne and warts; chronic skin conditions such every bit eczema and psoriasis; and more serious diseases like pare cancer, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD).

Warts and moles

Warts are beneficial (noncancerous) growths on the skin caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), co-ordinate to the AAD. They often occur on the easily and soles. Sometimes, tiny black dots volition exist visible in a wart.

"These are blocked claret vessels, which are a common occurrence with a papilloma viral infection," said Dr. Charles Due east. Crutchfield, a clinical professor of dermatology at the Academy of Minnesota Medical Schoolhouse, and medical director of Crutchfield Dermatology.

The best treatment for warts is to crusade a mild irritation of these peel growths — usually by freezing them, applying a chemical such as salicylic acid or using lasers — and then the allowed arrangement can recognize the viral infection and get rid of it.

Moles are some other type of mutual growth on the skin. They're most oft brown or black, merely some can be cerise or skin-colored, and they may appear apartment or raised. If a mole starts irresolute in size, color or shape, or if information technology bleeds and doesn't heal on its ain in iii weeks, it should be evaluated to brand sure information technology'southward non turning into skin cancer, Crutchfield said.

Acne and eczema

Acne, a disorder of the pilus and oil glands, is among the most common skin conditions treated by dermatologists, Crutchfield told Live Science.

Acne occurs when pilus follicles become plugged with oil and dead skin cells, according to the Mayo Clinic. The condition presents itself equally ruby-red bumps and pimples on the face, chest and dorsum, Crutchfield said. Treatments for acne include vitamin A products (retinols foreclose plugging of hair follicles), salicylic acid (to unplug pores), benzoyl peroxides (to decrease bacteria) and antibiotics (to reduce inflammation).

Eczema looks like patches of reddish, itchy, bumpy skin, and the most common type is known every bit atopic dermatitis. The condition can occur anywhere on the skin. Sometimes, it flares up on its own, and at other times, it is caused by a specific trigger, such as a skin irritant likepoison ivy, or exposure to an allergen, according to Crutchfield.

Eczema is best treated with topical anti-inflammatory creams and ointments, which can reduce itching and redness. For mild symptoms, over-the-counter medications work well, but a prescription-strength cortisone product may be needed for more severe cases.

Peel cancer

Pare cancer is an abnormal growth of skin cells, and the most mutual type is basal cell carcinoma, Crutchfield said. More than than iv million cases of basal cell carcinoma are diagnosed in the United States each year, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. This type of cancer is skin colored, pink or has a slight pearly white color to information technology, and usually appears on sun-exposed areas of the face, ears or neck, according to the Mayo Clinic. It rarely spreads to other parts of the body, but it can be very problematic if information technology's not treated, Crutchfield cautioned.

The 2d most mutual type of skin cancer is squamous cell carcinoma. It may appear as a pink or white crash-land, a crude, scaly patch or a sore that won't heal, according to the AAD.

The most serious peel cancer is melanoma, which looks like a nighttime, changing, bleeding skin spot, Crutchfield said. This cancer begins in the skin's pigment-producing cells, and although it is the rarest class of pare cancer, it causes the majority of skin cancer deaths.

Additional resources:

National Library of Medicine: How Does Skin Work?
Johns Hopkins Medicine: Anatomy of the Skin
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Protecting yourself from skin cancer

This commodity was updated on October. 22, 2018 by Live Science Contributor, Cari Nierenberg.

Kim Ann Zimmermann is a contributor to Live Scientific discipline. She holds a bachelor'due south degree in communications from Glassboro State Higher.