THE ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY OF SKIN

What is SKIN?

The study of the skin is called dermatology derived from the latin word ‘dermis’ which means 'the skin'. It is the outer covering of the body also known as an integument. The skin is the largest organ that protects the surface of our body from infection and any other harmful invasions that may compromise our wellbeing. It is made up of three layers; the epidermis, the dermis and hypodermis also known as the subcutaneous layer.

The epidermis is the outermost keratinized layer of the skin that is predominately made up of pigmented dead skin cells. Furthermore, the epidermis is divided into five different layers known as stratum basal or germinatum,  stratum spinosum, stratum granulosum, stratum lucidium and stratum corneum.  The second layer is the dermis which mainly comprises of  blood vessels, nerve cells, sweat glands and the hair follicle. The basal layer of the skin is the hypodermis also known as subcutaneous layer; it is predominately made up of fat cells namely adipose and aureolar tissue.

Skin formation

The skin is a dynamic organ where new cells are continually being formed at the basal layer of the epidermis and pushed up, gradually keratinizing to form dead cells that are shed on the outermost layer of the epidermis through desquamation. Skin pigmentation is a result of a process known as melanogenesis whereby specialized cells called melanocytes secrete a brown pigment called melanin which is responsible for skin darkening/ tanning.  One’s skin shade depends on the amount of the melanin that is secreted into the skin cells and the amount of sun exposure one experiences. Thus, people with dark skin have more melanin in their skin cells than those with pale skin.

Functions of the skin

The skin protects and shapes the body, regulate body temperature through sweat, excrete waste , absorb vitamin D and gives us a sense of touch to inteprete information about our surrounding and allows us to interact with others. The skin is exposed to different external factors such as pollution, smoking, sun exposure which directly or indirectly affect its appearance and well-being on a daily basis. And it is also influenced by internal factors such as aging and hormones. Having  significant understanding of the skin helps one to make informed decisions about which skin care routine to follow, which skin products to use and how to use them to get the best results. The condition of your skin is an overall sig
n of your health, hence eating a balanced diet and following the correct skincare regime for your skin type will leave your skin supple, nourished and glowing.