Featured
- Get link
- X
- Other Apps
The skin measures only a few millimeters, even in the thickest parts
The skin measures only a few millimeters, even in the thickest parts. Nevertheless, at around a seventh of our body weight, it is the heaviest and largest organ in our body: Depending on body size and circumference, it weighs between 3.5 and 10 kg and has an area of 1.5 to 2 square meters. This shows how important the skin is for the body and its metabolism.
What are
the tasks of the skin?
The skin has a multitude of functions. As a stable but
flexible cover, it protects the body from harmful environmental influences such
as moisture, cold and sun rays as well as from pathogens and toxins.
The appearance of the skin provides a whole range of
information at a glance - such as age and health status. Many diseases show up
in a changed skin color or structure: People with too few red blood cells in
the blood are pale, for example, and if the liver is inflamed, the skin turns
yellow.
The skin also plays a vital character in regulating body
temperature. It protects against dehydration and excessive exposure to extreme
heat or cold. In addition, the body absorbs sensory impressions through the
skin and makes it possible to feel warmth, cold, pressure, itching or pain.
Some of these stimuli trigger a reflex: for example, we automatically pull our
hand back if we accidentally touch a hot stove.
The skin also serves as a large reservoir for the body:
water and fat can be stored in the subcutaneous tissue, but metabolic products
can also be deposited. Also be here Hormones that are important for the whole
body.
In the event of injuries, the skin is supplied with more
blood. Various components of the blood protect against inflammation and ensure
that the wound can close. Cells later emerge to form new skin and blood
vessels. Depending on how deep the wound is, it will heal with or without a
scar.
In order to be able to fulfill all these tasks, the skin has
three layers with different properties: the epidermis, the dermis and the
subcutaneous tissue. The skin is also of different thicknesses depending on the
region of the body and the level of stress. The thickness of the skin also
depends on a person's age and gender: Overall, older people have thinner, men
have thicker skin than women.
- Get link
- X
- Other Apps