The Human Skin and its Functions #1

The human body has been given a most beautiful covering — the skin. Nothing is more lovely and attractive than a glowing, healthy skin. All too often, though, one's appearance is marred by ugly scars and chronic eruptions, many of which need never have occurred had the skin received proper care. Skin troubles often runs in families. Consequently, members of these families need to be on guard continually. But everyone should be aware of the importance of keeping the skin healthy, for this can certainly make or mar one's appearance, perhaps for life!

Image source: My PicsArt
Your skin has several very important functions. It is your first line of defence against the germs that might enter the body. Enzymes on the surface of the skin quickly destroy germs, provided the skin is healthy and intact. But small breaks and tears in the surface of the skin may open the way to infection within the skin, and in the deeper tissues as well.

Your skin has another important function; it helps to regulate the temperature of the body. When you exercise vigorously, you produce a lot of heat in the muscles. To keep the temperature of the body at a normal level, this heat must be removed quickly, otherwise you will soon have a high fever. To cool the body, large amounts of blood are rapidly sent to the skin. Many tiny vessels within the skin open up, allowing much more blood to pass through and to be cooled by the outside air.

Even more important is the process of perspiration. Tiny sweat glands within the skin pour out surprisingly large quantities of water. As this perspiration evaporates it carries off large quantities of heat and this helps to cool the body. All of these are brought about by an elaborate system of nerves and blood vessels within the skin, under the direction of the sympathetic nervous system of the body.

Image sorce: Pixabay

When the skin is cut or damaged, it usually heals quickly. This not only seals off the loss of blood, but also closes the damaged area against the entrance of germs. The healing of a wound is one of nature's great miracles. As seen under the microscope, all the cells seem to be guided by some unseen force within the body. Damager tissues are quickly removed by the white blood cells, leaving the whole area clean and ready for the new tissues that will form.

Fresh young cells now busy themselves, throwing a kind of scaffold across the lacerated area, and then rapidly filling in the spaces between and stitching together the broken edges of the skin. Soon the wound is healed, firmly cemented by scar tissue and a wall of new living cells that protect the body from further injury.

Much the same process takes place when the skin is damaged by some eruption, or when some rash breaks out on the surface. For instance, chicken-pox, so common in young children, first of all begins with a blister, followed by a small open sore. Within a day or two this is covered by a crust or scab, which in turn is finally replaced by normal skin.

After a few months even the tiny scars are gone, unless a more seriously secondary infection occurs owing to staphylococcus germs being scratched into the skin. These secondary infections usually follow scratching because of intense itching, this being the most common of all skin complaints. In fact, we all have some itchy spots that we unconsciously rub several times a day.

These skin conditions will be thoroughly discussed in my next post. Stay tuned....

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