Did you know that your skin is your body's largest organ?  The skin is such a vital organ, yet we hardly ever think of it as such.  It's  working 24 hours a day to protect us from infection, shield us from hot objects and the sun.  The skin also regulates our body temperature, hydrates us externally by storing water, and feeds us by storing fat.  It's a pretty remarkable system!

The skin is made up of two main layers.  The outer layer is the epidermis, and the inner layer is the dermis.

The epidermis consists of squamous cells.  They look similar to fish scales when viewed under a microscope.  Round shaped basal cells lie just underneath the squamous cells in the epidermis.

The dermis provides a home for certain blood vessels known as lymph vessels.  The dermis also contains hair follicles in the glands.  When you run or work out, those glands provide sweat, which helps regulate your body's temperature.  It's your built-in cooling system.  Another gland produces sebum, which is an oily substance, and keep your skin from drying out.  Tiny openings in the skin called pores, release sweat and sebum.

A third layer of your skin is the subcutaneous tissue.  This contains fat and connective tissue, and is home to larger blood vessels and nerves.  One of its primary purposes is regulating the temperature of the skin itself.  Everyone's subcutaneous tissue layer is different.  This may explain why some people get colder or hotter than others.  A thicker subcutaneous tissue layer would help a person stay warmer in the winter.

Without our skin layer, humans would be in big trouble.  It makes sense to protect it as much as possible, and treat it right throughout the years.