The World of Skin
By: Sarah Beller, Abby Gaidos, and Andie Bouhaidar
Major Functions of Skin
Many important things are attached to your body, like muscles and your heart, but have you ever thought of skin. Scientist all over the world have pondered over skin because it prevents loss of water, protects the body from infection and injury, and the skin also helps regulate body temperature, eliminate wastes, gather information about the environment, and produce vitamin D. In fact skin is the largest organ system in the body, yet one of the least complex. Not to motion, that though thin, skin can weigh about 8 to 10 pounds for an average adult and 6 to 9 pounds for the average child.
The Skin Layers
In this video, it talks about the different layers of skin and will explain the minerals that each layer consists of.
The Main Skin Organs
Small but mighty is what describes skin. Like the body, skin consists of organs that carry out needs to survive. Epidermis, dermis, and fat are the layers of skin, just like the layers of onion they help protect and provide other needs. Skin can be summed up as a factory that could have other systems working together to proceed in daily functions, like blood vessels which is a part of other organ systems. Sweat glands, oil glands, and pores work together to help with the process of sweating so your body can exercise and continue working without dying. And last but certainly unforgettable, is the hair follicle which is organ that is the easiest to see with the naked eye. The hairs that grow on your body are actually made of dead skin cells!
Brainpop video of Skin
The password to access this video is palmbeach and the username is the same thing.
Skin Diseases
Beautiful skin is everything that a person could want, but sun tans, to much medications, and lack of water are what leads to some of the worlds most deadliest skin diseases. Some life threatening skin diseases are ringworm, silvery scales, boils, itchy red raised bumps, rosacea, and skin cancer. Though dangerous and deadly, these diseases can be avoided by applying sunscreen before going outside in the summer, taking a healthy diet and limiting your use of medicine.
Interesting Facts about skin
The thinnest skin is the eye lid and the thickest is the sole of the foot. The largest organ in the human body is skin.
Hair is made of dead skin cells
- Too much exposure to the sun can cause your skin to become leathery and wrinkled
- People with darker skin are more protected against the suns damaging rays
- Skin only weighs 9 pounds
- Skin is as thick as paper
- If an adults skin was stretched out flat, it would cover an area larger than 1.5 square meters
- If you don't clean your skin, then you will get a bacteria infection known as acne
- Your skin can also grow athlete's foot, which is fungi
- Fungi grows best in warm, moist temperature, so if you keep your foot clean and dry\
- Try avoiding sun exposure between 10 A.M. and 2 P.M. because that time is when the sunlight is the strongest
URL's
http://www.webmd.com/beauty/face/whats-your-skin-type
http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/genetics/skin-color/modern-human-diversity-skin-color
http://www.medicinenet.com/skin_conditions_picture_quiz/quiz.htm
https://www.brainpop.com/health/bodysystems/skin/
book Britannica humansScience Textbook pg.494-500