I don't think about my skin that much, except on sunny Summer days when I coat myself with sunscreen or when I get the occasional blemish on my chin. More than just a fleshy covering for our muscles, skin is an organ and without it, we would evaporate. Here are five facts you should know about the skin you're in.
- Skin, not the liver [1], is the body's largest organ. Altogether, the skin of an average adult weighs [2] between eight and nine pounds. Skin also grows faster than any other organ. In fact, we are constantly shedding skin cells, to the tune of 50,000 cells every minute.
- The skin of an average-sized adult covers 21-square feet and contains over 11 miles of blood vessels. Skin is only 2 millimeters thick [3]. So we are all truly thin skinned. Speaking of thin skin, the eyelids are the thinnest skin [4] of the body and the soles of your feet [5] are the thickest.
- On a hot and humid day, your skin can produce up to three gallons of sweat in a 24-hour period. But not all of your body sweats. The nail bed, margins of the lips, tip of the penis, and eardrums do not sweat.
For a couple more cool facts about your skin, .
- You skin houses at least five types of nerve receptors that respond to pain and to touch. These receptors help keep your brain in touch with the outside world.
- Skin does more than just keep the insides of your body inside your body. It also secretes an antibacterial substances [6] to prevent infection, making your skin the immune systems first line of defense. Skin also manufactures the ever important sun shine vitamin — vitamin D [7], which promotes the absorption of calcium to produce healthy bones.
Hey! Your epidermis is showing. Hope these facts help you appreciate the skin your in.
Source [8]