Question: what's our skin made up of??

Michael Craig answered on 13 Mar 2013:

Hi Jenny,

Good question.Did you know the skin is actually the bodies biggest organ? The skin is made up of lots of different things such as water, fats (lipids), proteins, minerals and chemicals. There are three layers in your skin, the epidermis, the dermis and the subcutaneous layer.

The epidermis is the outer layer of skin, made up of cells that produce keratin, this is a protein that protects you from potentially damaging factors in the environment. This is the layer of skin that you can actually see and touch. The epidermis is also home to cells that produce melanin, which is the substance that gives skin its colour. Overall, your epidermis controls the appearance of your skin and helps to you to retain water.

The dermis is the middle layer of skin, which contains two important proteins that contribute to the skin’s strength and texture: elastin and collagen. These two proteins keep your skin from wrinkling and sagging, but they break down with age, which is why you may recognize them from anti-ageing product advertisements. The dermis also contains nerves, blood vessels, hair follicles and sweat glands. When you feel pain after you cut yourself, it’s because of the nerves and receptors in the dermis.

Finally, there’s the subcutaneous layer, made up of fat and collagen cells. This layer helps you retain heat, and it also absorbs shock and protects your internal organs from injury. If tissue in this layer begins to deteriorate, your skin may start to sag!

Michael