Functions of the Human Body
Function of the Skin
The skin is more than just external covering. It acts as a sensitive boundary between our bodies and the environment. The skin has several important functions, for example: Protection, temperature regulations, waste removal and sense of touch.
Protection
• The skin acts as a protective organ. The film of sebum and sweat on the surface of the skin (acid mantle). It acts as an anti-bacterial agent to help prevent the multiplication of micro-organisms on the skin.
• The fat cells in the subcutaneous layer of the skin help to protect bones and major organs form injury.
• At the basal cell layer of the skin melanin is produced to help protect the body from harmful ultra-violet radiation.
• The horny layer of the skin has cells that overlap like scales micro-organisms from penetrating the skin, which also helps to prevent excessive water loss from the body.
Temperature Regulation
• When the body is losing too much heat, the capillaries near the surface of the skin contract, which keeps the warm blood closer to the major organs.
• To retain heat the arector pili muscles raise hairs and trap air next to the skin.
• The adipose tissue in the dermis and the subcutaneous layer helps insulate the body from losing heat.
• When the body gets too warm, the blood capillaries open to allow warm blood to flow near the surface of the skin in order to help cool the body’s temperature.
• Also the evaporation of sweat from the surface of the skin assists in cooling the body.
Sensitivity
• The skin is a very sensitive due to having various stimuli to its many sensory nerve endings which detect change in temperature, pressure and pain. The skin is considered as an extension of the nervous system.
Excretion
• The Skin functions as a excretory system, removing waste through perspiration.
• Sweat is produced by the eccrine glands of the skin, which helps remove some waste materials from the skin such as urea, uric acid, ammonia and lactic acid.
The skin is more than just external covering. It acts as a sensitive boundary between our bodies and the environment. The skin has several important functions, for example: Protection, temperature regulations, waste removal and sense of touch.
Protection
• The skin acts as a protective organ. The film of sebum and sweat on the surface of the skin (acid mantle). It acts as an anti-bacterial agent to help prevent the multiplication of micro-organisms on the skin.
• The fat cells in the subcutaneous layer of the skin help to protect bones and major organs form injury.
• At the basal cell layer of the skin melanin is produced to help protect the body from harmful ultra-violet radiation.
• The horny layer of the skin has cells that overlap like scales micro-organisms from penetrating the skin, which also helps to prevent excessive water loss from the body.
Temperature Regulation
• When the body is losing too much heat, the capillaries near the surface of the skin contract, which keeps the warm blood closer to the major organs.
• To retain heat the arector pili muscles raise hairs and trap air next to the skin.
• The adipose tissue in the dermis and the subcutaneous layer helps insulate the body from losing heat.
• When the body gets too warm, the blood capillaries open to allow warm blood to flow near the surface of the skin in order to help cool the body’s temperature.
• Also the evaporation of sweat from the surface of the skin assists in cooling the body.
Sensitivity
• The skin is a very sensitive due to having various stimuli to its many sensory nerve endings which detect change in temperature, pressure and pain. The skin is considered as an extension of the nervous system.
Excretion
• The Skin functions as a excretory system, removing waste through perspiration.
• Sweat is produced by the eccrine glands of the skin, which helps remove some waste materials from the skin such as urea, uric acid, ammonia and lactic acid.
Bibliography: Burton College, Area of Learning – Beauty Therapy Handbook. (2012) Level 2 Provide Pedicure Treatments Unit UV20470 Hiscock, J & Lovett, F. (2004), Beauty Therapy for the 2004 Standard, 2nd Edition. Heinemann Educational Publishers, Oxford.