Burn Injury Resource Center

The Dermis:

This is the second layer of the skin under the epidermis, it cushions the body from stress and strain, this layer contains nerve endings, sebaceous glands, sweat glands, hair follicles and blood and lymphatic vessels.
The nerve endings in our dermis tell us how things feel when we touch them; they work with our brain and nervous system so that the brain gets the message about what we are touching. The dermis is also full of tiny blood vessels that keep the skin cells healthy by bringing them oxygen and nutrients they need and by taking away waste. The sebaceous glands secrete sebum which is an oily matter that keeps the skin lubricated and water proof, these glands are present throughout the skin except the hands and feet; they are in greatest abundance on the face and scalp. The sweat glands help in the regulation of body temperature by releasing sweat through pores on the skin. The hair follicle grows hair and attached to it is the sebaceous gland; about 50-100 hairs are shed daily from a normal scalp.

The Hypodermis (subcutaneous tissue):

This layer lies below the dermis and attach the skin to underlying bone and muscle as well as supplying it with blood vessels and nerves. It consists of loose connective tissue and elastin (a protein which play a role in the elasticity of skin). The hypodermis contains 50% of body fat. Fat serves as padding and insulation for the body.

This information is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice; it should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. Call 911 for all medical emergencies.

The skin is the largest organ in the body that has many important functions which include the following:

1. It protects the body from infection by preventing the invasion of harmful organisms.


2. It protects the body from dehydration by preventing the loss of excessive fluids.


3. It participates in the regulation of body temperature and protects the body from abrupt temperature changes.


4. It protects the body against sun burns.


5. It protects the internal tissues and organs.


6. It helps excrete waste materials through perspiration.


7. It generates vitamin D through the exposure to sun light and stores vitamin D.


8. It has receptors through which we feel heat, cold, pain, pressure and touch.

The Epidermis:

It is the outermost layer of the skin which is the part of the skin that we can see, it is composed of five layers from inside to outside they are, Stratum basale, Stratum spinosum, Stratum granulosum, Stratum lucidum and Stratum corneum. The epidermis is continuously making new cells to replace the old ones, this process starts at the bottom of the epidermis moving toward the top of epidermis, the process takes between two to four weeks, as the newer cells continue to move up, older cells near the top die and rise to the surface of skin. 95% of the cells of the epidermis work to make new skin cells, the other 5% make a substance called melanin. Melanin is a pigment responsible for skin color, the darker the skin is the more melanin there is. Melanin protects us from getting burned by the sun's ultraviolet rays that is why when we go out into the sun these cells make extra melanin to protect us from getting burned and that's why our skin gets tan if we spend a lot of time in the sun. Melanin can't protect the body by itself therefore we wear sunscreens and protective clothing such as a hat to prevent painful sunburns, protecting the skin also can help prevent skin cancer.

This information is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice; it should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. Call 911 for all medical emergencies.