The whole body
Nervous system
Brain
Eye
Ear
Nose
Mouth and teeth
Heart
Blood and circulation
Spleen
Body defenses
Throat and voice
Lungs
Baby teeth
Digestion
Liver
Gallbladder
Pancreas
Kidneys
Reproductive system
Pregnancy
Glands and hormones
Skeleton
Skull
Spine
Hand
Knee
Foot
MusclesWhat does the skin do?
Skin is the body’s largest organ. It protects against germs, sun and scrapes, keeps water in, helps control temperature with sweat and senses touch, cold, heat and pain. Hair and nails are made by the skin too.
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Questions people ask
Why do we sweat?
To cool the body down. When sweat evaporates from the skin, it carries heat away. That is why we sweat in hot weather and during exercise. Drinking water replaces what is lost.
Why does skin burn in the sun?
The sun’s ultraviolet rays damage skin cells. The redness is the skin inflamed. Melanin protects a little, but not enough: sunscreen, a hat and avoiding strong midday sun help prevent burns and skin cancer.
What are goosebumps?
Each hair has a tiny muscle at its root. With cold or strong emotion, these muscles contract, the hair stands up and the skin forms bumps. In furry animals this helps keep warm; in us it is more of a leftover.
Where does skin color come from?
From melanin, a pigment made by skin cells. Everyone has about the same number of these cells; what changes is how much melanin they make, which is inherited. Freckles are small spots with more melanin.
Sources
This text was written using these references:
- Anatomy of the Skin · National Cancer Institute (SEER Training)
This content has not been medically reviewed.