The skin is the largest of the bodies organs and is essential in helping to control the temperature of the body (keeping you warm or cool), keeps you dry, stores fat and contains the nerve endings which help us feel heat or cold. The skin is extremely flexible which allows people to move easily, it is especially loose in areas such as the elbow, which allows them to bend as required. Conversely, you will notice that the skin is taught and rigid in areas such as the feet to enable people to walk without slipping. The skin is able to breathe through the many holes on its service, these are known as pores. The skin also has three layers, the epidermis, the dermis and the fatty layer known as the hypodermis.

The Sun and your Skin

The skin contains a substance called melanin which protects it and also gives it its colour. Skin which contains a lot of melanin will be a darker colour whereas smaller amounts will result in a fairer colour. The body's natural defence against the rays of the sun is to produce melanin, which you can see when it changes colour, you get a tan, the more melanin you produce, the darker you tan. Whilst the sun is a good source of vitamin D and is good in small doses, if you let the skin burn it can lead to skin cancer.

Sweat Sweat Sweat

Your body will produce sweat if you are out in the sun too long or indeed if you get too hot. It is produced in the sweat glands and released through the pores and on to your skin, which cools the skin. On a hot day an adult may produce an amazing 2.5l of sweat to cool you down. The body will also sometimes send the blood to the surface of the skin so that the air can cool it down, explaining why we often look a bit red in the heat.

Look after your skin

The skin is coated in a thin layer of sebum and this is to ensure that the skin doesn't dry out, it is also slightly acidic to protect the skin from germs. Usually the skin produces exactly the right amount of sebum however children who hit puberty often find that the body produces too much sebum, causing the skin to be very greasy and may lead to acne.