Did you know that skin is the largest organ of your body? 

An average human carries about 3.6 kg of skin and 2 square meters of it. It serves so many purposes – from acting as a barrier to the elements, and even bugs and insects, to producing Vitamin D, and melanin for protecting from harmful rays of the sun, healing wounds, giving us the sense of “touch” to bond with others, and most importantly regulating body temperature through sweat. That’s a lot of hard work, isn’t it?

The skin is composed of three layers. The top layer is called the epidermis. The epidermis contains Langherhans cells which help fight off dangerous microbes. They are the first line of defence against infections and allergens!

The second layer – the dermis gives skin its elasticity and strength. It houses blood vessels that help regulate body temperature and nerves that relay messages to the brain – be it touching something soft like fleece (mmmm)  or a pin prick (ouch!). Your hair follicles and glands are also located in the dermis.

The base layer of the skin is the subcutis, which contains fat, which helps protect us from cold and also acts like a food reserve if things were to get really really bad.

Now, given that it IS so important, shouldn't we be a little bit more kind to our skin? it is how our body experiences the world after all. And the world can't wait to meet your skin...