Skin as a Protective Barrier

The skin is the body’s largest organ, measuring about one eighth of an inch thick, and comprising roughly 10% of our total bodyweight. Skin consists of two layers: a protective outer layer, just 1/250th of an inch thick, known as the epidermis, and a slightly thicker inner layer, called the dermis.When healthy, our skin provides a number of important services to us. The skin serves as a shield, preventing excessive moisture loss or gain, keeping disease-causing pathogens and organisms out, and protecting us from chemical, physical, and biological hazards. It also protects our underlying network of tissues, bones, and organs from injury.