For National Healthy Skin Month, we have been researching to find the most interesting facts about the skin. We’re excited to share them with you because there’s a lot more to skin than you probably think. Here’s what we found out:
Facts About the Skin
- The skin is the largest organ of the human body (Resource: American Academy of Dermatology).
- The average adult has approximately 16 – 22 square feet of skin, which weighs about 9 – 11 pounds (Resource: Forefront Dermatology).
- The skin accounts for about 15% of your body weight (Resource: DermSpecialists).
- The average person has about 300 million skin cells (Resource: DermSpecialists).
- The skin has three layers: epidermis, dermis, subcutis (Resource: Forefront Dermatology).
- The skin is thickest on the soles of your feet and the thinnest on your eyelids (Resource: Forefront Dermatology).
- The skin completely renews itself every 28 days and is constantly shedding dead cells (Resource: Forefront Dermatology).
- The skin sheds around 30,000 to 40,000 cells per minute, which is about 9 pounds per year (Resource: DermSpecialists).
- A large part of the dust in your home is actually made up of dead skin cells (Resource: Forefront Dermatology).
- Unlike normal skin, scar tissue lacks hair and sweat glands (Resource: Forefront Dermatology).
- Skin that is exposed to repeated friction or pressure can become thicker, forming a callus (Resource: Forefront Dermatology).
- Some of the nerves in your skin are connected to muscles instead of the brain, sending signals through the spinal cord to react more quickly to heat, pain, etc. (Resource: DermSpecialists).
- The skin serves as a protective barrier that helps to keep water in the body and harmful chemicals and pathogens out (Resource: Forefront Dermatology).
- Changes in your skin can sometimes signal changes in your overall health (Resource: DermSpecialists).
Tips to Keep Your Skin Healthy
Did you learn something new? As you’ve figured out, the skin is very complex. These facts should prove that it’s crucial to take care of your skin every day. Use these tips to keep your skin fresh and healthy:
- Find out your skin types and choose products that are right for you
- Wash your face every morning and night
- Wear sunscreen daily
- Put on moisturizer every day
- Keep your hands off your face
- Wear antiperspirant
- Use petroleum jelly to heal minor scrapes and burns
- Stay out of tanning beds
- Wear the right sized shoes and socks to avoid blisters and corns
- Use a lip balm or lipstick with sunscreen in it
- Self-examine your skin every month
Closing Thoughts
The skin is a major piece of who you are. A board-certified dermatologist can help keep your skin healthy and address any skin concerns that you may have. To schedule an appointment, please call Complete Family Dermatology in Lincoln, NE at 402-423-1111.
