Inflammatory disorders

'Super melanin' heals skin injuries from sunburn, chemical burns

Imagine a skin cream that heals damage occurring throughout the day when your skin is exposed to sunlight or environmental toxins. That's the potential of a synthetic, biomimetic melanin developed by scientists at Northwestern ...

Oncology & Cancer

Genetic clues reveal lung cancer's next move

Knowing whether a tumor might grow or spread to other parts of a patient's body could be key to survival—and now scientists are one step closer to unlocking the ability to predict just that.

Immunology

Research identifies obesity and infection link

The list of diseases and conditions complicated by obesity is a long one; it includes heart disease, cancer, diabetes and impaired wound healing, as well as skin infections. It is not always clear, however, in what way this ...

Neuroscience

Study shows hairy skin does not become less sensitive with age

Our sense of touch is generally thought to decline with age, just like the other senses. However, a study has shown that age-related decline in sensitivity only happens in hairless skin like the tip of the index finger, but ...

Psychology & Psychiatry

Dermatology and mental health: Study links psoriasis to OCD

In an ongoing effort to better understand possible links between skin conditions and mental health, researchers at Yale School of Medicine have discovered an association between psoriasis and obsessive-compulsive disorder ...

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Skin

The skin is the outer covering of the body. In humans, it is the largest organ of the integumentary system made up of multiple layers of mesodermal tissues, and guards the underlying muscles, bones, ligaments and internal organs. Skin of a different nature exists in amphibians, reptiles, birds. Human skin is not unlike that of most other mammals except that it is not protected by a pelt and appears hairless though in fact nearly all human skin is covered with hair follicles. The adjective cutaneous literally means "of the skin" (from Latin cutis, skin).

Because it interfaces with the environment, skin plays a key role in protecting (the body) against pathogens and excessive water loss. Its other functions are insulation, temperature regulation, sensation, synthesis of vitamin D, and the protection of vitamin B folates. Severely damaged skin will try to heal by forming scar tissue. This is often discolored and depigmented.

In humans, skin pigmentation varies among populations, and skin type can range from dry to oily. Such skin variety provides a rich and diverse habit for bacteria which number roughly a 1000 species from 19 phyla.

This text uses material from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA