Your Skin
This is your skin! It's your body's coat. Tap anywhere to learn about it, or try the X-ray to peek underneath.
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Every part of the skin 0 of 16 explored
About your skin (Integumentary system)
Skin is the biggest organ you have. It wraps all of you like a stretchy, waterproof coat that fixes itself when it gets a scrape.
Your skin, hair and nails work together as one team. Scientists call that team the integumentary system (in-TEG-yoo-MEN-tuh-ree). It keeps germs out and water in, keeps you warm or cool, and lets you feel a hug, a raindrop or a hot cup.
Skin comes in many beautiful shades, and every one of them works the same way.
- Layers3
- Grown-up skinabout 20 square feet
- New top layerabout every month
- Skin: Skin is the stretchy coat that covers all of you and keeps the outside out.
- Top layer (Epidermis): The top layer is the part of your skin you can see and touch.
- Middle layer (Dermis): The middle layer is the busy part of your skin, full of blood, hair roots and feelers.
- Cushion layer (Hypodermis): The cushion layer is soft padding under your skin that keeps you warm and safe.
- Skin color (Melanin): Skin comes in many beautiful shades, from very light to very dark, and every one is great.
- Freckles and moles: Freckles are tiny spots of extra color, like sprinkles the sun brings out on your skin.
- Hair: Hair grows out of tiny pockets in your skin, and cutting it doesn't hurt one bit.
- Nails: Nails are hard little shields on your fingers and toes, made of the same stuff as hair.
- Fingerprints: Fingerprints are tiny swirly lines on your fingertips, and nobody else in the world has yours.
- Sweat (Sweat glands): Sweat is salty water your skin makes to cool you down when you get hot.
- Goosebumps: Goosebumps are tiny bumps that pop up when you're cold or feel a big feeling.
- Feeling touch (Nerve endings): Your skin is full of tiny feelers that tell your brain about every poke, tickle and hug.
- Cuts, scabs and bruises: When you get a cut, your body builds a scab like a bandage and fixes the skin underneath.
- Sun and your skin: The sun's invisible rays can burn your skin, so sunscreen, hats and shade keep you safe.
- Lips: Your lips have extra thin skin, and they help you talk, eat, smile and blow bubbles.
- Belly button (Navel): Your belly button is where a soft tube brought you food and oxygen before you were born.