PHYSICAL WELLNESS

your body’s protective layer

SKIN

Your skin is the body’s largest organ and first line of defense. It acts like a strong but flexible barrier, keeping harmful things out and essential things in, while also helping regulate temperature and allowing you to feel the world around you.

  • Protects against germs, chemicals, and physical injury

  • Prevents excess water loss and keeps fluids balanced

  • Helps regulate body temperature (through sweat + blood flow)

  • Produces vitamin D when exposed to sunlight

  • Allows you to sense touch, pressure, heat, and pain

SKIN BASICS

Common Terms + Simple Definitions

Here’s a mini glossary for skin-related words you’ll see throughout the site:

Epidermis - The thin outer layer of skin (waterproof + protective)

Dermis - The thicker middle layer with blood vessels, nerves, and glands

Hypodermis - The deepest layer, made of fat and connective tissue

Keratin - A protein that makes skin tough and waterproof

Melanin - Pigment that gives skin its color and protects from UV rays

WHAT SKIN WORK WITH

SKIN + OTHER SYSTEMS

  1. Hair & Nails → Together with skin, they form the integumentary system’s protective layer

  2. Sweat Glands → Release sweat to cool the body and remove waste

  3. Blood Vessels → Expand or constrict to help regulate temperature

  4. Nervous System → Sends touch, pressure, and temperature signals to the brain

  5. Immune System → Skin cells provide chemical and physical defense against pathogens

HealthY SKIN…

Healthy skin means strong protection and balanced moisture. Staying hydrated, eating a nutrient-rich diet, getting safe sun exposure, and keeping skin clean and moisturized help it function at its best.