7 Strange Skin Facts You Probably Didn’t Know
Your skin is your body’s first defense against external factors that can be harmful to your fragile internal systems— making it also one of our more strange and interesting organs. Our skin is quite amazing— and not just because it can regenerate itself like something out of a Sci-Fi film. Below, we share 7 strange and amazing facts about skin.
Skin Fact #1: Your Skin is Your Largest Organ
When most people hear the word “organ” they think internal organs like heart, liver, kidneys, etc., but your skin is an organ too! In fact, your skin holds the title as the largest organ of the body! An organ is defined as “any part of the body that is self-contained and has a specific vital function”. The primary function of skin is to protect against external factors that could damage your internal organs.
Skin Fact #2: You Have Over 2 Square Meters of Skin.
It sounds strange when you think about laying out your skin to measure, but it’s true! You have over 2 square meters of skin if it were laid out on the ground.
Skin Fact #3: Skin Accounts for 15% of Your Body Weight
Unhappy with the number on the scale? You can blame your skin. Your skin actually accounts for 15% of your total body weight!
Skin Fact #4: Your Skin Sheds
Cells, that is! Your skin likes to continually update itself. That’s why it constantly sheds dead cells, about 30,000 to 40,000 cells every minute! That’s nearly 9 lbs. of skin cell shedding each year! This allows your skin to renew itself every 28 days.
Skin Fact #5: Your Skin is a Crystal Ball
Ok, not literally, but your skin can give you a heads up about health issues. Changes in skin often signal that other things in your body might be wrong— so pay close attention to your skin!
Skin Fact #6: Dust is Comprised Mostly of Dead Skin
Tired of dusting? You can blame that on your skin too! About 50% of the dust in your home is dead skin. In fact, dead skin is responsible for about 1 billion tons of dust in the atmosphere. (We really are just “dust in the wind”!)
Skin Fact #7: Your Skin Contains over 1000 Species of Bacteria
Rounding out our skin facts is the fact that your skin can contain more than 1000 different types of bacteria, most of which are considered completely benign. These bacteria can provide many benefits to the skin, such as assistance in healing injuries, reducing inflammation, and helping to fight infection.
When you think about it, your skin is truly amazing. There’s no better way to love your skin than to protect it and keep it healthy. The best way to do this is to make regular dermatology appointments for routine skin checks. If you’re looking for a dermatologist in Tampa, call Academic Alliance in Dermatology today to schedule your first appointment!
