5 Skin Functions and How to Maintain Their Health

The skin is one of the most important organs of the human body. There are various functions of the skin, including covering the organs in the body, muscles, and cells in them. To maximize the function of the skin, you need to maintain its health condition.

The skin consists of various components, including water, protein, fat, several types of minerals, and chemical compounds. The average adult skin weight is around 2.7 kilograms. The skin consists of three main layers, namely the epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis. The three layers have different roles in the structure of the skin.

Five Functions of the Skin

In general, there are five functions of the skin for the body, namely:

Protect the body

As the most extensive body organ, the skin has a protective function of the body, which functions to protect muscles, bones, ligaments, blood vessels, nerve cells, and organs in the body. The skin also plays an important role in the body's immune system to protect itself from harmful germs. When the skin is injured, such as a wound in the knee, good wound care is needed to prevent infection.

Maintain body temperature

The skin can respond to rising or falling body temperatures, which are sent in the form of signals from the brain. To cool the body that is hot, sweat glands will make the body sweat through the skin.

Store fat and help the synthesis process

The skin functions as a storage center for water and fat. This fat is responsible for supporting the muscles and bones to stay attached. Then allows the process of synthesis of vitamin D obtained from sunlight.

Become a sense of taste

The skin has a variety of nerve endings that function as a sense of human taste for hot or cold temperatures, touch, vibration, pressure, to pain and other sensations.

Supports appearance

The skin is an organ that is first seen by others. With its color and texture, the skin can support one's appearance, attractiveness, and self-confidence.

Tips for Maintaining Skin Health

As you age, the skin will change. The skin is no longer soft or tight at a young age. In addition, the skin also tends to be drier, thinner, and prone to interference.

Although the skin will naturally regenerate every 27 days, skin care is still needed to maintain optimal skin function. Some ways that can be done include:

Clean the skin twice a day

Before going to bed at night, it is important to get used to cleaning the face, including removing all makeup that is still attached to the face. It is recommended to use soap without fragrance. You are also recommended to take a shower at least 2 times a day, to clean the surface of the skin from various dust, dirt, and germs that may stick to the skin.

Use a moisturizer every day

Keep the skin moist every day, it is important to do, so that the skin does not experience dryness, or irritation. For your body you can use a type of hand & body lotion moisturizer, while for the facial skin area, use a special moisturizer for the face (can also be adapted to the type of facial skin).

Use sunscreen when outdoors activities

Ultraviolet rays from the sun can affect the aging process on the skin. It is recommended to use sunscreen every day. Take advantage of sunscreen products with SPF 30 or more, which protect against UVA and UVB. Limit sun exposure at 10 am to 2 pm which has the strongest ultraviolet exposure. Complete with long-sleeved clothes, long pants, hats, or other protectors.

In addition to some of the above, reducing smoking can also help maximize skin function. Smokers are known to have more wrinkles than nonsmokers of the same age and skin color.

Maintaining healthy skin is important to maximize skin function. If you experience complaints on the skin, immediately consult these conditions with a dermatologist so they can be treated.