The structure of the skin

The Skin is the largest organ of the body, with a total area of about 20 feet.

The skin is made up of three layers

The Epidermis is the outermost layer of the skin that provides a waterproof barrier and creates our skin tone. The thickness of the epidermis varies in different areas of our body- for example it is thinnest on our eyelids and thickest on the soles of our feet.

The Dermis is the inner layer of the skin and lies beneath the epidermis and is made up of two layers: the reticular and the papillary
The dermis contains though connective tissue is 10-40 times thicker than the epidermis. It contains cells that produce collagen and elastin fibres and is also where the hair follicles and sweat glands can be found.