What is it about?
The skin protects the body from physical damage, infiltration of bacteria, temperature regulation and is important for sensory perception and communication. It is complex not only in structure, but also the microbiome that lives on it. This article gives an over view of the structure and functions of the skin and how the skin ages. There is also a guide to performing a thorough skin assessment.
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Why is it important?
The structure and functions of the skin are an essential knowledge for all healthcare professionals to ensure that patients receive an holistic assessment including assessment of skin health, conditions which affect the skin and how these appear in patients with different skin tones and the importance of early recognition.
Perspectives
Writing this article for the British Journal of Nursing wound care series was a pleasure. I hope this article shows how important and what an amazing organ the skin is. The skin is like a window for healthcare professionals as it can provide clues to underlying disease processes going on within the body, such as ulcerative colitis, pyoderma gangrenosum and diabetes to mention a few.
Jane Harry
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Anatomy and physiology of the skin, British Journal of Nursing, August 2025, Mark Allen Group,
DOI: 10.12968/bjon.2024.0471.
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