Photo A shows a person getting a tattoo on the foot. Photo B shows a woman getting her eyebrows groomed. Photo C shows a person’s ear, with five earrings in the upper part and one in the lobe. Photo D shows a man and a boy shaving their faces.
Figure 5.0 Your skin is a vital part of your life and appearance (a–d). Some people choose to embellish it with tattoos (a), makeup (b), and even piercings (c). (credit a: Steve Teo; credit b: “spaceodissey”/flickr; credit c: Mark/flickr; credit d: Lisa Schaffer)

Chapter Objectives

After studying the chapter, you will be able to:

5.0.   Describe the integumentary system and the role it plays in homeostasis

5.1.   Describe the layers of the skin and the functions of each layer

5.2.   Describe the accessory structures of the skin and the functions of each

5.3    Describe the functions of the integumentary system

5.4.   Describe the changes that occur in the integumentary system during the aging process

5.5.   Discuss several common diseases, disorders, and injuries that affect the integumentary system

What do you think when you look at your skin in the mirror? Do you think about covering it with makeup, adding a tattoo, or maybe a body piercing? Or do you think about the fact that the skin belongs to one of the body’s most essential and dynamic systems: the integumentary system? The integumentary system refers to the skin and its accessory structures, and it is responsible for much more than simply lending to your outward appearance. In the adult human body, the skin makes up about 16 percent of body weight and covers an area of 1.5 to 2 m2. In fact, the skin and accessory structures are the largest organ system in the human body. As such, the skin protects your inner organs and it is in need of daily care and protection to maintain its health. This chapter will introduce the structure and functions of the integumentary system, as well as some of the diseases, disorders, and injuries that can affect this system.


This work, Anatomy & Physiology, is adapted from Anatomy & Physiology by OpenStax, licensed under CC BY. This edition, with revised content and artwork, is licensed under CC BY-SA except where otherwise noted.

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Access the original for free at https://openstax.org/books/anatomy-and-physiology/pages/1-introduction.

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Mohawk - PN Structure & Function of the Human Body Copyright © 2019 by Lindsay M. Biga, Staci Bronson, Sierra Dawson, Amy Harwell, Robin Hopkins, Joel Kaufmann, Mike LeMaster, Philip Matern, Katie Morrison-Graham, Kristen Oja, Devon Quick, Jon Runyeon, OSU OERU, and OpenStax is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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