Skin: The Body’s Largest Organ

Brain. Heart. Liver. Lungs. These are all answers that people might give when asked what the largest organ in the body is. However, none of these choices are correct. In fact, the answer to the question is “the skin.” The skin? Yes, that’s right. The skin is the largest organ in the body. According to the University of Virginia, an organ is defined as thus: “specialized cells and tissues that form a specific function in the body.” Since the skin is made up of cells and tissues, certainly it fits the definition of an organ in that way. However, how exactly does it have a specific function for the body?

First of all, it covers the bones. A bunch of skeletons walking around town would not be too attractive. On a more serious note, however, the skin has some very specific and important functions. According to Kids Health, the skin has three main functions. These functions are listed as protecting the body, helping to keep the body at the right temperature and allowing people to have a sense of touch. Without the skin, the internal organs would be exposed to every piece of dirt or germ that flies around in the air. Furthermore, consider the complex process by which sweat glands in the skin help the body to cool off when it is hot. The skin also provides a surface from which hair grows to help keep the body warmer when it is cold out. Furthermore, think about how different the lives of everyone would be without a sense of touch. No one could feel a hug from a beloved family member or an ice cold shower on a hot summer’s day, nor could anyone feel the danger of a hot stove or a fire burning. Without the skin, people would really be exposing themselves to so many dangerous.

Since the skin is the largest organ, as well as an extremely important organ, people want to take the necessary steps to keep the skin safe. One of the biggest ways in which people can protect their skin is to wear sunscreen year round. Even when it is chilly out or the sun is hidden behind the clouds, the sun can still cause damage to the skin. People might get sunspots, or they might even get skin cancer. People should wash their skin, so that pores do not become clogged with dirt and oil. Additionally, when the skin is wounded, people must wash it out and cover it up quickly to prevent diseases from coming in.

Who knew that the skin was so complicated? Well, once people hear that the skin is the largest organ that the body has, they usually start to realize the importance of skin.

Peter Wendt is a freelance article writer and commercial researcher working out of Austin. To find out more on this topic, Peter suggests you take a look at This resource , which he has found to be a useful resource.