Do you know which organ in the body is the largest?

The skin is the largest organ!  It is of primary importance to our survival but is often overlooked when examining the health and welfare of an individual.

The skin consists basically of two main layers, the epidermis (the outer layer that we can see) and the dermis (the inner layer).   The skin rests on the subcutaneous tissue  that consists largely of a loose mesh of collagen fibre, fat cells and muscle tissue.

This picture is taken from Microsoft's Encarta Encyclopedia. Click on the picture or a larger view and description.

The skin houses a number of components: blood vessels, nerve endings, and of course the hair follicles - the subject of our study.