Dermis

The dermis, the skin's next layer, is a thick layer of fibrous and elastic tissue (made mostly of collagen, with a small but
important component of elastin) that gives the skin its flexibility and strength. The dermis contains nerve endings, sweat
glands and oil glands (sebaceous glands), hair follicles, and blood vessels.

Over different parts of the body, the number of nerve endings, sweat glands and sebaceous glands, hair follicles, and
blood vessels varies. The top of the head, for example, has many hair follicles, whereas the soles of the feet have none.

Tissue Composition

The dermis is composed of three types of tissues that are present throughout the dermis rather than in layers:

Collagen, Elastic tissue, Reticular fibers

The papillary layer, the upper layer of the dermis, contains a thin arrangement of collagen fibers. The lower layer,
known as the reticular layer, is thicker and made of thick collagen fibers that are arranged parallel to the surface of the
skin.

Deep to the dermis is a layer of loose connective tissues known as the hypodermis, subcutis, or subcutaneous tissue.
The hypodermis serves as the flexible connection between the skin and the underlying muscles and bones as well as a
fat storage area. Areolar connective tissue in the hypodermis contains elastin and collagen fibers loosely arranged to
allow the skin to stretch and move independently of its underlying structures. Fatty adipose tissue in the hypodermis
stores energy in the form of triglycerides. Adipose also helps to insulate the body by trapping body heat produced by the
underlying muscles.

Hair is an accessory organ of the skin made of columns of tightly packed dead keratinocytes found in most regions of
the body. The few hairless parts of the body include the palmar surface of the hands, plantar surface of the feet, lips,
labia minora, and glans penis. Hair helps to protect the body from UV radiation by preventing sunlight from striking the
skin.

The structure of hair can be broken down into 3 major parts: the follicle, root, and shaft. The hair follicle is a depression
of epidermal cells deep into the dermis. Stem cells in the follicle reproduce to form the keratinocytes that eventually
form the hair while melanocytes produce pigment that gives the hair its color. Within the follicle is the hair root, the
portion of the hair below the skin’s surface. As the follicle produces new hair, the cells in the root push up to the surface
until they exit the skin. The hair shaft consists of the part of the hair that is found outside of the skin.

The hair shaft and root are made of 3 distinct layers of cells: the cuticle, cortex, and medulla. The cuticle is the
outermost layer made of keratinocytes. The keratinocytes of the cuticle are stacked on top of each other like shingles so
that the outer tip of each cell points away from the body. Under the cuticle are the cells of the cortex that form the
majority of the hair’s width. The spindle-shaped and tightly packed cortex cells contain pigments that give the hair its
color. The innermost layer of the hair, the medulla, is not present in all hairs. When present, the medulla usually
contains highly pigmented cells full of keratin. When the medulla is absent, the cortex continues through the middle of
the hair.

Roles It Plays

The dermis is the thickest layer of skin and arguably the most important. It plays several key roles, including:

Producing sweat and regulating the body's temperature: Within the dermis are sweat glands that produce sweat that
comes out of the pores. The body sweats as a way to cool itself off, regulate temperature and flush out toxins. There are
more than 2.5 million sweat glands in the body. Sudoriferous glands are exocrine glands found in the dermis of the skin
and commonly known as sweat glands. There are 2 major types of sudoriferous glands Apocrine sweat glands are found
in the more odorous parts of the body, including the armpits, scalp, and genital region. The sweat glands, which become
active during puberty, secrete their substances into the hair follicles. The sweat that is secreted is actually odorless at
first. It only starts to smell when it comes in contact with skin bacteria. Eccrine sweat glands are located throughout the
rest of the body—on the palms, the soles of feet, armpits, and the forehead. These glands emit their substances directly
to the surface of the skin.

Producing oil: The sebaceous glands produce sebum or oil. Sebum inhibits bacterial growth on the skin and conditions
the hair and skin. If the follicle in which sebaceous glands are located becomes clogged with excess oil or dead skin cells,
a pimple develops. Sebum is carried through ducts to the surface of the skin or to hair follicles. Sebum acts to
waterproof and increase the elasticity of the skin. Sebum also lubricates and protects the cuticles of hairs as they pass
through the follicles to the exterior of the body.

Ceruminous glands are special exocrine glands found only in the dermis of the ear canals. Produce a waxy secretion
known as cerumen to protect the ear canals and lubricate the eardrum. Cerumen protects the ears by trapping foreign
material such as dust and airborne pathogens that enter the ear canal. Cerumen is made continuously and slowly pushes
older cerumen outward toward the exterior of the ear canal where it falls out of the ear or is manually removed.

Growing hair: Hair follicles are located in the dermis. Every follicle root is attached to tiny muscles, known as arrector
pili muscles, that contract when the body becomes cold or scared, causing goosebumps.

Feeling: The dermis is full of nerve endings that send signals to the brain about how things feel—whether something
hurts, itches, or feels good.

Distributing blood: Blood vessels are located in the dermis, which feeds the skin, removes toxins and supply the
epidermis with blood.

Protecting the rest of the body: The dermis contains phagocytes, which are cells that consume potentially harmful
toxins and impurities, including bacteria. The dermis already protects the body, but the phagocytes provide an
additional layer of protection from anything harmful that has penetrated the epidermis.

Giving the skin structure so it holds its shape: The dermal layer is responsible for the turgor of the skin, acting in a
similar way as does the foundation of a building.