Integumentary System

• Integumentary system


  Your body's outer layer, consisting of skin, hair, nails and glands
• Integumentary system


  • Acts as a physical barrier, protecting your body from bacteria, infection, injury and sunlight
  • Helps regulate your body temperature
  • Allows you to feel skin sensations like hot and cold
• Main structures of the integumentary system

  • Skin
  • Nails
  • Hair
  • Glands
• Skin


  The largest and heaviest organ in your body, weighing about six pounds or more and approximately 2 millimeters thick
• Layers of the skin

  • Epidermis
  • Dermis
  • Hypodermis
• Nails


  Protect the ends of your fingers and toes
• Anatomy of the nail

  • Nail plate
  • Nail bed
  • Cuticle
  • Matrix
  • Lunula
• Hair


  Made of a protein called keratin, with three main parts: shaft, follicle and bulb
• Goosebumps are caused by hair erector muscles connected to hair follicles and skin contracting
• Glands in the integumentary system

  • Sudoriferous glands (sweat glands)
  • Sebaceous glands (oil glands)
  • Ceruminous glands (ear wax glands)
  • Mammary glands
• Functions of the integumentary system

  • Provides physical protection against bacteria and germs
  • Absorbs and helps heal abrasions, cuts and other injuries
  • Cushions and protects your body from infection
  • Protects you from the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays and sunburn
  • Excretes sebum, sweat and other waste from your body
  • Regulates your body temperature and allows you to stay cool
  • Helps you feel heat, cold and detect other sensations
  • Synthesizes vitamin D
• Common conditions/disorders of the integumentary system

  • Skin disorders (allergies, blisters, skin cancer, infections, rashes, etc.)
  • Hair disorders (hair loss, dandruff, head lice, etc.)
  • Nail disorders (fungus, separation from nail bed, etc.)
  • Gland disorders (excessive sweating, dermatitis, etc.)