ABSTRACT
Human skin, a dynamic multilayered organ comprising approximately 10% of the normal adult body, has numerous functions essential for terrestrial life, including thermoregulation, sensory perception, nutrient storage, vitamin synthesis, and barrier protection [226,227,270,301]. Resiliency and tensile strength protect against physical injury, pigmentation protects against ultraviolet light, barrier properties protect against the entry of environmental chemicals into the body, and the growth pattern and surface characteristics protect against microbial colonization and invasion. The regenerative capacity following wounding and the numerous processes by which skin can deal with environmental insults provide strong evidence of the importance of healthy skin to the organism. The psychological value of healthy skin has led in part to the development of multibillion-dollar cosmetics and personal care industries.
