Your skin performs a number of important functions that help keep the rest of your body in check. These include:

• Protection
• Temperature control
• Sensation
• Vitamin D production

Protection

Your skin is your body's first line of defence against external threats, such as sunlight, cold weather, dirt, dust and viruses. It provides your body with a robust barrier of protection from injury and infection.

Temperature control

The blood vessels, hairs and sweat glands in your skin play a vital role in managing your body temperature.

When you are hot and need to cool down, the blood vessels in your skin expand and allow heat to escape. You also start sweating and your hairs lie flat to allow the escaping heat to pass out of the body.

When you are cold and need to retain heat, the opposite happens. Your blood vessels tighten, you produce far less sweat and your hairs stand on end in an attempt to trap warm air around your body.

Sensation

Your skin is home to numerous nerve endings and receptors that sense changes and allow you to feel objects, sense pain and pressure and differentiate hot from cold.

Vitamin D production

When you expose your skin to the sun it produces vitamin D. Your body needs vitamin D to keep your bones and muscles strong and healthy.