The underarms have been removed from the general body discussion as they represent a unique body area medically known as an intertrigenous site. Intertrigenous sites are body areas where two skin surfaces meet. They include the armpit, beneath the female breasts, and between the upper inner thighs. In persons who are obese, other intertrigenous sites […]

The body encompasses all the rest of the skin not previously discussed, except for the skin fold areas. Most notable body areas for discussion are the back, chest, arms, and legs. The skin on the body does not heal as well as the face and neck. The further the skin is away from the face, […]

The neck is an interesting area of highly mobile skin that provides a transition between the thin skin of the neck and the thicker skin of the upper chest and back. It contains fully mature hairs in the male and thin vellus hairs in the female. It is an important area from a cosmetic standpoint […]

The scalp/hair interface is very similar to the nail/cuticle interface in many respects. Here the nonliving hair abuts the living scalp, just like the nonliving nail abuts the living cuticle. The skin needs of the scalp are complex due to the presence of abundant sweat, sebum, and nerves all complicated by the presence of numerous […]

No discussion of the hands and feet would be complete without consideration of the nails and cuticles. Even though the nails are made of nonliving keratin, they are the source of considerable cosmetic attention. Manicures, pedicures, artificial nails, nail polish application, etc. are all popular activities. Certainly, the nails add glamour and enhance the appearance […]

The hands and the feet have much in common. They both have a different type of epithelium on the dorsal and plantar surface, they both have hair on the dorsal surface and none on the plantar surface, and they both have few sebaceous glands and numerous sweat glands on the plantar surface. However, there are […]

The hands are one of the most expressive parts of the body, providing the structures needed to write, draw, paint, dance, and express affection. It is frequently said that much can be said about people from their handshake, which is an assessment of the skin, muscle, and bone that form the hand. The hand can […]

The lips present many of the same challenges as discussed previously for the eyes. They both represent transitional skin between traditional keratinized dry skin and moist mucosal skin and they both are portals of entry for foreign invaders, such as bacteria and viruses, and other substances entering the body, such as medications. However, the lips […]

From the face, we will now move to a discussion of the eyelids. The eyelid skin is some of the most interesting on the body. It moves constantly as the eyes open and close; thus, it must possess unique mechanical properties. It must be thin enough for rapid movement, yet strong enough to protect the […]