Skin as a barrier.

[Sylvester]

Hey guys, what type of barrier do you suppose human skin is?

Is it very good, somewhat good or not good at all?

Does the location of skin matter? For example, are the feet better than the upper torso? Walking with uncovered feet, wearing a shirt with dye etc.

Does this even matter?

 

[MacGyver1968]

Guess it depends what the skin is providing a barrier against. Warm rain? It's pretty good. .50 Cal machine gun rounds? Not so much.

 

[Sylvester]

I mean against things like dirt. For example, digging in dirt with your hands and walking bare foot. Is the skin on your hands\fingertip and feet different than the skin on your back?

 

[Read-Only]

I mean against things like dirt. For example, digging in dirt with your hands and walking bare foot. Is the skin on your hands\fingertip and feet different than the skin on your back?

It's pretty much the same though there are some small differences in thickness and toughness - for example, your eyelids and the soles of your feet, particularly the heels.

 

[exchemist]

I mean against things like dirt. For example, digging in dirt with your hands and walking bare foot. Is the skin on your hands\fingertip and feet different than the skin on your back?

As I understand it the main difference between palms/soles of the hands/feet and other skin is the means of attachment to the underlying flesh. Skin in these areas is firmly fixed to allow traction, whereas all other skin is more loosely connected and slides over the tissue beneath, to some degree.

 

[Sylvester]

Thanks again. A lot of good, interesting information, good analogies too.

 

[Sylvester]

Immersing your hands in water makes the skin shrivel up. Isn't that strange? Why would this happen? And mostly on the hands, or maybe even ONLY on the hands, especially the fingertips. Does not seem to happen to other parts of the body.