When people are asked to name five bodily organs, skin is rarely on the list. Why would this be when it's actually the largest organ and the one most visible? For some reason, it's often not even thought about as an organ at all. This may be because its function is seen to be less exciting and dynamic than that of many of the other ‘show-off’ organs. After all, it's just a cover, isn't it? A simple protective layer designed to stop the more interesting, exciting stuff falling out?

Thankfully for cosmetic scientists, dermatologists and an increasing number of other scientific disciplines, this isn't true. Skin is much more complicated than first meets the eye and deserves a far higher billing on the all-time favourite organs list. Skin is, quite simply, remarkable!