▁the ▁other ▁m amm als ▁skin , ▁and ▁it ▁is ▁very ▁similar ▁to ▁p ig ▁skin . ▁Though ▁nearly ▁all ▁human ▁skin ▁is ▁covered ▁with ▁hair ▁fol lic les , ▁it ▁can ▁appear ▁hair less . ▁There ▁are ▁two ▁general ▁types ▁of ▁skin , ▁hair y ▁and ▁gl ab r ous ▁skin ▁( h air less ). ▁The ▁ad jective ▁cut aneous ▁literally ▁means ▁" of ▁the ▁skin " ▁( from ▁Latin ▁cut is , ▁skin ). ▁ ▁Because ▁it ▁interfaces ▁with ▁the ▁environment , ▁skin ▁plays ▁an ▁important ▁imm unity ▁role ▁in ▁protect ing ▁the ▁body ▁against ▁path og ens ▁and ▁excess ive ▁water ▁loss . ▁Its ▁other ▁functions ▁are ▁ins ulation , ▁temperature ▁reg ulation , ▁sens ation , ▁synth esis ▁of ▁vit amin ▁D , ▁and ▁the ▁protection ▁of ▁vit amin ▁B ▁fol ates . ▁Sever ely ▁dam aged ▁skin ▁will ▁try ▁to ▁he al ▁by ▁forming ▁scar ▁t issue . ▁This ▁is ▁often ▁dis color ed ▁and ▁dep ig ment ed . ▁ ▁In ▁humans , ▁skin ▁p ig ment ation ▁var ies ▁among ▁populations , ▁and ▁skin ▁type ▁can ▁range ▁from ▁dry ▁to ▁non - d ry ▁and ▁from ▁o ily ▁to ▁non - o ily . ▁Such ▁skin ▁variety ▁provides ▁a ▁rich ▁and ▁diverse ▁habitat ▁for ▁b acter ia ▁that ▁number ▁roughly ▁ 1 0 0 0 ▁species ▁from ▁ 1 9 ▁ph y la , ▁present ▁on ▁the ▁human ▁skin . ▁ ▁Str ucture ▁Human ▁skin ▁shares ▁an atom ical , ▁phys i ological , ▁bio