There are many human anatomical and physiologic features that are subject to misconceptions and, to put it kindly, folklore (and quackery). Skin surely is at the top of this list.
Skin is an organ system (integumentary), not a "bag". It participates in all general bodily functions and has some special ones as well, including being the primary locus for the reception of the sensations we call touch (of which there are several, by the way). As such it is our major interface with the world.
In addition to the myriad of primary skin diseases (cancer, psoriasis, and various infections being just a few), many (if not most) systemic diseases involve or affect the skin. Diabetes kills nerves, renal failure suppresses healing, cancer and its treatment make it more vulnerable to infection, autoimmune diseases lead to almost countless lesion types--and on and on.
Then there is the cosmetic aspects of skin--color, wrinkles, scars, "blemishes".
The money spent by people in developed nations on this aspect of their skin would probably exceed the GDP of some developing nations.
For the clinician skin can be a window on the patient's health--if he/she knows how to see through it!
Skin--so much more than a sack to keep your organs from getting out!
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