Systems of the Body

The integumentary system preserves homeostasis in the body by regulating temperature and water loss on a hot day. The body temperature is kept stable by the production of sweat, which cools the body as it evaporates on the skin's surface. The sweat glands can release between one and two liters of water per hour (The Integumentary System). In hot weather, up to four liters of water can be lost per hour by a combination of sweating and evaporation. Exocrine sweat glands are controlled by the sympathetic nervous system, and occur all over the body. They open to the skin surface through the pores. Apocrine sweat glands are larger, and occur in the armpits and groin areas. They produce a solution that bacteria act upon to produce body odor. Blood vessels in the skin dilate to allow heat loss from the body and help it stay at normal temperature. Sweat gland function and vasodilation/vasoconstriction are controlled by the hypothalamus. It responds to heat and cold receptors located in the skin.

First-degree burns affect only the outer layer of the skin, the epidermal layer (Berkow, Beers and Fletcher, 1997, 1336-1338; First-Degree, 2003). The burn site is dry and red, and the burn is painful, but there is no blistering of the skin. The skin at the burn site will be painful to touch, and the pain may last for 48 to 72 hours. The skin may peel a few days later, and the epidermal layer regrows to cover the layers below. A new layer of epidermis will grow quickly from

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ysical condition. If the burn covers less than 10 percent of the body's surface, it can be treated on an outpatient basis. Treatment involves the use of antibiotic creams to prevent infection, dressing changes once or twice a day, daily wound cleaning to remove dead skin and old ointment, and systemic antibiotics in some cases. Since these types of burns are painful, analgesics may be needed during dressing changes. Third-degree burns are full thickness burns (Berkow, Beers and Fletcher, 1997, 1336-1338; Third-degree, 2003)). These types of burns destroy the entire epidermal and dermal layers of the skin. The skin of the burn has a dry, leathery appearance, and may be black, white, brown or yellow. There will be swelling in the area of the burn, but there may be no pain because the nerve endings of pain receptors have been destroyed. Large third-degree burns heal poorly and slowly without medical attention. Because third-degree burns destroy the epidermis and hair follicles, new skin will not grow to replace that which was burned. Again, the treatment will depend on the extent, location, and cause of the burn, the patient's age, and their medical conditions (Berkow, Beers and Fletcher, 1997, 1336-1338; Third-Degree, 20

Category: Medical - S