Wound Care

328 Nurse to Nurse
Melanocytes transfer pigment to growing hair.
Hair follicles orient at an angle to the surface of the skin
and elevate when the arrector pili muscles contract.
Each hair follicle has a sebaceous gland that secretes
sebum in response to hormones.
º Sebum is an oily substance that moisturizes the skin
and has some immunological properties as well.
— Sweat glands: two types:
1. Eccrine: tubular structure that secretes water and
electrolytes in response to body temperature
elevations.
º Each eccrine gland has a duct that opens onto the
skin surface.
2. Apocrine: small in number compared to eccrine
glands.
º Limited distribution, larger, deeper in the dermis
than eccrine glands.
º Primarily in axillae and anogenital regions.
º Empty into a hair follicle close to skin surface and
secretions are mixed with sebum.
• Subcutaneous
• Known as subcutis or hypodermis.
• Thickness varies; dependent on over/under nourishment.
• Contains:
— Loose connective tissue
— Adipose tissue
— Peripheral vascular elements
• Stores about 50% of body’s fat: for thermal insulation and a
calorie storage depot.
• Principle cells:
— Fibroblasts
— Fat cells
— Macrophages