The integumentary system is a very important part of life. It consists of the skin and its accessory organs – hair, nails, sebaceous or sebaceous glands and sweat or sweat glands. Your skin alone weighs over six pounds and covers over three thousand square inches. For me, the skin is considered customizable because you can modify it in different ways. Many people pierce the skin of the ears, face, navel and genitals. They also tattoo their skin with permanent ink. The five main functions of the integumentary system are protection, regulation, sensory reception, absorption and secretion. The primary function of the integumentary system is protection. The skin acts as a protective barrier against the internal structures of the body. To protect the internal organs, the skin prevents the penetration of anything that poses a threat to the body. For example, bacteria, viruses and pollutants are harmful substances that are not wanted in the body. Unfortunately, when the skin develops cuts and abrasions, the barrier is broken and bacteria, viruses and pollutants enter the body. Another form of protection is melanin, which protects the body from harmful ultraviolet rays produced by the sun. Finally, the skin produces vitamin D to help fight infections. The second function of the integumentary system is the regulation of body temperature. Depending on the body's needs, the skin will regulate the blood in order to reach its appropriate temperature. For example, when the body needs to cool down, the blood vessels in the skin dilate. This allows more blood to reach the skin's surface and more heat to leave the body. On the other hand, when the body needs to warm up......middle of the paper...tissues. Many boils are called carbuncles. Staphylococcus aureus is the microbe responsible for the disease process and lives harmlessly on the skin. However, when there is an opening in the skin, microbes seep in and a painful boil begins to develop. Symptoms include painful red and sometimes purple bumps with the surrounding area in a very tender condition. The center of the boil, or furuncle, eventually turns white or yellow due to the growth of pus. Size ranges from the size of a pea to the size of a golf ball. Typically, treatment for boils involves cutting them open and draining them. You are immediately put on antibiotics afterward. Patients are taught not to squeeze or burst boils due to the risk of spreading infection. The only real prevention is to wash your hands regularly with warm water and soap..