Epidermis

The superficial layer of the skin, whose surface is made up of dead skin cells that slough off. The epidermis consists of five layers of cells; blood does not circulate through it. Its cells are nourished by diffusion from the dermis. The epidermis does however contain many nerve endings. Its thickness of about one millimeter varies depending on the part of the body: it is thickest in the area of the palms of the hands and the bottoms of the feet.