Skin Endocrine Function - Anatomy & Physiology

Overview

Hormones have a large effect on the skin, details of which can be found at endocrine and nutritional influences on the skin. As a result, endocrine associated skin pathology is relatively common.

Vitamin D

The skin is a producer of vitamin D, the precursor of the hormone, calcitriol. Ultraviolet light at a wavelength of 300nm is required to convert 7-dehydrocholesterol to Vitamin D. Whilst this is a key source of the vitamin in humans, as many animal species have hair covered skin, Vitamin D from this region is usually minimal, with dietary sources being much more important. Vitamin D is then hydroxylated into it's active form, calcitriol in the kidney.