blood vessels (skin)
Last reviewed 01/2018
The blood supply to the skin resides in the dermis and has important roles in:
- supply of nutrients
- removal of waste products
- thermoregulation
There are two key layers to blood vessels within the dermis. The deep plexus sits above the hypodermis. It supplies:
- the superfical plexus
- the superficial hypodermis
- sweat glands
- hair papillae
The superfical plexus sits in the upper dermis, dispatching capillary arcades up into the dermal papillae.
The deep plexus is the point of control for thermoregulation via the action of the sympathetic nervous system on pre-capillary smooth muscle.