Which of the following is NOT a function of the skin?

• A. Protection
• B. Digestion
• C. Temperature regulation
• D. Excretion and secretion

Answer: (B)

Understanding what the skin does helps reveal why digestion isn’t a function of the skin. The skin serves as a protective barrier, helps regulate body temperature through sweating and changes in blood flow, and carries out excretion and secretion via sweat and sebaceous glands. Digestion, however, is the process of breaking down food using enzymes and mechanical action, which occurs in the mouth, stomach, and intestines as part of the digestive system. The skin does not contain digestive enzymes or perform peristalsis, so it does not digest food. Some substances can be absorbed through the skin, but that is absorption rather than digestion.