The skin contains a variety of minerals, categorized as macroelements, oligo elements, and trace elements.
Mineral Composition of Skin
The skin contains various minerals, playing crucial roles in its physiological functions. These minerals can be broadly classified into macroelements, oligo elements, and trace elements, based on their concentration in the body. The content below are based on this study.
Macroelements (<5% of Whole Body Weight)
These are minerals present in relatively larger quantities:
- Sodium (Na)
- Potassium (K)
- Magnesium (Mg)
- Calcium (Ca)
- Phosphorus (P)
- Sulfur (S)
- Chlorine (Cl)
Oligoelements (<0.1% of Whole Body Weight)
These minerals are present in smaller, but still significant, amounts:
- Copper (Cu)
- Zinc (Zn)
- Selenium (Se)
- Manganese (Mn)
- Iron (Fe)
- Molybdenum (Mo)
- Cobalt (Co)
Oligoelements (<0.01% of Whole Body Weight)
These minerals are present in trace amounts:
- Fluorine (F)
- Iodine (I)
- Tin (Sn)
Trace Elements on the Skin Surface
In addition to the minerals within the skin, several trace elements can be found on the skin's surface. These include:
- Arsenic (As)
- Boron (B)
- Chromium (Cr)
- Nickel (Ni)
- Stronium (St)
- Vanadium (V)
- Aluminum (Al)
- Zirconium (Zr)
- Silver (Ag)
- Gold (Au)
- Mercury (Hg)
- Silicon (Si) - often in the form of silicates
