The depth of nerves in the skin varies, but most nerve fibers do not extend superficially into the epidermis; they primarily reside in the dermis.
Here's a breakdown:
- Dermis: This is where the majority of nerve fibers are located.
- Papillary Layer: Smaller nerve fibers extend up through the dermis to the papillary layer, forming a papillary plexus. Sensory receptors are found in this layer (Standring, 2016).
- Epidermis: Sensory receptors like free nerve endings terminate here. However, most nerve fibers do not extend this far up (Standring, 2016).
In essence, while some nerve endings reach the epidermis to detect stimuli, the main concentration of nerve fibers is deeper within the dermis. The sensory information from those nerve endings goes back into the nervous system via nerves primarily located within the dermis.
