Which skin layer contains nerves, blood vessels, and glands such as sebaceous glands?

• A. Epidermis
• B. Dermis
• C. Subcutaneous tissue
• D. Stratum Corneum

Answer: (B)

The layer that contains nerves, blood vessels, and glands such as sebaceous glands is the dermis.

The epidermis, its outermost part, has no blood vessels and contains mainly keratinocytes; it relies on the underlying dermis for nourishment. The very outermost stratum corneum is part of that epidermal layer. The subcutaneous tissue sits beneath the dermis and is rich in fat and larger vessels, but it doesn’t house the sebaceous glands. The dermis, however, is where the skin’s vascular and nerve networks reside, and it also houses sweat glands and sebaceous glands, often associated with hair follicles. This is why sebaceous glands—responsible for producing sebum—are located in the dermal layer.