The skin and brain are anatomically and functionally connected in a bi-directional manner (the skin-brain axis and brain-skin axis) as they arise from a common embryonic origin, the ectoderm.Somatosensory inputs from the skin are transmitted to the postcentral gyrus, where the entire surface of the body is represented by the sensory homunculus.These inputs are associated with emotional, behavioural, neurovegetative, endocrine and immune reactions.Cutaneous inputs may even profoundly influence neural development.