Hudkänslan

Hudkänslan, an informal Swedish term translating roughly to “the skin feeling,” refers to the sensory perception of the skin’s status, texture, and condition. It derives from the Swedish word “hud,” meaning skin, and the noun suffix “-känsla,” denoting feeling or sense. The concept is used in everyday conversation to describe one's tactile impression of the skin—smoothness, dryness, tightness, or ailments such as eczema and rashes.

From a physiological standpoint, hudkänslan is mediated by cutaneous mechanoreceptors that detect pressure, vibration, stretch, and texture. These receptors include Merkel discs for light pressure, Meissner corpuscles for fine touch, Ruffini endings for stretch, and Pacinian corpuscles for vibration. The signals are transmitted via unmyelinated C fibers and myelinated Aδ fibers to the dorsal column-medial lemniscal pathway in the spinal cord and onward to the sensory cortex. Affective components, such as pleasantness or discomfort, are processed in limbic system structures like the insula and anterior cingulate cortex.

In dermatology, assessment of hudkänslan informs diagnosis of conditions like xerosis (dry skin), pruritus (itchiness), or neuropathies that alter sensory fibres. Therapies—emollients, moisturizers, topical steroids, or neuromodulators—aim to restore normal tactile sensation and improve quality of life. In recreational contexts, especially among naturists and skin care enthusiasts, hudkänslan is prized when skin feels supple, radiant, and free of irritation.