Geo-thermal power plant in the Svartsengi (Black Field) Area, the Blue lagoon is popular with bathers and good for skin complaints, Svartsengi, Iceland, Polar Regions

Portrait of Eskimo man wearing caribou skin, Spence Bay, Boothia Peninsula, Northwest Territories, Canada, North America

Close-up of a man's back with limes on hooks in his skin, and a small statue of Ganesh above his head, festival of Thaipusam in Singapore, Southeast Asia, Asia

Hamer girls standing in front of house, wearing traditional goat skin dress decorated with cowie shells, Dombo village, Turmi, Lower Omo valley, Ethiopia, Africa

Young Hamer girl carries her baby sister on her back in a goat skin baby carrier, Dombo village, Turmi, Lower Omo valley, Ethiopia, Africa

Hamer lady wearing traditional goat skin dress decorated with cowie shells, carrying kalash on her way to market, Dombo village, Turmi, Lower Omo valley, Ethiopia, Africa

Hamer lady wearing traditional goat skin dress decorated with cowie shells, Dombo village, Turmi, Lower Omo valley, Ethiopia, Africa

Close up of pilgrim in trance, a kavadi (carrier) has a needle through his tongue and is carrying the vel kavadi attached by spikes that pierce his skin, during Hindu Thaipusam Festival, carrying it from Sri Subramaniyar Swami Temple up to Batu Caves, Selangor, Malaysia, Southeast Asia, Asia

Pilgrims during the Hindu Thaipusam Festival at Sri Subramaniyar Swami Temple, the seated kavadi (carrier) is in a trance with a needle through his tongue, and carrying a vel kavadi, decorated with peacock feathers, attached by spikes that pierce his skin, Selangor, Malaysia, Southeast Asia, Asia

Maasai lady working on animal skin, Kenya, East Africa, Africa

Damong maria (Tagalog), Artemisia vulgaris Linn (Maidenwort) (Chinese honeysuckle) (Mugwort), used for deworming, abdominal colic, asthma, dyspepsia, herpes, as a poultice for headaches and skin diseases, and an appetite stimulant

Applying pearl dust for skin

Hereditary Buryat shaman, Valentin Khagdaev with skin covered drum at Olkhon Island celebrating the spirit of Baikal on the ice, Lake Baikal, Irkutsk Oblast, Siberia, Russia, Eurasia

Buryat shaman Valentin Khagdaev Olkhon Island, with skin drum preparing for ceremony to celebrate the spirit of Baikal, Lake Baikal, Irkutsk Oblast, Siberia, Russia, Eurasia

Hereditary Buryat shaman, Valentin Khagdaev with skin covered drum at Olkhon Island celebrating the spirit of Baikal on the ice, Lake Baikal, Irkutsk Oblast, Siberia, Russia, Eurasia

Stallholder with coriander seeds and dried mango skins on sale at Khari Baoli spice and dried foods market, Old Delhi, India

Dried mango skins on sale at Khari Baoli spice and dried foods market, Old Delhi, India

Red chillies and dried mango skins on sale at Khari Baoli spice and dried foods market, Old Delhi, India

Native American Indian, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America

Grey squirrel eats banana skin from rubbish bin in Hampstead Heath, London, United Kingdom

Turkey, Gascony, France. Free-range birds may be at risk if Avian Flu (Bird Flu Virus) spreads

Drought in Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta). A white Land Rover 4-wheel drive vehicle drives past a dried out carcass.

Land iguana camouflaged among cactus plants, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Land iguana camouflaged among cactus plants and feeding on leaf, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Land iguana , Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Land iguana , Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Land iguana camouflaged among cactus plants, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Young Himba woman inside a traditional mud dwelling hut wearing traditional dress and jewellery and with her skin covered in Otjize, a mixture of butterfat and ochre, Kunene Region, formerly Kaokoland, Namibia, Africa

Young Himba woman wearing traditional dress and jewellery and with her skin covered in Otjize, a mixture of butterfat and ochre, Kunene Region, formerly Kaokoland, Namibia, Africa

Young Himba woman, with baby, wearing traditional dress and jewellery and with her skin covered in Otjize, a mixture of butterfat and ochre, Kunene Region, formerly Kaokoland, Namibia, Africa

Young Himba woman wearing traditional dress and jewellery and with her skin covered in Otjize, a mixture of butterfat and ochre, Kunene Region, formerly Kaokoland, Namibia, Africa

Himba woman wearing traditional leather clothing and jewellery, hair brading and skin covered in Otjize, a mixture of butterfat and ochre, Kunene Region (formerly Kaokoland) in the far north of Namibia, Africa

Young Himba woman, with baby, wearing traditional dress and jewellery and with her skin covered in Otjize, a mixture of butterfat and ochre, Kunene Region, formerly Kaokoland, Namibia, Africa

Young Himba woman wearing traditional dress and jewellery and with her skin covered in Otjize, a mixture of butterfat and ochre, Kunene Region, formerly Kaokoland, Namibia, Africa

Inuit or Inughuit subsistence hunter in traditional clothing for winter and spring of seal skin boots (Kamiks), polar bear fur trousers, seal skin mitts and parka, Greenland, Denmark, Polar Regions

Rose and rainbow tattoo on thigh

Frogs legs and snake skin at Donghuamen Yeshi night market, Beijing, China, Asia

Inuit or Inughuit subsistence hunter with traditional clothing for winter and spring of seal skin boots (Kamiks), polar bear fur trousers, seal skin mitts and parka, Greenland, Denmark, Polar Regions

Reindeer skins and dog teams at Lorino Eskimo village, Chukchi Peinsula, Russian Far East, Russia, Asia

Native children wearing seal skin clothing, Museum in Nanortalik Port, Island of Qoornoq, Province of Kitaa, Southern Greenland, Kingdom of Denmark, Polar Regions

Dried mango skins on sale at Khari Baoli spice and dried foods market, Old Delhi, India

The Tannery, Fez, Morocco, North Africa, Africa

Red chillies, cardamom, coriander and dried mango skins on sale at Khari Baoli spice and dried foods market, Old Delhi, India

Native man wearing seal skin clothing, Museum in Nanortalik Port, Island of Qoornoq, Province of Kitaa, Southern Greenland, Kingdom of Denmark, Polar Regions

The hot blue waters and mineral deposits of the Blue Lagoon ipopular with bathers and good for skin complaints, Svartsengi, Iceland, Polar Regions

Tui Na massage treatment, a traditional Chinese acupressure massage

Vats for tanning and dyeing animal hides and skins, Chouwara traditional leather tannery in Old Fez, Fez, Morocco, North Africa, Africa

Tanneries, Fez, Morocco, North Africa, Africa

Locals tanning cattle skins, Central market, Niamey, Niger, West Africa, Africa

A couple sitting under a beach shade and using skin protection at Wilsons Promontory, Victoria, Australia, Pacific

Vetiver (Chrysopogon zizanioides ), native to India an anti inflammatory, antiseptic, and aphrodisiac, also used for rheumatism, arthritis, gout, muscular aches, dry and cracked skin

Pearl dust for skin

King penguins, St. Andrews Bay, South Georgia, South Atlantic

Common Frog (Rana temporaria) small froglet sitting on human finger, Oxfordshire, UK

Yaruba with tatoo knifed on cheek, nigeria, afric

Morocco, Historical City Of Fes, In Winter Near The Tanners Souk (Market) Man Putting Tanned Red Skins To Dry On The Ramparts

Nepal. Sonam & boom praying at charnel grounds. Humla. Vajrayana is tantric mahasiddha, lives fearlessly in terrifying places like remote jungles charnel grounds. nyingma lamas perform ritual at cremation grounds. lama rattles damaru, a small ritual drum to have origins in - shamanism. damaru, used as a tantric device to summon gods ward evil spirits, once made from human skull bones dried human skin as a reminder of impermanence of body. other lama, boom blows a kangling, a human thigh-bone horn. kangling is used in exorcism is capable of gods demons. Traditionally, best bones a kangling come from brahmans, particularly sixteen-year- brahman girls-or from tigers

Chatral senge dorje rinpoche seated on a tiger skin, yonglesho, Nepal

Nepal. Ritual, sonam/boom. Lobsangs cremation. Humla. traveler reached of journey! In freedom of infinite he is free from sorrow, fetters that bound thrown away, burning fever of life is no more,oesays dharmapada. Lobsang having spent whole life preparing moment of death, finds liberation on february 14, 1986. Extensive ritual follows cremation-traditionally a forty nine period, sonam lama rattles damaru. A small ritual drum to have origin in - shamanism. damaru, used as a tantric device to summon gods ward evil spirits, once made from human skull bone dreid human skin as a reminder of impermanence of body. Boom lama blows a kangling, a human thigh-bone horn. kangling is used in exorcism is capable of gods demons. Traditionally, best bones a kangling come from brahmans, particularly sixteen-year- brahman girls-or from tigers. On makeshift altar rest chhome, votive lamps filled with butter, cups of water, grains, tormas, holy food made of barley meal decorated with medallions of butter offered to gods. Alone, boom lama continues prayers of deceased

Grey whale (eschrichtius robustus) san ignacio, baja california, mexico, close-up of barnacles and lice on whales skin

Eyl is a town in somalias puntland state. The prominent clan in eyl district are yonis idiris, a sub-clan of isse mahamud, which in turn is a sub-clan of majeerteen. Eyl is near the hafun peninsula, the location of most of somalias casualties from the 2004 indian ocean tsunami., the tsunami resulted in the death of some 300 people and extensive destruction of shelters, houses and water sources as well as fishing gear. The livelihoods of many people residing in towns and small villages along the somali indian ocean coastline, particularly in the northern regions, were devastated, /shark fishing is main source of income for many of the somalis fishermen. sharks skin drying in eyl

Spurge Hawkmoth (Hyles euphorbiae) larva shedding its skin

These reindeer peoples' entire existence is based around their herds of reindeer, which provide milk, skins for clothes, horn for carving and medicine, transport and occasionally, meat. the tsaatan are part of the tuvan ethnic group, which inhabits the tuvan republic of russia. there are only about 200 tsaatan in total, spread over 100,000 sq km of northern mongolia. they are nomadic, often moving their small encampments every three to four weeks, searching for special types of grass and moss loved by the reindeer. the tsaatan are strong practitioners of shamanism. west taiga, northern mongolia

Lobster moth (stauropus fagi) second instar larva, just emerged from old larval skin, ant mimic, oxfordshire, uk

Vats for dyeing animal skins, Tanneries, Fez, Morocco, North Africa, Africa

A sagebrush lizard, Sceloporus graciosu basking on a granite rock in Yosemite, California, USA.

Antarctic Fur Seals (Arctocephalus gazella) in Right Whale Bay, South Georgia Island

African elephant. Loxodonta africana. Close-up showing skin detail. Botswana

Elephant seal (Mirounga leonina), Right Whale Bay

Burning hide, nepa

Morocco, Historical City Of Fes, Elevated View Over The Tanners Souk (Market) Where Skins Are Treated

Thailand burmese refugee boy mae sot

Tibetan nomads from central tibet profitting from selling yartsa gunbu, covetted aphrodiasic propoerties sold to chinese vendors in lhasa

Researcher takes samples of bull shark skin, Beqa Lagoon, Viti Levu, Fiji, South Pacific, Pacific

Researcher takes samples of bull shark skin, Beqa Lagoon, Viti Levu, Fiji, South Pacific, Pacific

Unusual scratches and impermanent patches on the skin of a Minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) known as Otter who was first identified in the St. Lawrence estuary, Canada, in 1996.

A wolf pelt in the tannery in Shishmaref, a tiny island between Alaska and Siberia in the Chukchi sea, United States of America, North America

Grazi Lisciotto and friend who were horribly burned in house fires and who now work for the Peter Hughes Burn Foundation iproviding counselling and support for the victims of bush fires, Australia, Pacific

Grazi Lisciotto who was horribly burned in a house fire and who now work for the Peter Hughes Burn Foundation providing counselling and support for the victims of bush fires, Australia, Pacific

A Slow worm, a legless lizard

Midge bites on a man

Electrocution burn banding to wing of male black flying-fox (Pteropus alecto) on a power line fatality, Hopkins Creek, New South Wales, Australia, Pacific

A Lace Monitor Lizard (Varanus varius) in Australia.

Traditional seal skin slippers in the tannery in Shishmaref, a tiny island between Alaska and Siberia in the Chukchi sea, United States of America, North America

Sea cucumber (Bohadschia argus) skin detail, Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia, Caroline Islands, Micronesia, Pacific Ocean, Pacific

Cushion star (Culcita novaguineae) skin texture, Ailuk atoll, Marshall Islands, Pacific

Blue sea star (Linckia laevigata) skin detail, Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia, Caroline Islands, Micronesia, Pacific Ocean, Pacific

Newborn southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) on the beach at President Head on Snow Island in the South Shetland Island Group, Antarctica

California Gray Whale (Eschrichtius robustus) in San Ignacio Lagoon on the Pacific side of the Baja Peninsula, Baja California Sur, Mexico

California Gray Whale (Eschrichtius robustus) in San Ignacio Lagoon on the Pacific side of the Baja Peninsula, Baja California Sur, Mexico

Adult California Gray Whale (Eschrichtius robustus) surfacing (note the barnacles and whale lice - Cyamus scammoni - on the skin) in San Ignacio Lagoon, Baja, Mexico.

California Gray Whale (Eschrichtius robustus) in San Ignacio Lagoon on the Pacific side of the Baja Peninsula, Baja California Sur, Mexico

The endemic marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) in the Galapagos Island Group, Ecuador

Close up view of the skin of an adult California Gray Whale (Eschrichtius robustus) in San Ignacio Lagoon showing the barnacles and whale lice, Baja Peninsula, Baja California Sur, Mexico

(Nembrotha spp.), detail of nudibranch with dark blue/green skin and brilliant blue markings, Mabul, Borneo, Malaysia, South China Sea

California Gray Whale (Eschrichtius robustus) in San Ignacio Lagoon on the Pacific side of the Baja Peninsula, Baja California Sur, Mexico

National Geographic Photographer Ralph Lee Hopkins with a walrus skull (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus) on the tundra off Freemansundet, Svalbard Archipelago, Barents Sea, Norway

Southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) on the beach at President Head on Snow Island in the South Shetland Island Group, Antarctica

Close-up details (note skin chromatophores and suckers on arm) from a dissection of a Humbolt Squid (Dosidicus gigas) in the Gulf of California (Sea of Cortez), Mexico.

Newborn southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) on the beach at President Head on Snow Island in the South Shetland Island Group, Antarctica