The term DERMA is related to the skin and can be broken down into two parts: DERMIS (6 letters) and DERM (4 letters). DERMIS is the layer of skin beneath the epidermis, which is the outermost layer. It contains blood vessels, nerve endings, sweat glands, and hair follicles. DERM is a shortened form of dermatology, which is the branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the skin, hair, nails, and mucous membranes.