Skin neurons are specialized to respond to mechanical forces, temperature changes, and certain chemicals.

“So we have these cells that have wires they go off in two different directions and the wire that's within our skin will respond to any number of different categories of stimuli. These wires are positioned within the skin to respond to mechanical forces. So maybe light touch, some will only send electrical activity up toward the brain in response to light touch. Meaning if you press on the skin really hard, they don't respond. You stroke the skin lightly with your fingertips or a feather and they respond very robustly. Others respond to course pressure, the hard pressure, but they won't respond to a light feather, for instance. Others respond to temperature. So they will respond to the presence of heat or the presence of cold or changes in heat and cold. And still others respond to other types of stimuli, like certain chemicals on our skin.”