Final answer:
The epidermis is the outermost layer of skin, lacking blood vessels, and creates a barrier against environmental hazards. It undergoes continual cell renewal, with cells moving outward, becoming keratinized, and forming the protective surface layer.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct statement about the epidermis is that it is the outermost layer of skin. As the outer layer, it is composed primarily of epithelial cells and is responsible for creating a defensive barrier against environmental hazards such as water and pathogens. The epidermis is notable for its lack of blood vessels and nerve endings, and for the process where its innermost cells continuously divide, eventually dying and forming the stratum corneum at the surface. The dermis, which lies beneath the epidermis, is blood-supplied and houses various structures like sweat glands and hair follicles, whereas the subcutaneous tissue or hypodermis, is a fatty layer below the dermis.