The Effects of Incontinence Pad Application on Loaded Skin With Reference to Biophysical and Biochemical Parameters: An Exploratory Cohort Study Using a Repeated-Measures Design.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate temporal changes in skin responses following exposure to moisture alone or moisture in combination with mechanical loading.

Design: Comparison cohort with a repeated-measures design.

Subjects And Settings: The sample comprised 12 healthy volunteers.

Spatial and temporal changes in biophysical skin parameters over a category I pressure ulcer.

In acute care facilities, the detection of pressure ulcers (PUs) relies on visual and manual examination of the patient's skin, which has been reported to be inconsistent and may lead to misdiagnosis. In skin and wound research, various biophysical parameters have been extensively employed to monitor changes in skin health. Nonetheless, the transition of these measures into care settings as part of a routine clinical assessment has been limited.

Inflammatory biomarkers in sebum for identifying skin damage in patients with a Stage I pressure ulcer in the pelvic region: A single centre observational, longitudinal cohort study with elderly patients.

Pressure Ulcers (PU) are a major burden for affected patients and healthcare providers. Current detection methods involve visual assessments of the skin by healthcare professionals. This has been shown to be subjective and unreliable, with challenges associated with identifying erythema in darker colour skin.

Characterisation of superficial corneocytes in skin areas of the face exposed to prolonged usage of respirators by healthcare professionals during COVID-19 pandemic.

Introduction: During the COVID-19 pandemic healthcare workers (HCWs) have used respiratory protective equipment for prolonged periods, which has been associated with detrimental effects on the underlying skin. The present study aims to evaluate changes in the main cells (corneocytes) of the stratum corneum (SC) following prolonged and consecutive use of respirators.

Methods: 17 HCWs who wore respirators daily during routine hospital practice were recruited to a longitudinal cohort study.

Development of an Efficient Extraction Methodology to Analyse Potential Inflammatory Biomarkers from Sebum.

Introduction: Proteins, such as cytokines and chemokines, are present in varying concentrations in a range of biofluids, with an important signalling role in maintaining homeostasis. Commercial tapes have been employed to non-invasively collect these potential biomarkers in sebum from the skin surface to examine their concentrations in conditions including acne, atopic dermatitis, and pressure ulcers. However, the identification of robust biomarker candidates is limited by the low abundance of specific proteins extracted by current methodologies.

Biophysical and biochemical changes in skin health of healthcare professionals using respirators during COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: Personal protective equipment, including respirator devices, has been used to protect healthcare workers (HCWs) during the COVID-19 pandemic. These are fitted to skin sites on the face to prevent airborne transmission but have resulted in reports of discomfort and adverse skin reactions from their continued usage. The present study addresses the objective changes in both the structural integrity and biological response of the skin following prolonged and consecutive use of respirators.

Multiscale modeling of skin mechanical Behavior: Effect of dehydrating agent on Collagen's mechanical properties.

The dermis, second layer of human skin, is mainly responsible for mechanical response of the skin. The unique viscoelastic nature of this layer arises from the characteristic hierarchical structure of collagen at various length scales. The effect of topical formulation on skin's mechanical properties of great importance for several personal-care applications.

The identification of biophysical parameters which reflect skin status following mechanical and chemical insults.

Background: Skin is constantly exposed to mechanical and chemical insults, in the form of prolonged loading, overhydration or exposure to irritants. An array of non-invasive biophysical tools has been adopted to monitor the changes in skin response. The present study aims to identify a set of robust parameters sensitive to mechanical and chemical challenges to skin integrity.

Anatomical variability of sub-epidermal moisture and its clinical implications.

Background: Technologies have been developed to monitor changes in dermal oedema, indicative of the early signs of pressure ulcers. However, there is limited information on the effects of regional differences in tissue morphology on these sub-epidermal moisture (SEM) parameters. This study was designed to investigate the absolute SEM readings across different anatomical sites using a commercial device.

Personal protective equipment related skin reactions in healthcare professionals during COVID-19.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, clinicians have had to use personal protective equipment (PPE) for prolonged periods. This has been associated with detrimental effects, especially in relation to the skin health. The present study describes a comprehensive survey of healthcare workers (HCWs) to describe their experiences using PPE in managing COVID-19 patients, with a particular focus on adverse skin reactions.