Skin blotting: a noninvasive technique for evaluating physiological skin status.

Objective: The skin performs important structural and physiological functions, and skin assessment represents an important step in identifying skin problems. Although noninvasive techniques for assessing skin status exist, no such techniques for monitoring its physiological status are available. This study aimed to develop a novel skin-assessment technique known as skin blotting, based on the leakage of secreted proteins from inside the skin following overhydration in mice.

Morphological characteristics of and factors related to moisture-associated dermatitis surrounding malignant wounds in breast cancer patients.

Purpose: Patients with malignant breast wounds (MBWs) have multiple symptoms. In particular, care for exudates or peri-wound moisture-associated dermatitis (MAD) is difficult. However, MAD has not been distinguished from peri-wound dermatitis.

Skin fragility in obese diabetic mice: possible involvement of elevated oxidative stress and upregulation of matrix metalloproteinases.

The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that obese diabetic mice exhibit marked skin fragility, which is caused by increased oxidative stress and increased matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) gene expression in the subcutaneous adipose tissue. Scanning electron microscopy of skin samples from Tsumura-Suzuki obese diabetic (TSOD) mice revealed thinner collagen bundles, and decreased density and convolution of the collagen fibres. Furthermore, skin tensile strength measurements confirmed that the dorsal skin of TSOD mice was more fragile to tensile force than that of non-obese mice.